The Illawarra's wind zone will be smaller and further out to sea than the area proposed last year.

"Today's a big day for the Illawarra," Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen told a press conference at BlueScope Steel in Port Kembla on Saturday. "Today I'm announcing that I have declared the Illawarra offshore wind zone. This is important for renewable energy, it's important for jobs. 

"We have listened to community concerns … and I have declared a zone which is smaller than that originally proposed and further away from the coast."

The zone will be 20km off the coast rather than 10km, and the area has been reduced by a third, from 1461 square kilometres to 1022 sq km.

Member for Cunningham Alison Byrnes described the changes as a "sensible compromise".

"One of the main things that people raised with me was the visual amenities," she said at today's press conference, held after a tour of the Port Kembla steelworks. "They had concerns about being able to see it 10 kilometres from shore, but they were okay with 20 kilometres. And I am really pleased that Minister Bowen has listened to that feedback.

"The other things people raised with me was local jobs and local content. It is great to see that really strong focus on local jobs and local content, including Australian steel, in the proposal today."

The Government said the wind zone – the fourth to be declared in Australia – would generate about 2.9 GW of electricity and create 1740 new jobs during construction and 870 ongoing jobs, with roles for everyone from engineers to administrators.

In his address to the media, Member for Whitlam Stephen Jones said: "An important part of this is it provides a secure, long-term energy source for the steelworks. So, we've got to go through some transformation. We want to continue to make steel and continue to be a region that makes things. We've got to have the energy which drives industry.

"So, just as we made those difficult transformations in the 1980s, which ensured we continue to make steel here today, we're going to make some transformation over the next decade with energy, renewable energy, which will drive industry in this region for the decades to come."

Dave Scott, BlueScope Steel's general manager of manufacturing in Australia, said the company supported today's declaration of the offshore zone. "That is, the potential to supply significant quantities of renewable energy to help underpin BlueScope's decarbonisation of iron and steelmaking in Australia."

Community groups differ over how best to protect environment

Today's announcement from Minister Bowen's office said the declared zone excludes areas including the Biologically Important Area for the Little Penguin, the Shelf Rocky Reef Key Ecological Feature and the Southern Right Whale migration and reproduction area.

However, many people opposed to the zone are still worried about the turbines' impact on whales and birds.

Alex O'Brien is the media spokesperson for Responsible Future (Illawarra Chapter) Inc, which stands for “unconditional opposition” to offshore wind turbines in highly sensitive marine ecosystems like the Illawarra. He has told the Flame that internal group polling shows environmental concerns are the no. 1 issue for Responsible Future supporters. "That’s why this community is fighting so hard to protect it.”

In a media release today, Responsible Future said: "We have prepared ourselves for a long fight at all stages of this project. 

"The Association notes that the Minister has dismissed the concerns raised by thousands of community members, environmental organisations, local commercial fisheries, and tourism operators. These groups have consistently voiced their worries about the project's adverse impacts on the environment and marine ecosystem."

Ahead of the wind zone announcement, Responsible Future announced two public meetings in Fairy Meadow and Kiama. To be held on June 25 and July 9, the forums are titled "Illawarra’s Offshore Wind Proposal: An Irresponsible Gamble".

Meanwhile, others see climate action as the environment's best defence and today supporters of Good for the Gong gathered at Thirroul Beach to celebrate the zone declaration with signs including "Clean Energy – Good for the Gong".

"We think this is a great thing," Good for the Gong spokesperson Sean Moran said. "We think that the community wants it. We've spoken to hundreds and hundreds of people in the community – online, offline – and we think this is a great thing for doing our part on climate change.

"We think it's great for the environment. And we are really looking forward to holding the government and developers to account through the environmental assessment process, making sure that there's community benefits and jobs for the region."

Sean started the Good for the Gong Facebook page in 2023; it has since incorporated to become an association to represent the community "for the long haul" as years of research and more community consultation lie ahead.

"We've seen a real shift in the narrative around offshore wind in the community since creating the group," Sean said. "And we've turned it from what was quite a toxic discussion with a lot of disinformation to something that's a lot more science and evidence based … and kind, actually. I think we've been able to change the nature of the discussion. We feel good about that."

At today's media conference, Minister Bowen said he was aware of both groups. "I follow both groups on Facebook. There's the pro groups and the anti groups. I don't intervene in debate on social media, but I watched the debate and I'm aware of strong views on both sides.

"I think this is a good balanced proposal."

His speech also tackled concerns about fishing. "There's a lot of misinformation out there about fishing. Some people assume that when you see that declaration on the map that you can't fish inside that area, that's not true. There will be exclusion zones around each turbine, small exclusion zone of around 50 metres. The turbines are usually around two kilometres apart. Within that, people can fish, can go about their recreational fishing as they wish."

Scientists welcome zone declaration

University of Wollongong (UOW) scientists have also welcomed the declaration of the zone, with Ty Christopher, Director of the Energy Futures Network UOW, describing it as "a positive step for our region".

"Most people are concerned about our climate and the environment, so the declaration clears the way for independent research into the environmental aspects of offshore wind to proceed," he said. 

"By working together as a community, sharing our concerns for the environment to codesign a clean energy future for the region, we have the ability to deliver a positive outcomes for our oceans, our communities and our local economy.”

Associate Professor Michelle Voyer, Keira Endowed Chair in Energy Futures at UOW and co-founder of the Blue Futures: Translational Research Initiative, said the community now has a chance to come together and shape its future. 

“The period leading up to the declaration of the Illawarra Offshore Energy Infrastructure Zone has been a difficult time for our region," she said. "However, now we have a declared zone I am confident that we can get started on the things that all sides agree on –  independent, rigorous research which is specific to our area and the needs of our community and local marine environment.

"This declaration creates an opportunity for our community to come together to shape how the next stages of this long process should proceed.”  

Feasibility licence applications for offshore wind projects in the Illawarra zone open from Monday, 17 June and close on 13 August 2024. For more information on the final declared zone, visit the DCCEEW website.

Read more: How young people created a symbolic surfboard for the Climate Change Minister, why protestors were happy to hear from the Nationals and find an opinion piece by UOW's Michelle Voyer and Ty Christopher here.