ABC's CITIZEN JURY — Would you live inside a modern power station? These people will, and want to be heard

Citizen Jury is ABC Radio National's experiment in citizen-led democracy. The ingredients? A gnarly issue + a jury of citizens = conversations + ideas for solutions + a public event to share them. Join Big Ideas presenter Natasha Mitchell in Dubbo, NSW for our first Citizen Jury. We all want electricity at the flick of a switch, but who bears the brunt of making that happen? Join citizens who live in Australia's first official Renewable Energy Zone or REZ where millions of solar panels, hundreds of wind turbines, large storage batteries, and high voltage transmission lines are being rolled out over a 20,000 square kilometre area.But the scale and pace are sowing seeds of division in the community. Some see benefits, some see potential harms.What they think could be done better or differently? What can the rest of Australia learn from their experiences about the energy transition?Thank you to the Dubbo Regional Council and the Western Plains Cultural Centre teams for their support for this event.SpeakersAdam Ryan (Citizen Jury member)Wiradjuri man and fatherTeacher, Wellington Correctional CentreCouncillor, Dubbo Regional Council (but not representing Council on this panel)Grant Gjessing (Citizen Jury member)Business owner, Strait-Up Cranes and DiggingPresident, Business MudgeeLinda Gant (Citizen Jury member)Cattle and sheep farmer with her husband for 40 years in Cassilis, NSW.Member, Cassilis District Development GroupMember, Liverpool Range Wind Farm Community Consultation Committee Tony Inder (Citizen Jury member)6th generation merino wool farmer and 'solar sheep grazier' in Wellington, NSWAndrew Bray (participated in Citizen Jury meetings)National director, ReAlliance (Australian Renewable Energy Alliance)Janine YoungEnergy and Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON)Ash AlburyExecutive Director, Planning and Communities, EnergyCoPeter BennettExecutive Project Director, EnergyCoAnd thank you to the various community members and other stakeholders in attendance who participated in the event.Representatives from ACEREZ and Squadron Energy were also in attendance.Thanks to cattle and sheep farmer Simon Barton from Wellington, NSW and Michael Bullock, Manager of Bodangora wind farm (Iberdrola) for their participation in a social media story.Particular thanks to ABC Western Plains Chief of Staff Nick Lowther and rural reporters Claudia Sullivan and Catherine James for their support.Further informationCentral-West Orana Renewable Energy ZoneParliamentary inquiry: Impact of Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) on rural and regional communities and industries in NSWAustralian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner (AEIC): Community Engagement Review (in relation to Renewable Energy Infrastructure developments).This review was undertaken by the former Commissioner Andrew Dyer, who is now a Professorial Fellow at Monash University.