Waubra Foundation

The Waubra Foundation describes itself as an advocacy group for properly conducted, multidisciplinary research into alleged health problems reported by people living in the vicinity of wind turbines and other industrial uses. The foundation is named after the town of Waubra, Victoria Australia, but is not linked to it in any other way. The town is home to the 128 turbine Waubra Wind Farm.

History

The Foundation was originally known as the 'Waubra Disease Foundation' after claims that health problems reported by some residents of Waubra were caused by wind turbines. The Waubra Foundation has claimed that wind turbines have a mental and physical health impact on some people, largely as a result of infrasound. The Foundation claims the following symptoms are consistent with the impacts of wind turbine proximity: Sleep disturbance, headache including migraines, tinnitus, ear pressure (often described as painful), balance problems / dizziness, vertigo, nausea, visual blurring, irritability, problems with concentration and memory, panic episodes, tachycardia (fast heart rate).[1] In 2009 the term Wind Turbine Syndrome was coined to encompass the broad range of symptoms described by complainants living near turbines. The Foundation has published reports from sufferers of wind turbine syndrome symptoms living as far away as 17 kilometres from the nearest turbine.

In November 2013, Senator Richard Di Natale, at that time health spokesperson for the Australian Greens, and former General Practitioner, lodged a written complaint with both the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commissioner and the Australian Tax Office regarding the Waubra Foundation qualifying as a health promotion charity, on the basis that the foundation’s claims are false and misleading and that they may actually be causing harm.[2][3]

On December 11, 2014 the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) revoked the foundation’s registration as a health promotion charity.[4] David Locke, the Assistant Commissioner of the ACNC concluded,"It is not possible for me to find that the Foundation's principal activity promotes the prevention or control of disease in human beings,".[5] Following an appeal, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in Adelaide returned a finding in December 2017 that affirmed the earlier decision by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), first issued in December 2014, to remove the Waubra Foundation's registration as a "health promotion charity".[6]

References

  1. ↑ https://waubrafoundation.org.au/information/residents/symptoms/
  2. ↑ Climate Spectator “Greens Challenge Waubra Foundation tax status.” http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2013/11/8/policy-politics/greens-challenge-waubra-foundation-tax-status 8 November 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2014
  3. ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald “Tax office deciding if anti-wind farm group Waubra is a charity” http://www.smh.com.au/business/tax-office-deciding-if-antiwind-farm-group-waubra-is-a-charity-20131208-2yzdk.html 9 December 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2014
  4. ↑ Business Spectator ‘Waubra loses 'health promotion' charity status’ 18 December 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014
  5. ↑ http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-19/waubra-foundation-stripped-of-health-promotion-charity-status/5977530
  6. ↑ http://www.smh.com.au/environment/sound-judgment-strips-antiwind-waubra-foundation-of-its-lowtax-status-20171205-gzz19v.html
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.