Labor greenlights contentious Robbins Island windfarm despite fears for endangered orange-bellied parrot

<p>Environment advocates have called for important migratory shorebird habitat off Tasmania to be declared ‘no-go site’</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/aug/29/australia-news-live-porepunkah-shooting-dezi-freeman-manhunt-police-latest-updates-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/10/sign-up-for-the-clear-air-australia-environment-newsletter-with-adam-morton?CMP=cvau_sfl">Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here</a></p></li></ul><p>The Albanese government has greenlit a contentious windfarm proposed for Robbins Island off north-western Tasmania, promising to impose conditions to protect threatened bird species, including the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot.</p><p>The environment minister, Murray Watt, announced on Friday that he had approved an application by the renewable energy company Acen Australia to build up to 100 turbines, a 1.2km bridge between the nearly 10,000-hectare island and the Tasmanian mainland, a 500-metre wharf and four quarries.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/10/sign-up-for-the-clear-air-australia-environment-newsletter-with-adam-morton?CMP=copyembed">Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter</a></strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/aug/29/labor-approves-robbins-island-windfarm-tasmania">Continue reading...</a>