Regardless of the result of the federal election and who wins the three seats in the Illawarra, the Responsible Future Illawarra lobby group will not give up its fight against offshore windfarms.

The possibility of windfarms off the coast to supply renewable energy is set to be a major issue at the May 3 election with Labor aiming to retain the seats of Cunningham, Whitlam and Gilmore. 

Responsible Future Illawarra held two public forums last week at Warilla Bowls Club and Kiama Leagues Club with around 350 community members turning up to each event.

Liberal candidate Andrew Constance and Community Independent Kate Dezarnaulds spoke at the Kiama event about their stance on the windfarm project if they were to be elected next month. The Labor candidates in each seat declined the invitation to attend.

Responsible Future Illawarra president Alex O’Brien said Cunningham MP Allison Byrnes told his group that she decided not to turn up because of concerns for her personal safety arising from online comments made about her from members of the group.

He said they would be happy to sit down with Labor candidates and Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen to discuss their concerns about the windfarms.

O’Brien described the prospect of windfarms located off the coast as “insanity in terms of engineering and a cost point of view”.

“We have made it really clear that we are not here to take political sides so we wanted to ask our candidates questions on their position - what they would do to oppose the project, what would stop them from proceeding with the project or supporting it on environmental grounds, community benefits, that type of thing and then let the community decide.

Kate Dezarnaulds and Andrew Constance. Photo: Supplied

“The biggest issue today is cost of living. Now there is an argument to tie offshore wind to the cost of living issue for people along with housing and healthcare so we just wanted to say this is where your candidate sits on this issue.”

O’Brien claimed that similar projects in the United States have resulted in debris floating onto coastlines in tourist areas which had shut down beaches for weeks so they could be cleaned up.

He said RFI had a wide range of members, both young and old, from various parts of the political spectrum.

“The environment is still the number one issue for them because people love that coastline. And they're worried about the impact of industrialising it,” he said.

“Throwing transmission lines through Minnamurra Beach and Killalea and potentially Lake Illawarra and North Wollongong, there’s gonna be a lot of disturbance as well and impact on those highly sensitive marine areas. 

“I appreciate there is no study at the moment that shows either for or against the impact on marine life however there's a lot of environmental groups who have said it's at high risk of an impact, whether that's gonna be injury or displacement.

“Irrespective of the election result this campaign will continue,” he said.

“This will not stop with this election and we will keep fighting to protect this coastline.”

Constance said he was the only candidate for Gilmore that is opposed to the project. 

Kate Dezarnaulds addresses the crowd in Kiama. Photo: Supplied

“This project is just so impactful on the entire region. It just needs to be stopped,” he said.

“Bowen has left the door open post-election because the proponent has asked for a pause on it. As I understand it, through Responsible Future Illawarra, there were hundreds of submissions from the Kiama LGA into that process expressing concern.

“I think full disclosure by Chris Bowen around his plans post-election is required. Even better still an admission that no one is willing to build it would be even better.

“I'm pro climate change and getting sensible policy in to deal with it and I support good renewables. I'm just not prepared to support a bad project like this.”

Dezarnaulds said her approach to the renewables debate is “we need to lean into the mix in order to be able to have affordable, sustainable and reliable energy”. 

“Wind can be a very useful part of that mix and it would be mad to take a technology off the table on an ideological basis but we have got no proposal in the electorate of Gilmore that is currently on the table,” she said. 

“Until we have a genuine proposal to assess on its merits, I'm reluctant to make any judgement for or against.

“All proposals need to be assessed on their financial, environmental, technological and community impacts and there is potential for wind and I'm looking forward to seeing proposals that can be assessed by the experts on that basis

“I think the community more broadly understands the energy transition is underway and doesn't want our region to be left behind but is keen to protect the things that we love and value about this place.

“We need to make sure that any big business, whether it's a clean energy business or a property development, whatever it is, if it's going to have a significant impact it needs lots of community consultation and it needs lots of detail in order for us to be able to take a balanced view.”