[Greens-Media] Media Release - Greens bring campaign against “bad science” to Tasmania

[Blyberg, Andrew (Sen R. Di Natale)]

Media Release

25/07/2013

Greens bring campaign against “bad science” to Tasmania

Australian Greens health spokesperson, Dr Richard Di Natale, has been campaigning in Victoria against the false and unscientific health claims made by opponents of wind energy. Today he joins Senator Peter Whish-Wilson to bring that campaign to Tasmania.
 
“As a doctor I cannot stand idly by while false health claims are being used to undermine the transition to clean energy,” said Senator Di Natale.
 
“Anti-wind farm lobby groups have been trying to turn community sentiment against wind farms by peddling misinformation about health risks when it is clear that wind turbine syndrome has no scientific basis whatsoever.
 
“Telling people that wind farms can make them sick isn’t just a lie, it’s harmful.
 
“A recent study found that campaigns that promote false health claims about wind turbines make people feel sick; in much the same way a placebo can make people feel better. Where anti wind campaigns were absent, symptoms from so called wind turbine syndrome were largely absent.
 
“Anti-wind campaigns are also harmful because they delay the transition from unhealthy, polluting coal fired power which is the real threat to human health. Coal mining, coal combustion and coal transport leads to diseases such as asthma, lung cancer and heart disease and it is also responsible for climate change which has been described as the biggest global health threat of the 21st century.
 
“The Greens care about protecting people’s health and that’s precisely why we won’t let these false, irresponsible and dangerous myths be peddled without challenge.”
 
Tasmanian Senator, Peter Whish-Wilson, said that bad science equalled bad economics for Tasmania.
 
“Wind energy has the potential to be a billion dollar industry for Tasmania, which means jobs for Tasmanians.
 
“The Greens care about the long term future of Tasmania and we don’t want to see this kind of investment jeopardised by unsubstantiated and often self-interested claims dressed up as science.”
 
Media Contacts
Andrew Blyberg (Di Natale) – 0401 691 666
Thomas Moore (Whish-Wilson) – 0409 164 603