Following up on Secret Energy Business…Drowning Residents in Fake Transparency CN found that ‘Save Our Surroundings Riverina’ (SOS) and the National Rational Energy Network (NREN) had written to the IPCN (Independent Planning Commission NSW) in no uncertain terms, exposing their duplicity. That blistering letter is printed below so readers can see what Secret Energy Business shenanigans the objectors are up against.
Area Lead of SOS Riverina and NREN committee member Lynette LaBlack had sent an earlier email to the IPCN expressing their disgust with the unjust mistreatment and lack of transparency in cancelling the Dinawan Solar IPCN meeting at Coleambally set for 27th February.
The IPCN replied, advising they were totally transparent, why they can change their minds, and that the public meeting with phone-in submissions and a few in-person submissions didn’t justify a large livestreamed event!
Obviously it doesn’t justify mucking people around either; people who plan to travel to hear it, but might not be going to speak, who can’t be advised because they are an unknown quantity. The IPCN don’t advertise the meetings properly, and don’t letterbox the community to advise them it’s on, so most people have no idea – which is exactly what IPCN and the energy companies want.
CN decided to print the SOS/NREN response to the IPCN (excluding the list of speakers for brevity) on 24/2/26, which sets out the issues:
Unjust Mistreatment of Dinawan Solar Objectors and the S/W Riverina
Following on from our previous email of complaint to the IPCN regarding the failure of due process, the unjust mistreatment of the Dinawan Solar objectors and the unacceptable response yesterday, it has long been abundantly clear that IPCN does not act independently, is anything but transparent and is making up the rules to suit themselves with decreasing accountability – especially as the industrialised Solar/Wind/BESS Approvals cannot be factually substantiated and the seriously detrimental impacts become more widely objected to and broadcast in the media.
Whilst the IPCN excuse for now denying the Dinawan Solar PUBLIC Meeting is:
“when we don’t receive the expected amount of interest from the community to speak to justify a large, livestreamed event”
and the excuse from Tara via phone on Monday morning 23/02/2026 being that the IPCN couldn’t afford it in their budget .…
This is not substantiated at all by the 16 Registered Speakers – including initially 3 – which is now at least 6 IN-PERSON speakers – as already advised to IPCN on Friday 20/02/2026 – including most significantly the President of the BUNDURE District Landowners Group of objectors who is representing his seriously detrimentally impacted community – with his community having always planned to be in attendance at this PUBLIC Dinawan Solar Meeting event – in order to DIRECTLY hear their President representing them, to hear DIRECTLY from the Developer Spark Renewables and to hear DIRECTLY from all the other phone speakers – including experts.
Obviously, we would also all like to hear DIRECTLY from the Energy Assessment Director – which was always the Due Process – until more recently with their glaring absence for Pottinger Wind Electricity Generating Works – seemingly because they have been making erroneous comments and now appear to realise that the increased number of Appeals regarding IPCN Solar/Wind/BESS Approvals may make their careless, unsubstantiated comments problematic.
This says A LOT about the LACK OF TRANSPARENCY and ACCURACY from the DPHI and the LACK OF INDEPENDENCE and CREDIBILITY from the IPCN!
Whilst the IPCN have recently been fudging their way through their Approval process by changing the rules – beginning with the Authoritarian Dictatorship controlling the Yanco BESS – with their ‘new fangled’ – COMMUNITY Meeting – officially ordering that there be NO AUDIENCE ALLOWED and initially locking us waiting speakers out of the venue to stand on the street at Leeton ……
now we have a new low – where the much discriminated against SW are only offered a “STAKEHOLDER MEETING with the Panel …….IN PERSON.”
This whilst stating “You may bring a support person if you wish” and “Individual meetings …….may also be OBSERVED BY OTHER SPEAKERS in attendance at the venue.”……..
Does this mean that all of the BUNDURE group or that of a general audience are not allowed in the venue?
In any case, this is completely unacceptable for objecting communities – when NO ONE “observing” will be able to hear anything the speakers are saying!
