← Back to home Browse all bills

Stopping Wind Farms in State Forests

Current status

This bill did not become law and is no longer proceeding.

Policy area

Climate, energy & environment

What does this bill do?

Large trading or financial corporations could not build, install or start operating wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. in State forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests..

Why was it introduced?

Wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. could be constructed in State forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests., including Sunny Corner, Vulcan, Mount David, Gurnang and Canobolas State ForestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests.. Andrew Gee MPAn elected representative in Parliament; Andrew Gee is the MP who introduced this bill.’s bill bans constitutional corporationsA company that the federal Parliament can regulate under the Constitution, usually because it is a trading or financial corporation. from building, installing or commissioningThe final testing and start-up stage before a wind farm begins operating. wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. in State forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests..

Broader context

After New South Wales changed its laws in 2021 to allow wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. in State forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests., proposals in places such as Sunny Corner, Vulcan, Mount David, Gurnang and Canobolas State ForestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests. became a focus of local anger because turbines could be placed close to towns, roads and powerlines. Andrew Gee MPAn elected representative in Parliament; Andrew Gee is the MP who introduced this bill. responded with a private billA bill introduced by an MP who is not acting as a government minister, so it usually has a harder path to becoming law. to use federal corporations powerThe part of the Constitution the bill relies on to let the federal Parliament restrict what certain corporations can do in State forests. to stop corporations building, installing or commissioningThe final testing and start-up stage before a wind farm begins operating. wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. in any State forestPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests., but the bill was later removed from the Notice PaperThe House of Representatives list of business waiting to be dealt with; removal from it meant this bill stopped progressing at that point..

Key criticism

No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far, with the available parliamentary contributions focusing on reasons to stop wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. in state forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests. rather than objections to the proposed ban. No party represented in the debate opposed the bill, and the broader public documents identified do not directly criticise this bill.

Who supported it?

Andrew Gee MPAn elected representative in Parliament; Andrew Gee is the MP who introduced this bill. introduced this bill. Speeches supporting it came from Katter's Australian Party, some crossbench members.

Introduced in House 03 Nov 2025
Failed in House 23 June 2026
Did not reach Senate —
Did not become law —

Did it become law?

No

The bill did not complete passage through Parliament.

Final passage

No final passage

The bill has not completed passage and is no longer proceeding.

Time before failure

232 days

From introduction to the final recorded step before the bill stopped proceeding

Official record

View on APH

Parliament of Australia bill page

Meaning

What does this bill do?

  1. Large trading or financial corporations could not build, install or start operating wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. in State forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests..

  2. The ban would clearly cover Sunny Corner, Vulcan, Mount David, Gurnang and Canobolas State ForestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests., but would also apply to any State forestPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests..

  3. The ban would also cover Territory forestsForest land set aside under a Territory law, which the bill would treat the same way as a State forest. and wind energy infrastructure such as storage, transmission and distribution equipment.

  4. The federal minister could ask the Federal Court of AustraliaThe national court that the bill would allow the minister to ask for an injunction to enforce the wind farm ban. for an injunctionA court order that can require someone to stop doing something, such as building or starting a banned wind farm. to stop a corporation breaching the wind farmFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. ban.

Show source excerpts
  1. The Stopping Windfarms in State Forests Bill 2025 (the Bill) prohibits a constitutional corporation from constructing, installing or commissioning a windfarm in a State forest.
    Stopping Wind Farms in State Forests explanatory memorandum
  2. This Bill makes clear that the prohibition will apply to windfarms in the Sunny Corner State Forest; the Vulcan State Forest; the Mount David State Forest; the Gurnang State Forest and the Canobolas State Forest.
    Stopping Wind Farms in State Forests explanatory memorandum
  3. State forest means:
    Stopping Wind Farms in State Forests introduced bill text
  4. (3) Subsection (1) is enforceable under Part 7 (about injunctions) of the Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014. For the purposes of that Part:
    Stopping Wind Farms in State Forests introduced bill text

Context

Broader context for this bill

After New South Wales changed its laws in 2021 to allow wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. in State forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests., proposals in places such as Sunny Corner, Vulcan, Mount David, Gurnang and Canobolas State ForestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests. became a focus of local anger because turbines could be placed close to towns, roads and powerlines. Andrew Gee MPAn elected representative in Parliament; Andrew Gee is the MP who introduced this bill. responded with a private billA bill introduced by an MP who is not acting as a government minister, so it usually has a harder path to becoming law. to use federal corporations powerThe part of the Constitution the bill relies on to let the federal Parliament restrict what certain corporations can do in State forests. to stop corporations building, installing or commissioningThe final testing and start-up stage before a wind farm begins operating. wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. in any State forestPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests., but the bill was later removed from the Notice PaperThe House of Representatives list of business waiting to be dealt with; removal from it meant this bill stopped progressing at that point..

