Green light for solar farm at Girgarre

A solar farm has been given the green light to be built in Girgarre.

Campaspe Shire Council unanimously approved the 118 megawatt solar energy facility to be built at 1083 Mason Rd.

It is the second solar project approved in the shire in as many weeks.

The facility is proposed to be connected to the 66 kV Stanhope-Shepparton powerline that is owned and operated by Powercor.

The site will host up to 368 000 photovoltaic panels across 256 ha.

Although there were no objections to this application, council placed 30 conditions on the applicant, Leeson Group Projects, to ensure the best outcome for the community.

These include noise restrictions, car park construction requirements, hours of construction, muted colours, native vegetation retentions and stormwater disposal.

Cr John Zobec said this was another good opportunity for Girgarre.

‘‘The town is striving and moving ahead and this is another opportunity for the community and provides extra jobs, which the area really needs,’’ Cr Zobec said.

Story from Country News - “Green light for Girgarre farm.”

Morrison denies Northern Territory's extra $260m is for lifting fracking ban

The federal government has given the Northern Territory an extra $260m to compensate for its low GST share, a decision both governments have denied is linked to the territory’s decision to lift a moratorium on fracking.

 NT’s extra funding is not due to the decision to lift
the ban on fracking, Scott Morrison says. 

At a press conference on Monday the treasurer, Scott Morrison, said the Northern Territory would receive the extra funding from the commonwealth’s consolidated revenue, as well as an extra $550m over five years for remote Indigenous housing.

The Northern Territory’s GST share is set to fall from 4.66% of Australia’s total in 2017-18 to 4.26% in 2018-19 as a result of the recommendation of the Commonwealth Grant Commission – the independent body that carves up the GST pie.

Read Paul Karp’s story from The Guardian - “Morrison denies Northern Territory's extra $260m is for lifting fracking ban.”