Jun 19 - Press, The; Christchurch, New Zealand

Even on the clearest day, the view across Sydney's bustling harbour does not extend 2000km south-east over the horizon to Central Otago's open spaces.

Sydney, like much of Australia, gets most of its electricity from coal, and also from the vast Snowy Mountains hydro scheme. Its power supply is more reliable than New Zealand's, although Australia will also be faced with challenges in the next decade.

So, why is former All Blacks captain David Kirk, one of Australia's top businessmen, so concerned about New Zealand's electricity problems and a wind farm planned for Central Otago's Lammermoor Range?

Kirk, the chief executive of Fairfax Australia, which owns a stable of newspapers on this side of the Tasman, including The Press, personally paid for a full- page advertisement in last week's Sunday Star-Times opposing Meridian Energy's proposed Project Hayes wind farm.

The ad, believed to have cost about $28,000, features blood- red impressions of giant wind turbines and access roads daubed on to a brown Central Otago backdrop and the legend: "100% Pure Vandalism. Project Hayes - It'll Cost the Earth".

The proposed wind farm covers about 200sq km spread across five private properties and is expected to cost up to $1.5 billion. Up to 176 wind turbines might be installed, giving the development the potential to generate 630 megawatts (MW) of electricity - enough to supply Christchurch and Dunedin.

Kirk, who says he has "a real fondness" for the Central Otago landscape, is the latest high- profile figure to come out against the wind farm, joining other Central Otago-lovers such as former All Black Anton Oliver, painter Grahame Sydney and poet Brian Turner.

Meridian is quietly exasperated about the campaign against Project Hayes, but does not want to comment on Kirk joining the fray, saying it cannot, because the plan is still before the Environment Court.

Kirk said he did not intend to go public with his support for the Save Central campaign but he is comfortable now his views are known. He emphasises the support is purely personal and not a line for Fairfax media to follow.

While Kirk is at the other end of a phone in Sydney, he talks as if he is still living in New Zealand.

As well as opposing Project Hayes, he makes it clear he is largely concerned with energy planning, a lack of Government leadership and the effect a dodgy power supply might have on economic growth.

"Energy planning and environmental outcomes today are inextricably linked and both need to be considered in the context of long-term economic growth. My view is that we don't have an approach to energy planning in New Zealand that takes account of all these issues together," he said.

"The windmills in Central Otago would be incredibly destructive of a unique area of New Zealand. What's the point of having 90 per cent renewable energy (by 2025), a wrecked environment and slow growth? That is my major beef - no integrated planning.

"I think a balanced plan for the future would result in windmills dropping way down the priority list.

"I do have a real love for Central Otago and would hate to see wind farms there."

Kirk does not blame Meridian for putting up proposals for more power generation but he is sceptical about the argument that the South Island needs another reliable source of electricity. He believes geothermal power generation in the North Island holds much promise, that gas remains a good option, and the high-voltage link between the islands ensures electricity for all.

He seems surprised when informed of the current fragility of that link, with one of the two poles able to be used only in an emergency and unable to bring electricity south, and any replacement pole still years away.

"That's a good example of what I mean by poor long-term planning."

Kirk said he had no plans for further public involvement or to donate further, but would "make any decisions from day to day".

Asked if he was advocating more hydro generation or even nuclear power, Kirk said no "sensible" analysis of options excluded any possible energy source before weighing the pros and cons.

"Nuclear and hydro power should be considered in the possible solution set. Remember, wave power is hydro; we are not just talking about dams."

Auckland electricity consultant Bryan Leyland believes wind farms are not the answer, given the intermittent nature of the power they generate and the correlation between "no wind and dry years" that is becoming better established.

"So, not only do we need back-up for hydro in dry years, but back- up for the wind as well."

Leyland is opposed to Project Hayes and believes the North Island has the best sites for wind farms, not Central Otago.

"I know that area well. I think it is awful it would be smeared with wind farms."

Sydney, Save Central's spokesman, said the ad paid for by Kirk was "essentially the start of our public campaign" to increase support and encourage donations to help pay legal bills.

Kirk's involvement became public because of an in-house Fairfax leak, Sydney said, and he is not about to reveal who else is supporting Save Central.

"We do have some very substantial support and quotable people, and we have been given some very generous help by some publicly known people.

"We weren't intending to make it a celebrity roll call, but it is a bit. Getting media attention - that is one of the sad games you have to play. We would rather focus on the argument and not the people."

Sydney said the proposed site was still unmodified, surrounded by scenic reserves and unsuited for a wind farm.

"You put them where there is plenty of wind and you put them where the environment is already severely modified or beyond repair. This site is neither of them. Winter is very calm in Central Otago," he said.

"We wholly support renewables, but not at the expense of things that aren't renewable."

The group would book another couple of newspaper advertisements over the next couple of weeks, but they would not be funded by Kirk, Sydney said.

New Zealand Wind Energy Association chief executive Fraser Clark said that despite opposition to Project Hayes, many New Zealanders backed wind generation.

"You've got Grahame Sydney, in particular, coming out saying coal and nuclear are the best option, but if you want 100% vandalism, that's it. It's not a wind farm, where you can recover from the impacts fairly quickly," he said.

"The wind industry has very clear support from the New Zealand public."

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(c) 2008 Press, The; Christchurch, New Zealand. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.