The Queensland state LNP Government has scrapped another approved wind project in what is being called “an act of bastardry”, and accusations that the state is openly rejecting renewables as it moves to re-open coal country.

In a deeply worrying development, Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie is repealing a law allowing wind farms to be built in state-owned plantations — and it appears deliberately designed to kill the proposed 1.2 gigawatt (GW) Forest Wind project.

The project was proposed for the state-owned Tuan-Toolara pine plantation between Gympie and Maryborough and made possible by the Forest Wind Farm Development Act 2020.

Bleijie appeared to be reaching for reasons to cancel the Forest Wind project, citing in a statement everything from the exit of developer Tilt Renewables in August 2024, after it  bought a 50% stake in early 2023, to unnamed but “widespread” community concerns.

He also cited the failure to act on development approvals awarded in 2020, even though the project is still stuck in the federal environmental queue.

The statement said these reasons together meant it “failed to meet the minimum project requirements” set this year.

“This Act is another example of Labor promising to deliver projects that never eventuate, while creating fear and anxiety in local communities,” Bleijie said in a statement.

“Our further social impact and community benefit reforms, which commenced last month, ensure that local communities are never shut out from approval processes again.”

Forest Wind project director James Pennay says the decision came as a shock and he denied there was widespread community opposition.

“We’ve had ongoing conversations around the land tenure and government process but is a surprise that they are planning to repeal the legislation,” he told Renew Economy.

“For a project of this scale we’ve received very little opposition and we’ve responded to the concerns that have been raised. We’ve had hundreds of businesses register expressions of interest in that region. We’ve got tens of farmers and landowners who’ve entered agreements with us. And the environmental groups have been hugely supportive given the lack of impact on ecological considerations.”

While the development approval remains in place for the project, the revocation of the Act closes the door on land tenure.

Pennay says will reapply to the government for land tenure when “the timing is right”.

A statement from the Queensland-based developer outlined what it has achieved as it waits for the EPBC, including closing voluntary transmission route agreements with about 20 landowners, community engagement sessions, and a decade of wind and bird and bat measurements.

“Forest Wind was designed to complement Queensland’s energy mix with late-afternoon sea breezes that align perfectly with peak demand,” the statement said. “Our proximity to Southeast Queensland and Gladstone, direct access to the Powerlink network, and extensive forestry road infrastructure position us to deliver reliable, affordable, and low-impact renewable energy.”

Act of bastardry

Queensland Conservation Council director Dave Copeman praised the developer’s environmental work and called the move to kill both the wind farm and all future wind-plantation projects “an act of bastardry from the deputy premier".

“These guys [project owner CleanSight] were going above and beyond the environmental protections, and the government’s just killed the project and ripped up the Act. There’s no good reason to change that law,” Copeman told Renew Economy.

“[The site is all] radiata pine with cats claw over some of it. You’ve already got these giant roads, so most of the infrastructure is already there.

“This is not remnant forest. The proponents were talking about how they could limit impact on the little remaining remnant forest to square metres. Not hectares, but metres.

“We still don’t have an energy plan from the treasurer, and while we don’t have a plan the deputy premier is running around unchecked and killing projects that should go ahead.”

Forest Wind may also just be the excuse to shut down the emerging plantation-based wind industry in Queensland, leading Smart Energy Council chief executive John Grimes to ask — if not in plantations — then where should wind projects be located.

“Where does the Queensland Government propose they should go?” he told Renew Economy.

“It’s clear there are forces inside the Queensland Government that are ideologically opposed to renewable energy, this will further stifle investment, jobs and ultimately mean higher power bills for Queenslanders.”

The Forrest Wind statement pointed out the project had no impact on prime agricultural land or native forest, wouldn’t create a net loss of forestry output, and its turbines were more than 3km from any residences.

Queensland is coal country again

Forest Wind is the second approved wind farm to be cancelled by the conservative state government, following  the axing of the $1 billion Moonlight Range project in May.

Repealing a law and cancelling developments under it will send a message to all investors in Queensland that their work is at risk, says Climate Energy Finance director Tim Buckley.

He says this move will undermine the state’s approvals process not just for renewables and create “massive sovereign risk” for all investors.

“This is a horrible precedent that undermines the bankability of contracts and approvals in Queensland,” he told Renew Economy.

More worryingly, repealing a law to cancel the approved wind project marks how far the state government is willing to go in rejecting renewable energy, while it paves the way for a massive expansion of coal mining in the state.

Last month, the Queensland Government gave Indian coal giant Adani, now named Barvus, a seven-year royalty holiday to expand its loss-making Carmichael coal mine in the central Queensland Galilee basin.

Anti-renewables activist Gina Rinehart and coal baron Clive Palmer also have big interests in that basin.

Republished from Renew Economy, 2 September 2025

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.