Readers may be aware that Ergon Energy has created a Community Reference Group (CRG) to oversee the process of determining the need for a powerline from Warwick to Stanthorpe.
The facilitator, Twyfords of NSW, appears to be changing the goal posts regularly.
Tywfords set the ground rules that the CRG was to comprise of twelve community members. This fact was distributed to the community when nominations were invited. It was changed to thirteen people without any further consultation of the community. I am reliably informed that two members have since resigned.
Tywfords originally claimed the process would be transparent. CRG members were aware of this fact prior to nomination. All meetings of the CRG were to be open to observers and the media. I understand a third meeting of the CRG was held recently.
There have been no media releases emanating from the CRG. There has been no invitation to the community to attend as observers.
I raised this lack of transparency with Tywfords last week. The response I received was comparable to the information I have received from Ergon Energy in the past. It told me very little. It avoided the subject. It did not specifically answer my question “when the CRG will be open to the community?”
These community members of the CRG will ultimately be making decisions that may affect every landholder on any potential route determined. Will these landholders be then invited to consult with the CRG about the determination, prior to remittance to Ergon Energy for approval?
I do not know many of these CRG members. I, like other community members, was not given an opportunity to exercise any right as to whether or not I agree for any of these people to represent me and make a determination that may, for example, affect my health, possible visual impact, devaluation of my property, etc.
We have the opportunity to elect our state and local council representatives but we are not given the same opportunity for membership of the CRG. Where is the transparency?
Accountability to land-holders and the community is important. Sorry Twyfords, it is not being displayed in your CRG process.
Allen Kehoe
Warwick
