New England MP Barnaby Joyce attempting to organise protest movement against renewables

Mr Joyce told the Leader he's been in politics for long enough to know the approach of politicians will be to diffuse the situation "as far away from" Canberra or state parliament in Sydney as possible.

"It's not actually going to change the outcome, it just keeps you away from them," he said.

The government has outlined the New England region as a 'Renewable Energy Zone' (REZ), and numerous developments are at various stages of construction.

These projects have been met with some backlash from surrounding community members, with a state government official saying a "vocal minority" opposing renewables in New England may make its REZ "one of the hardest to establish".

Committee meetings and consultation groups being held by renewable developers with community members in their towns are "tick a box" procedures, he said.

READ ALSO:

"If you really want to change politics, you've got to be heard by the politicians in the most abrupt form, and that is your noise at the front of their workplace," Mr Joyce said.

"What they don't like, is people turning up to Canberra, because that changes the political pendulum."

Mr Joyce is talking to people across the nation, and trying to widen the net. He said he hopes to pick up "people from western suburbs of Sydney" who are struggling to pay power bills.

"Our unreasonable transition towards the excessive percentages of renewables has brought about a complete disconnection in how power is produced and how power is priced," he said.

The former deputy PM is personally affected by transmission lines on his property, which he said is "frustrating" for both aesthetics and productivity.

Transmission lines are causing more environmental damage than they're fixing, he said, and nuclear energy should be the government's focus, but in the meantime, coal fired power stations should continue.

"If you keep closing them down, the power grid is going to fail," he said.

The New England will be littered with high transmission lines and towers and solar panels, and power prices will go through the roof if people don't get organised, he said.

"It's an intrusion to people's property rights, driven by people who really don't have to pay the price, that is ministers from inner urban electorates, on both sides of the political fence, to be frank," he said.

While Mr Joyce is attempting to bring communities against renewables together, he would prefer it if the movement was not orchestrated by a politician.

"I prefer it to be run by community leaders, because I want them to speak for themselves, and for me to represent them, not me speak for them," he said.

"But it's really hard trying to convince people in country areas, because they're so engaged at their local bowling club or their local hall."

He said if protesting stops in Walcha, Dungowan, or Merriwa, it ends there.

"But if you can organise with others to get to Canberra, someone's gonna have to come out and speak to you," he said.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: