New England taxpayers are upset they will now be funding a lawsuit against the Hills of Gold wind project after the original appellant suddenly pulled out.
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The original was posted on /r/australia by /u/budget_biochemist on 2025-06-01 09:23:33+00:00.

The Tamworth regional council has been left carrying the can on a lawsuit against the contested Hills of Gold wind project, after the former lead appellant pulled out.

Local taxpayers say they are livid that they will now be obliged to fund the lawsuit, with radio callers denouncing the situation earlier this month.

The New South Wales (NSW) council voted in November last year to support a court case by anti-wind group Hills of Gold Preservation Inc, which was appealing the final state approval of Engie’s 372 megawatt (MW) wind project in the Nundle hills.

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The situation is uncomfortable for the council, which is now facing complaints from Nundle residents about using taxpayer funds to run the lawsuit alone – particularly after raising rates by 36.3 per cent over the two years from 2024.

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There’s also mention of [“Phantom Dwellings”(https://reneweconomy.com.au/the-phantom-dwellings-that-could-be-project-killers-for-wind-farms/)] being used to try and block the project. I’d never heard of this, but basically it’s applying for planning permission to build houses on a large property that you have no intention of actually building, so they can be used as an excuse to block infrastructure development later.