Rovensky, J.A. To ACNC in Support of Waubra Foundation

The question is should this work be restricted because of a complaint which had no foundation, a complaint that many know was spurious.

Dear Commissioner Pascoe

I am writing in support of The Waubra Foundations right to have their standing as a Health Promotion Charity.

The Foundation has consistently and vigorously promoted the need for research into adverse health effects of noise and vibration produced from various industrial sources including mining and Industrial Wind Turbines.

For Assistant Commissioner Locke to state that “to date there has been no rigorous scientific evidence that finds that the ill health complained of is caused by the physiological effects from wind turbines nor that there are human diseases called “wind turbine syndrome’ or ‘vibroacoustic disease’, as a reason to remove the Foundations standing as a Health Promotion Charity, is an invalid assessment.

Assistant Commissioner Locke conveniently ignored long standing evidence that sound and vibration which cause sleep deprivation is recognised as a health hazard.

While Industrial Wind Turbine noise and vibration emissions are to some considered a new phenomenon, it has been reported as a problem for human health since the 1980’s. There is a need for more research to ensure human health is continually at the forefront of approval of all industrial installations.

By limiting his consideration to the work of the Foundation to Industrial Wind Turbines, he has focused on a complaint from those who refuse to consider the ramifications of this industry on human beings.

In doing so he has conveniently dismissed research conducted by competent Professionals such as Professor Mariana Alves Pereira and others. While not all work has been peer reviewed, it requires acceptance from ‘peers’ and it needs to research to be conducted before it can be said there is no adverse health effects.

It is clearly the role of the Foundation to bring to public attention as well as to the attention of researchers the widely reported adverse health effects being suffered by many around the world, which began once industrial wind turbines, commences in their locality.While it may be that not everyone is affected, not everyone is affected by cancer, measles and other conditions but that does not warrant research not being conducted into these diseases, and has not prevented organisations working on a voluntary and reliant on public funding to seek research.

It is unfortunately all too common for new or uncommon diseases to be researched after campaigns by voluntary organisations reach out to the public and professionals.

While I am not personally affected by industrial wind energy installation, I am aware of the concerns of many people and as such feel empathy.

The Waubra Foundation has assisted me to understand the problems facing those who do suffer and the need for more research to ensure these and future sufferers are understood and their conditions recognised as being a result of these industrial turbines. The Foundation has a wealth of reference material and the support they have provided to those suffering is invaluable to them when others have brushed their serious health issues aside.