Senator Richard Di Natale has slammed a report’s findings calling for more research into wind farms. Source: AAP
THERE is no consistent evidence to support claims wind farms cause adverse health effects, the nation’s premier medical research body has determined.
BUT, in a move that has angered the Greens, the National Health and Medical Research Council has recommended the need for higher quality research into the issue.
“Will it also be recommending spending precious taxpayer dollars on research into chemtrails and alien abductions?” Greens health spokesman Richard Di Natale said on Wednesday. The council has concluded there is no direct evidence that exposure to noise from wind farms affects physical or mental health. However, there was consistent, but poor quality direct evidence, that noise was associated with annoyance and even less linking it to sleep disturbance. But given the concerns expressed by those living nearby and limited reliable evidence, the council considered further, higher quality, research was warranted on the effects within 1500 metres of turbines. The government said it supported the decision to commission more investigation. The Clean Energy Council said the report’s findings were no surprise, but described as weak evidence to support potential health effects within 1500 metres. A parliamentary inquiry, sparked by a cohort of senators including independents Nick Xenophon and John Madigan, is investigating the effects of wind turbines.