Has Baillieu taken pity on the wind industry?

According to a very official-looking press release pictured below, supposedly from Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu, the Victorian Government will be providing a $552 million structural adjustment package. This is to assist regional businesses, communities and workers whose livelihood has been undermined by a planning regime that places greater restrictions on proximity of wind turbines to homes than industrial facilities susceptible to dangerous explosions and hazardous pollution.

Of course as anyone with half a clue about renewable energy would realise, this press release is a just a clever parody (by Friends of the Earth) rather than a deliberate attempt to mislead. Although it still managed to fool a few journalists.

It provides a clever and humourous illustration of how the Victorian Government is cutting its nose to spite its face. Victoria could be a major beneficiary of the Federal Government Renewable Energy Target, knocking South Australia off as the capital of wind power in the country.

Hopefully they'll eventually see the merits in an industry likely to create far more jobs than an Aluminium Smelter that will inevitably close in 2 years time.

Fake press release issued by Friends of the Earth