Mr BAYLEY – Minister, I want to talk about eagle deaths. It was raised quickly in relation to Robbins Island, and eagle deaths as a result of interactions with energy infrastructure is something that has been a significant topic of debate for a long time now. This is not just density in wind farms; this is interactions with power lines and the like. Are you able to update the committee on the number of raptor deaths due to interaction with energy infrastructure and can you break that down between wind farm and specific wind farm and transmission infrastructure.
Mr DUIGAN – Yes, and I believe the wind farm information is publicly reported. Let me see what I have here and broken down into quite specific farm by farm categorisation.
Let me say at the outset, we are all committed to making this a better circumstance for all of our wildlife – eagles, devils, whatever you like – so we are working together to provide a better outcome for all of our wildlife interactions and there are processes for new developments’ impact on wildlife, key considerations, threatened birds and transmission lines. TasNetworks takes its responsibility to protect and mitigate very seriously and in the last four years has invested more than $4 million to help protect threatened bird-life as part of its Threatened Bird Strategy. Going forward, over the next five years, TasNetworks will spend at least $1 million on targeted bird mitigation measures. Also, partnerships with Bonorong and direct funding is provided to these organisations for injured birds.
Bird deaths – 18 threatened birds were impacted by power lines in 2024‑25. TasNetworks has reported 10 reportable bird deaths this financial year so far. TasNetworks is making strong progress on bird protection and will continue to invest in strategies to improve bird protection. Wind farm operators are, obviously, required to comply with strict preconstruction, operating and monitoring requirements. Let me see what we have.
We do not have a breakdown, but I’m pretty sure, Vanessa, that it is publicly reported.
Ms PINTO – I believe so, minister, but I don’t have the information.
Mr DUIGAN – In terms of the last lot of numbers I saw from the wind farms, particularly those wind farms that have had issues with large raptor strikes, the numbers are pretty good. If they’re not publicly reported, let me see if I can get them.
Mr BAYLEY – Thank you. In terms of those threatened birds strikes with power lines and the 10 in this financial year, can you confirm, does TasNetworks spend its own money – is there any money in this Budget to specifically target those kinds of wildlife interactions with energy infrastructure?
Mr DUIGAN – If there is, it will be coming from Environment and the threatened species fund, so I’m not sure about that.
Mr BAYLEY – Nothing comes through from the –
Mr DUIGAN – I don’t know if nothing, but not from Energy.
Mr BAYLEY – Not from Energy, that was what I was going to say. There was just a little bit to be added, I think.
Ms PINTO – I was going to clarify that wind farm mortalities are published by the operating wind farm on their websites and in their annual environmental reports, and copies are provided to the EPA and they’re publicly reportable.
Mr BAYLEY – Acknowledging that they’re the reported ones, as opposed to ones that possibly go unreported.
Mr DUIGAN – We don’t condone any of that. Report them. We want it to be better.
Mr BAYLEY – I’m not saying that in the context of being deliberately not reported, but not being found.
