Brent Finlay boasts over 40 years of experience in the agricultural sector, managing his sheep and cattle property in South East Queensland. Brent’s leadership roles include former President of the National Farmers Federation and Agforce Queensland, and a board member of the World Farm Organisation. He is actively engaged in the renewable energy sector, hosting a large wind farm on his land.
Here we discuss Brent’s renewable energy journey and why he’s so excited to be working with RELA as a senior advisor.
Can you tell us a bit about your background in agriculture and how has it shaped your career?
I’m part of a fifth-generation farming family who began as dairy producers in Victoria’s Gippsland area moving to Queensland in 1920 to operate grazing enterprises in Queensland’s Traprock region. As manager of the family’s fine wool merino, sheep meat and cattle operation for the past 40 years I have a deep understanding of the land and the economic challenges farmers face. This first-hand experience led to a personal commitment to improve business sustainability for Australian farming families and corporate agriculture thought industry leadership roles.
During your tenure as President of the National Farmers Federation, what were some of the key challenges you faced, and how did you address them?
Australian farmers are among the most efficient agricultural producers in the world but we have traditionally faced an uneven playing field when it comes to trading our products across the globe. One of my biggest challenges and greatest achievements was playing a part in advocating for fair trade agreements and sustainable policies that opened up lucrative markets for our farmers. We worked hard to ensure Australian farmers’ voices were heard at national and international levels, pushing for policies that support agricultural growth and sustainability.
What inspired you to transition from traditional agriculture to being actively involved in the renewable energy industry?
Seeing the potential of renewable energy to provide sustainable income streams for landowners was a big motivator. Climate and market variability pose significant risks to the livelihood of primary producers and that’s where the real value of renewables lies – in evening out the peaks and troughs in revenue to create a sustainable lifestyle for hard working farmers. It’s also an exciting opportunity to blend traditional agriculture with modern energy solutions, to be part of an energy transition benefitting both the environment and the broader community.
Can you share your experiences and key learnings from hosting a large wind farm on your property?
Like any new business venture, hosting a wind farm has come with some challenges along the way but overall it’s been a positive experience with lasting economic benefits for our family and the local community. It’s shown me the importance of good external advice, clear communication and fair negotiations with developers on key issues such as commercial terms, land access and rehabilitation. These are large projects with many moving parts, but I’ve been impressed with the developer’s focus on landholder engagement and we’ve worked hard together to get the best outcomes for both parties.
What are some common challenges landowners face when negotiating with major renewable energy infrastructure developers?
Landowners can often struggle with understanding complex legal and financial terms which are outside their area of expertise. Ensuring fair and equitable deals, whilst balancing long-term land use protections with financial needs can be hard to get your head around. I can’t over-emphasise the difference getting strong expert guidance can make to securing the best financial and practical outcomes for your operation. Something that RELA provides and that I’m really excited to be a part of.
What advice would you give to landowners who are considering entering into agreements with renewable energy developers?
Knowledge is power so, get expert advice, ensure transparency in negotiations, and think about long-term impacts on your land and community. I found that in working with RELA they can help navigate these issues to secure fair and equitable deals for all stakeholders, through their highly successful competitive and transparent tender process.
In your role as advisor to RELA, what are your future goals and vision for RELA, especially in terms of expanding its impact on the renewable energy sector and supporting landowners?
My goal is to expand RELA’s reach and impact, ensuring more landowners get to hear about and benefit from their services. The opportunity the renewable industry provides to diversify your farm income base and set yourself up for the future doesn’t come around often so I’m keen to help as many farmers and communities as I can capitalise on that opportunity. Together, we want to continuously innovate, to support sustainable development and rehabilitation practices, and help landowners prosper in the renewable energy transition. The intersection between two of Australia’s major industries, energy and food production, needs to be intermediated, and RELA does that really well.
What are your thoughts on RELA Prepay?
RELA Prepay is a wonderful offering for regional landowners. It’s an up-front prepayment of the future lease income attached to a renewable energy project. It offers landowners the financial flexibility and critical liquidity needed for things such as growth, diversification and estate planning. The fact that it’s not a loan and doesn’t need to be repaid is fantastic. We all know how hard and expensive it is to get a loan these days.
And RELA Connect?
RELA Connect facilitates transparent and competitive bidding. It allows landowners to test the market through a closed competitive tender process before locking into any agreements, helping them find the most suitable development partner at the best commercial terms possible.
Can you elaborate on your involvement with the Federal government’s Future Drought Fund and how it supports farmers and communities during periods of severe drought?
Droughts are an enduring feature of the business landscape for Australian farmers and they must prepare their businesses for them. The Future Drought Fund provides secure, continuous funding for initiatives that help Australian farmers and the groups that support them to build business resilience. It’s really pleasing to see successive Federal governments recognise the unique climatic challenges our farmers face, how critical they are to our economy and that they need the Fund’s help to prepare for drought.
What do you envision for the future of renewable energy in Australia, particularly in terms of its impact on regional and agricultural communities?
I strongly believe that the regional and rural communities that are expected to play a critical role in Australia’s renewable energy transition must share in the economic and social benefits the industry brings – and even in my own area I can see those benefits flowing. Host farmers now have stronger businesses and capacity to spend and re-invest; local people are getting well paid jobs in the project; local businesses and their employees are benefiting through contracts offered by developers; our coffee shops and motels are full and it goes on. But the key to securing lasting legacy benefits begins with fair and equitable commercial arrangements from day one – and that’s why expert advice is important.