General News
30 September, 2023
Editorial: Masters of poor timing
THERE are words - and then there are actions. Loddon residents have received plenty of words from the Australian Energy Market Operator about learning from the mistakes of past, poor, community engagement and doing better on the rollout of the...
THERE are words - and then there are actions. Loddon residents have received plenty of words from the Australian Energy Market Operator about learning from the mistakes of past, poor, community engagement and doing better on the rollout of the controversial VNI West transmission line project since its sudden change of route early this year.
But there continues to be considerable community disquiet that when it comes to actions, it’s just more of the same.
How can there be a community reference group, members raising concerns of behalf of local people, when our community’s do not know who the members are. We agree with Loddon Mayor Dan Straub that these well-intentioned representatives have a responsibility, as does AEMO, to tell us who they are.
Now it has been revealed this week, only after prodding and probing, that the 1km wide corridor that was to have been unveiled in August, then September, will be released in October.
With the first of AEMO’s next round of community engagement just over a week from starting, how do those making the decisions - whether based in Melbourne or elsewhere - expect local communities to absorb and comprehend the economic and social impacts this corridor will have on them and days later turn up at “community engagement” sessions to give feedback.
There is never a good time for bad news, perhaps, but VNI West retains the shades of rushed implementation to satisfy political masters and to boot with the locals. AEMO says it is listening but the question remains: Are they hearing?