  1. 2021

    New South Wales allows wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. in State forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests.

    Andrew Gee MPAn elected representative in Parliament; Andrew Gee is the MP who introduced this bill. told the House that the New South Wales law allowed wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. in State forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests. without properly setting out rights for affected residents and neighbours.

    Second reading speech ↗
  2. 03 Nov 2025

    State forestPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests. wind farmFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. proposals draw local anger

    Gee said residents around proposed projects, including the Sunny Corner Wind FarmFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. proposal, felt pain, anguish and anger because turbines were being sited close to communities, roads and powerlines.

    Second reading speech ↗
  3. 03 Nov 2025

    Andrew Gee MPAn elected representative in Parliament; Andrew Gee is the MP who introduced this bill. introduces the State forestPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests. wind farmFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. ban bill

    The private member’s bill proposed to stop corporations constructing, installing or commissioningThe final testing and start-up stage before a wind farm begins operating. wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. in State forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests., expressly naming Sunny Corner, Vulcan, Mount David, Gurnang and Canobolas while also covering any State forestPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests..

    Parliamentary timeline ↗
  4. 23 June 2026

    Bill is removed from the Notice PaperThe House of Representatives list of business waiting to be dealt with; removal from it meant this bill stopped progressing at that point.

    The bill was removed from the House Notice PaperThe House of Representatives list of business waiting to be dealt with; removal from it meant this bill stopped progressing at that point. under standing order 42A House of Representatives rule that can remove old or inactive private members' business from the Notice Paper., ending its recorded parliamentary progress at that point.

    Parliamentary timeline ↗

Legislative route

How did it move through Parliament?

House Senate
Introduced 03 Nov 2025

The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.

Introduced and read a first time

Second reading opened 03 Nov 2025

A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.

Second reading moved

Removed from the Notice PaperThe House of Representatives list of business waiting to be dealt with; removal from it meant this bill stopped progressing at that point. in accordance with (SO 42) 23 June 2026

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Key criticism

The main case against this bill

No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far, with the available parliamentary contributions focusing on reasons to stop wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. in state forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests. rather than objections to the proposed ban. No party represented in the debate opposed the bill, and the broader public documents identified do not directly criticise this bill.

Criticism may emerge if the bill is examined in committee or debated more widely.

Votes

Recorded votes

No recorded votes were found before this bill stopped proceeding.

Parliamentary debate

Who spoke, and what they said

Start here — lead voices

Sponsor speech Supports

Andrew Gee

Independent • MP 03 Nov 2025

Andrew Gee strongly backs the bill and says it should pass because wind farmFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. proposals in state forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests. are harming nearby regional communities and state governments have failed to protect residents.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead non-major voice Supports

Bob Katter

Katter's Australian Party • MP 03 Nov 2025

Bob Katter supports the bill and says wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. should not be built in state forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests. because projects like Chalumbin would turn rare natural areas near remnant rainforest into industrial wasteland.

Read in Hansard ↗

All speeches by bloc

Minor parties and independents

2 speakers · 2 support

  1. Andrew Gee ★ Andrew Gee strongly backs the bill and says it should pass because wind farmFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. proposals in state forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests. are harming nearby regional communities and state governments have failed to protect residents.
    “That pain and anguish has not gone away, and politicians of all persuasions have failed to act. So I am bringing this bill back to this House, and it needs to be passed into law.”

    Independent • MP • 03 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Bob Katter ★ Bob Katter supports the bill and says wind farmsFor this bill, it means wind energy infrastructure, including turbines, energy storage, powerlines and distribution equipment connected to the project. should not be built in state forestsPublic forest land set aside under State law; in this bill it also includes Territory forests. because projects like Chalumbin would turn rare natural areas near remnant rainforest into industrial wasteland.
    “I second the motion. I greatly appreciate the honourable member for moving this legislation.”

    Katter's Australian Party • MP • 03 Nov 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Record

Full record

Full chat