Politics & Council
17 August, 2026
Navigating energy farm fund quandary
LAST week the councillors met at Pyramid Hill Community centre for an energy and resource briefing.
LAST week the councillors met at Pyramid Hill Community centre for an energy and resource briefing.
Councillors were presented to by six organisations planning on developing energy resources in the Loddon Shire.
These projects range from wind, solar, mineral sands and gold mining, each group is in the process of obtaining permits and approvals for their projects which seems a rigorous and lengthy process - I mean it can take years to undertake and most likely some of these projects will never eventuate.
Loddon Shire has limited control over these projects; we can however be instrumental in the Environmental Effects Statements process as part of the authorising mechanism.
An Environmental Effects Statement consists of three major elements:
Comprehensive Evaluation: Identifies and predicts potential short- and long-term effects on physical, biological, heritage, and social environments.
Mitigation Focus: Proposes measures to avoid, minimize, offset, or manage adverse impacts during project design, construction, and operation.
Transparent Process: Provides formal opportunities for public exhibition, stakeholder engagement, and independent panel reviews.
Two areas where Council can have an impact is in representing the affected communities by highlighting infrastructure and amenity concerns and by making formal submissions during the assessment period.
One of the dilemmas for the council (including the councillors) is the money on offer by these projects for “community benefit”.
Obviously, the projects recognise that this is all new and threatening for communities – and that there is a lot of varying information out in the public about the impacts; so maybe to appease (if you like) affected communities’ compensation is budgeted in the project.
They are generous amounts and could very easily be used by any of our community groups – football/netball grounds, fire stations, community halls etc, there are also payments (compensation) for neighbouring properties potentially affected by these projects.
It is nobodies’ business but the landholders if they choose to take payments from the project for disruptions or disturbances but where a community is against a project and payments are on offer it will become more complicated for everyone.
Do we (I mean communities – not council) not accept payments to communities that are clearly against a development or do we resign ourselves to taking payments that we know will benefit the community?
I for sure do not know the answer – I’d like to hear peoples views on it.
The other concern for council is going to be the idea of a community getting a payment that develops a project that then cannot be sustained or maintained in the long term.
Council are actively thinking about how we might navigate this.
Whether you are for or against these projects we need to clearly understand all the facts, impacts and opportunities that present themselves as they progress.
Although my council ward is not directly affected, I would be delighted to discuss this with any community member.
By Cr MIKI WILSON
Read More: Loddon Shire