Renewable Energy Transition Information Session— Resources & Presentations

Thank you to the 180 or so interested community members who attended the Shire of Narrogin’s Renewable Energy Transition Information Session held at the John Higgins Community Centre on Wednesday, 19 November 2025

Below you will find the presentations, background material, and supporting resources from the evening. These are provided for those who attended as well as community members who were unable to join us on the night.

All presentations and documents are available in PDF format, including full slide decks and cross-references to original content.

Welcome Address – Mr Leigh Ballard, Shire President

Narrogin’s Renewable Energy Journey – Community Information Session
Wednesday, 19 November 2025 – John Higgins Community Centre

(This welcome address was delivered by the Shire President on the evening and is presented here in full, with only minor contextual adjustments for webpage format.)

Good evening everyone, and thank you for joining us.

To those who’ve lived here all their lives, to newer residents, and to those here in a professional capacity — welcome. It’s encouraging to see such strong community interest, and your presence tonight reflects just how important this topic is for Narrogin.

I want to acknowledge the level of concern, uncertainty, and desire for clear information that many in our district — and across regional Western Australia — are feeling about renewable energy development. These projects are large, they are arriving quickly, and people rightly want transparency, fairness, and a genuine understanding of the impacts. That is absolutely reasonable, and it is one of the key reasons we have convened this session.

Narrogin is at the forefront of a major statewide energy transition.

Local governments such as West Arthur, Williams, Dandaragan, Moora, and our own Shire are being looked to as host regions as the State moves away from coal-fired generation by 2030 and progresses toward its net-zero commitments. These decisions are being driven at the State level — and while the Shire is not the decision-maker, we are very much on the front line of the impacts on our community, our landscapes, and our future planning.

For Narrogin, this transition brings both opportunity and challenge. Increased economic activity, local jobs, and diversification are possible positives. At the same time, we must carefully manage environmental impacts, protect our rural amenity, safeguard the character of our landscape, and ensure any development is fair, appropriate, and beneficial for our community.

The Shire’s role is to stay ahead of the curve wherever possible.

We do this through sound planning, strong policy, and by understanding and responding to the State’s evolving strategies. We are adopting and applying Local Planning Policies that give clarity to proponents and strengthen our ability to advocate for what is right for Narrogin.

And importantly — the Shire is not the responsible planning authority for these large-scale projects. That rests with the State, through the Development Assessment Unit and, where relevant, the EPA. Our role is advisory — but that advisory role is critical. We lobby, we advocate, and we push continually for fair treatment, for transparency, and for outcomes that protect this community.

Shortly, you’ll hear from our CEO, who will outline in more detail what the Shire has been advocating for, the positions we’ve taken, and the practical measures we’re pushing hard for on your behalf.
I encourage you to listen carefully, because it will help make sense of how we are working to manage this transition responsibly and proactively.

Sessions like this are important. Whether you support these projects, oppose them, or are simply seeking clarity, your involvement matters. I encourage everyone to stay informed, ask questions, and engage respectfully and constructively.

This is a balancing act — not an easy one — but by working together and advocating strongly, I believe we can navigate both the opportunities and the challenges in a way that protects and strengthens Narrogin for decades to come.

Thank you again for being here, for caring about your community, and for being part of this important conversation.

Presentations & Documents

Slido Questions & Responses

Responses coming soon. A full summary of Slido questions raised prior to or on the evening can be found at the link below, and responses from the session will be published shortly.

Slido Questions from the Shire's Renewable Energy Transition Information Session