There have been clear precedents set for PUBLIC Meetings being conducted with a small number of IN-PERSON speakers and many more on the phone. This includes Maoneng’s Oxley Solar PUBLIC Meeting at Dangarsleigh and the Albury PUBLIC Meeting for Trina Solar’s extremely controversial Glenellen Solar – closely linked to the clear CONFLICT OF INTEREST DPIE Planner and Environmental Assessment Officer for FRV Walla Walla Solar – Rob Beckett – who immediately became the FRV Walla Walla Solar Project Developer after IPCN Approval.
May I remind IPCN that Rob Beckett admitted that the DPIE did not have the resources to do the research – regarding toxic contamination and Heat Island Effect, etc. – they were just trusting the Developers!
Nothing has changed, as reprehensibly, there is still NO ESSENTIAL RISK RESEARCH!!
In the case of the 2020 IPCN Approved FRV Walla Walla Solar – FRV’s email to myself states their outrageously false claim that their Solar Panels are NON-TOXIC!!
Both Oxley Solar and Glenellen Solar had a plethora of local and other objections to these diabolical projects when on Exhibition – as did Dinawan Solar.
Both Oxley Solar and Glenellen Solar had very small numbers IN-PERSON at their PUBLIC IPCN Meetings with more speakers via phone and/or ZOOM.
There were approximately 12 phone speakers and ONLY approximately 4 IN-PERSON speakers for Glenellen Solar – due to farmers hay-making and also to the unconscionable, unjust treatment inflicted on them by the DPIE and IPCN.
On Monday morning 23/02/2026 ABC Riverina declared that the IPCN Dinawan Solar Meeting was cancelled – as did the email to all the registered phone speakers.
It is rather sneaky and underhanded to do this, when it is absolutely the case that the IPCN are continuing their original plan to go to the Coleambally Hall to hold their 3 ‘new fangled’ INDIVIDUAL STAKEHOLDER Meetings and pretend that somehow doing this, as well as holding another additional morning of private phone/zoom sessions with each registered phone speaker – unnecessarily on an additional day – 4th March – is somehow SAVING MONEY for the tax-payer funded IPCN!
It’s unacceptable that IPCN have suddenly emailed yesterday – offering additional time for submissions due – ONLY because Stan Moore highlighted this further injustice via email on Sunday – of submissions being due on the 5th March. This is a mere ONE day after all the phone speakers are supposed to now present to IPCN on the 4th March – enabling no access for anyone to the transcribed content of these presentations.
The new date of the 8th March is not consistent with the typical one week after the presentations are heard either.
We also note that that the changed date 4th March is not suitable for all who registered to speak on the 27th February.
As more registered objectors and their supporters will be attending the Coleambally Memorial Hall venue on the 27th February – unless notified of a rescheduled new date for the required Dinawan Solar PUBLIC MEETING – please clarify as soon as possible – the in-hall audience attendance arrangements for everyone and the just access to hearing all the speakers registered to present – including the Dinawan Solar Developer Spark Renewables.
Once again, we request that IPCN immediately reinstate the PUBLIC Meeting with LIVE ONLINE BROADCAST for DINAWAN SOLAR on the 27th February 2026. Alternatively that IPCN reschedule exactly that for a later date – considering the fact that IPCN have upset and confused everyone involved with their lack of willingness to be transparent, their failure to follow a fair, just, consistent and accurate process, and failure to properly include all the objecting local community and all other registered speakers who wish to speak and DIRECTLY LISTEN FIRST HAND – to hear the PUBLIC MEETING BROADCAST LIVE ONLINE.
Finally, IPCN appears to have made errors regarding the number of Registered Speakers:
“ The Commission is currently contacting the 14 people who registered to speak (three of whom had registered to speak in person)”
As far as we know there are 16 Registered Speakers NOT 14 as IPCN state …..
The Registered Speakers are as follows:
(listed by SOS/NREN but excluded here for brevity/privacy)
Your timely response rectifying this mess will be much appreciated.
Yours faithfully,
Lynette LaBlack
Save our Surroundings Riverina
Meanwhile, CN has been advised that Helen Dalton, Independent State MP for Murray has attempted to contact IPCN, leaving a message as well as emailing them, and asking for a reinstatement of a proper public meeting with a live online broadcast.
Just more fake transparency and shenanigans with their Secret Energy Business!
