New South Wales started the ball rolling with its proposed introduction of the world’s toughest rules for wind farm development. – including the right for anyone living within two kilometres of a proposed wind farm to veto it and a noise limit of 35 decibels (less than the sound of a quiet conversation).

Now Queensland’s new Government has entered the contest with the announcement that it will not go ahead with:

• the A$75 million promised for the Areva-led 250MW Solar Dawn power station in Chinchilla
• the $430m Queensland Climate Change Fund
• the $50m Renewable Energy Fund
• the $50m Smart Energy Savings Program
• the Waste Avoidance and Resource Efficiency Fund
• the Local Government Sustainable Future Fund
• the Solar Initiatives Package or
• the Future Growth Fund.

Not to be outdone, Victoria’s Government has decided to scrap its greenhouse gas reduction target which was for a 20% reduction by 2020 and not to proceed with restrictions on new coal-fired power stations.