Politics & Council
7 May, 2026
Halt to VNI West under new Nationals' policy
CONTROVERSIAL renewable energy transmission line project VNI West will be stopped dead in its tracks if the Coalition wins government in Victoria at November's election.
And Murray Plains, Brett Hosking, says that’s how it will stay until individual property rights are restored, access to VCAT is returned and community consultation becomes a reality not a PR stunt.
The project has been marred by protests and oppositions from communities and councils between Stawell and Kerang.
The Opposition's stance to pause both VNI West and WRL comes as the State Government has given new property entry powers to developers that threaten farmers with fines if access is denied and Ausnet, the company building WRL, has applied for compulsory land acquisition powers.
Under the policy announced today,the Nationals will establish new urban solar parks to generate renewable power closer to where it is needed while considering alternative transmission options, such as the Victorian Energy Policy Centre’s “Plan B” option, to bring down costs
Mr Hosking says the Allan Labor government has tried to beat regional Victorians into submission by stripping away many of democracy’s most valuable rights – “and that stops the second a Nationals/Liberal government is elected”.
He says an energy policy driven by ideological fanaticism rather than scientific reality has seen Labor bludgeon legislation through the Victorian Parliament – including massive fines for landholders refusing access to their own land.
“We will repeal all those laws because they are wrong, and we cannot risk having these kinds of attacks on the basic rights of individuals enshrined by Labor’s out-of-control energy policy which is delivering nothing except soaring prices and genuine risks of power shortfalls,” Brett says.
“We will give all landholders their rights back and then we will all be able to sit down together and undertake a rigorous assessment process for all major transmission projects to ensure they meet community and cost expectations and protect vital agricultural prime land,” he says.
“At the same time, we will also pause the Western Renewables Link (WRL) because its future will also be part of the desperately needed review of the Victorian transmission plan.”
Brett says the Policy Institute of Australia estimates VNI West and other proposed transmission lines could add another $600 per year to each Victorian’s power bill. VNI West was originally supposed to cost $2 billion, is now headed towards $8 billion and is expected to blow out to as much as $11 billion.
He says there are better ways to power the state, and there are already validated plans for urban solar parks to generate renewable power closer to where it is needed which have been ignored by Labor’s climate zealots.
“They are plans which will minimise land use conflicts and save Victorians significant costs on their energy bills at a time when cost of living is already biting hard,” Brett adds.
“Farmers and landholders in Murray Plains and all regional Victoria have been denied a voice in Victoria’s energy transition for far too long.
“They have been silenced by Labor’s harsh laws designed to bulldoze through our community and put up costly transmission lines our region does not want for an energy transition Victorians cannot afford,” he says.
“Only The Nationals/Liberals will give farmers their rights back, communities their voices back, and make sure they all have a seat at the table for energy policy discussions.
“We will always fight to deliver a fair share for our communities.”