A $1000 donation by Contact Energy to the Southland Rural Support trust is just one example of how little the energy giant values the local community, West Catlins Preservation Society spokesman Dean Rabbidge says.
Contact Energy is proposing to build a windfarm east of Wyndham at a cost of up to $1 billion.
The company is expected to lodge resource consent applications for the project in the coming days. The applications had been fast-tracked, sidestepping the normal resource consent process, with approval being sought from the Environmental Protection Authority.
Mr Rabbidge said after the meeting, in an email to Contact Energy staff which the Otago Daily Times has seen, it was evident Contact Energy and others involved in the wind farm did not care about the Wyndham community.
"The wider public, who are calling for a public meeting, highlight how inadequate your consultation has been," he said.
However, Contact Energy head of wind and solar Matthew Cleland said the company had provided a robust and constructive platform to consult the wider community.
"Since May this year, we have hosted six community open days and meetings; kept our website up to date with information and our project team have made themselves available for any questions via phone and email," he said.
Before Mr Rabbidge and Contact Energy staff met last Friday, the firm had agreed to meet preservation society members in a small room at the Wyndham Community Hall earlier in the week.
However, society members decided to open the meeting up to the community and booked the hall for the meeting.
When Contact Energy staff heard about the public meeting, they declined to attend.
"Refusal to attend a public meeting is disappointing to say the least," Mr Rabbidge said.
It showed their consultation process was tokenistic, he said.
Contact Energy was proposing a 55 turbine farm over 5800ha, capable of producing 300MW of power.
By Ben Andrews
