The developer of the controversial wind farm on Pilitika / Robbins Island, ACEN, has had its plan for a pre-construction site survey of critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrots rejected by the Commonwealth, placing it in breach of its permit conditions.

In its Annual EPBC Compliance Report, ACEN disclosed that the plan, signed off by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (Tasmania), was rejected by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (Commonwealth). This places ACEN in breach of its conditions granted in 2025.

A second breach of conditions related to failure to notify the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (Commonwealth) of a non-compliance incident was also recorded.

“ACEN have again shown the disregard they have for our threatened wildlife on this globally important migratory bird ark. The critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot deserves protection from this death-dealing project, but ACEN cannot even manage the methodology for a survey,” said Bob Brown Foundation Campaigner Scott Jordan.

“The public can have no faith in ACEN to protect the Orange-bellied Parrot when it has shown it can’t even be trusted to count them.”

“Environment Minister Murray Watt must act now to end this farce. He should revoke the now-breached permits and ensure the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot has a fighting chance.”

The discrepancy between state and Commonwealth assessments of the plan raises questions about the Tasmanian Government’s ability to administer Commonwealth Environment assessments under last year’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act reforms.

“The fact that the Tasmanian Government, through NRE, ticked off on this rejected report also highlights the lunacy of transferring Commonwealth approval powers to the pro-development states. Commonwealth environment law should be administered by the Commonwealth.”