Cape Bridgewater Community Consultative Committee Meeting No. 6 Minutes
Meeting held on Wednesday 5March 2014

Minutes

CompanyPacific Hydro Pty Ltd
ACN 057 279 508

MeetingCape Bridgewater Community Consultative Committee Meeting No. 6

DateWednesday, 5 March 2014

Time6.00 -7.30pm

LocationBridgewater Surf Life Saving Club

AttendeesRachel Watson, Head of Commercial, Pacific Hydro
Emily Wood, Communications Manager, Pacific Hydro
Dianne Thomson, Community Relations Coordinator, Pacific Hydro
Cath Smith, Futureye
Cape Bridgewater Residents

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Cape Bridgewater Community Consultative Committee Meeting No. 6 Minutes
Meeting held on Wednesday 5March 2014

1. Welcome and Introductions

Futureye facilitator, [Cath Smith], introduced the meeting and went over the agenda.

Dianne and Rachel introduced themselves for those who have not met them.

Minutes from December meeting tabled. No changes have been received since last meeting. No other comments from attendees.

Minutes from February meeting to be reviewed and tabled in April.

2. Steven Cooper testing scope - update

Cath summarises where we are at with Steven Cooper (that he had met with residents in December, prepared a draft scope and an alternative scope and that these have now been provided to all residents in hard copy).There will be further discussion with neighbours around the scope of testing, the framework for success and reporting.

Rachel explains that the scope is a relatively complex document. She has written a clarifying summary document which has been forwarded to Mr Cooper for review and to confirm it is an accurate reflection of the options he has presented in his testing scope.

Rachel briefly runs through the three proposals as we understand them and that we hope it will help us to understand what sort of impacts the testing will have on residents.

Cath talks about ensuring that there is a clear scope of testing and how the results will be shared.

Questions from attendees about timing of testing and if there is a cut off for implementing it. Rachel and Emily confirmed that no cut off has been discussed but Pacific Hydro hopes the testing can begin as quickly as possible once everything has been agreed to. A number of residents expressed their complete trust in Mr Cooper.

3. Permanent noise monitoring update

Summary of status including that noise loggers are out and have been for at least six weeks. An initial group of graphs has been supplied to Pacific Hydro in the last week but that they are displayed in a very similar way to compliance graphs. Pacific Hydro does not feel that this is helpful for residents so we are working with Marshall Day Acoustics (MDA) to provide some alternative options that are more in line with what is useful for residents.

An MDA representative has committed to coming to the next meeting to talk about the testing and discuss options for how the information can be displayed.

4. Other

Follow up to last month’s meeting regarding questions about the CFA and how they fight fires. Emily explains that the CFA are interested in coming to a meeting to talk about fire safety and wind farms in response to community questions. However the CFA have been away fighting fires in Benalla recently and therefore were unable to attend tonight. We will try to have someone attend next meeting.

Questions from attendees that they would like to ask CFA in relation to safety signs and what is a safe distance from wind farm during fires, CFA requirements around access to the wind farm (SA case raised where an exclusion zone was put in place by WorkCover), smoke from a turbine fire – does this inhibit CFA from going to fight it, question about power line issue and voltage. Emily explains that Powercor manage power lines in the area so this may need to be addressed by them. Emily to follow up. .

NHMRC review findings spoken about briefly. Pacific Hydro tabled its press release for the community to see.

Question raised by attendee about comments made by Lane Crockett prior to Christmas on SA radio that offended community members. Pacific Hydro to follow up to find out what was said.

Discussion about Steven Cooper testing, delays to the testing, comment that all correspondence sent to residents needs also to be sent to Senator Madigan. Pacific Hydro to confirm that correspondence is being forwarded as requested. Several residents noted that if the Steven Cooper testing proposal meets all requirements as set out in the letter from Senator Madigan that they are happy. Pacific Hydro undertook to confirm this with Mr Cooper.

Comment from attendee that Dr Wayne Spring of Ballarat hospital could be someone who could do a sleep study. Pacific Hydro to investigate.

Follow up from last meeting regarding Sustainable Communities Fund and request for a list of recipients. List made available and explanation about how the program works provided. Several attendees expressed their disquiet about the operation of the Sustainable Communities Fund

5. Future Meetings

Agreement to keep location of future meetings in Cape Bridgewater rather than move closer in to town

Agreement that meetings be on the first Thursday of the month in future to make it easier for residents to attend.

Next meeting Thursday April 3.

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