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Ill wind blows over turbines

The Federal Government has faced local opposition to wind farm whilefronting his a community cabinet meeting in the Victorian city ofBallarat.

wind farm
A wind farm in South Australia. (AAP)

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Source: SBS


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Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has faced local opposition to wind farm while fronting his a community cabinet meeting in the Victorian city of Ballarat.

Farmers from the small community of Waubra on outskirts of Ballarat say the turbines are making them and their families sick, and is driving them from their homes.

Many of the protesters claim the wind farm causes headaches and heart palpatations due to the change in air pressure.

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They say the constant low-frequency noise has caused sleep deprivation and other ailments.

"Before the wind mill started operating there was none of this," Waubra resident Donald Thomas told the ABC.

Embattled Environment Minister Peter Garrett responded to claims by saying the problem was a state issue, but that he was not opposed to having national guidelines on the turbines.

The Prime Minister attempted to soothe over the issue, saying the state and federal government could work together to fix the problem.

"I don't think it is beyond our wit as a nation to get this balance right," the Prime Minister says.


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