One of the potential proponents could be Illawarra Offshore Wind, a partnership between Equinor and Oceanex, which states on its website that it would start construction in 2028 following approvals and turn on the power by 2030. It expects to create up to 3000 jobs through the project.

The proposal for offshore wind has been controversial in the Illawarra, with a number of community groups forming both in support and opposition.

Opponents have shared fears it will look ugly from the shore and disturb wildlife, including seabirds and migratory whales. Amid genuine concerns, misinformation has also been rife, including the circulation of a fake journal article claiming 400 whales a year would die.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and his energy spokesman Ted O’Brien hardened their stance against offshore wind last year. In the United States, the issue has also been picked up by Republican politicians, including former president Donald Trump, who has said “whales are dying in record numbers because of these wind scams”, and wrapped into the broader culture war over climate change.

Despite the creation of the zone, the project would still need to be approved under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

Arthur Rorris, secretary of the South Coast Labour Council, told this masthead last year that what was to have been a simple community consultation process to discuss the potential wind energy zones had been hijacked by political actors.

“They keep demanding information about the impact on marine life or the size of the wind farms, but that information does not exist yet because the zones have not been identified, so the studies have not begun,” he said.

Get to the heart of what’s happening with climate change and the environment. Sign up for our fortnightly Environment newsletter.