Protecting the environment is not separate from protecting farming communities. In North East Country, healthy waterways, native vegetation, productive soils, wildlife corridors and working farmland are all connected.

Fair Go for North East Country believes environmental protection should be practical, evidence-based and grounded in local knowledge. Good planning should protect both the natural landscape and the rural communities that care for it every day.

Environmental Stewardship Starts on the Land

Farmers, landholders and volunteers play a major role in caring for the environment. They manage weeds, protect creeks, fence off waterways, plant native vegetation, maintain fire breaks and improve soil health across thousands of hectares of private land.

That work matters. It supports biodiversity, improves water quality, protects wildlife habitat and helps keep rural landscapes healthy for future generations.

Why People Are Concerned

Large-scale industrial developments can affect more than the immediate project site. Communities are concerned about the long-term impact on:

  • Native vegetation and wildlife corridors.
  • Creeks, wetlands and drainage lines.
  • Soil health and agricultural land condition.
  • Flood behaviour and water movement.
  • Fire risk and emergency access.
  • Landscape character and rural amenity.
  • Biodiversity across the wider region.

Renewable Energy Must Be Environmentally Responsible

Fair Go for North East Country is not opposed to renewable energy. We support renewable projects that are properly planned, appropriately located and genuinely assessed for their environmental impacts.

But environmental responsibility means more than producing clean electricity. It also means protecting waterways, soils, habitats, native vegetation and the communities that depend on them.

Local Knowledge Matters

Local people often understand environmental risks that may not be obvious on a map. They know where water sits after heavy rain, where creeks overflow, where wildlife moves, where fires travel and which areas are difficult to access in an emergency.

That knowledge should be taken seriously during any planning assessment.

Our Position

Fair Go for North East Country supports environmental protection that:

  • Safeguards waterways, wetlands and drainage systems.
  • Protects native vegetation and wildlife habitat.
  • Considers fire, flood and emergency management risks.
  • Recognises the role farmers and landholders play in caring for the land.
  • Balances renewable energy goals with local environmental values.
  • Requires transparent, independent and evidence-based assessment.
  • Ensures long-term rehabilitation and accountability.

A Practical Approach

Environmental protection should not be used as a slogan. It should be measured by outcomes on the ground.

Good planning means placing major developments where they cause the least harm, protecting the landscapes that make North East Country unique and recognising the people who already care for the land every day.

Fair Go for North East Country supports renewable energy done right — with practical planning, strong environmental safeguards and genuine respect for local communities, productive farmland and the natural landscape.