A PROPOSED deal for community benefits from renewable projects has been branded “regional exploitation for political gain”.
Regional Australia Institute last Thursday launched Regional Energy and Legacy Deal  alongside a report, ‘Towards Net Zero: Building a Legacy.   
The proposal suggests ‘social benefit’ payments from energy project developers be required to ensure genuine negotiations to communities.
But Mallee MP Anne Webster was swift in her criticsm of the plan.
“I am very sceptical about  ... (it) aims to also provide certainty to investors,” she said
“Of course Australia wants to eliminate sovereign risk, but there is also a bigger risk to Australian taxpayers in picking winners.  Wind projects are not progressing in Australia for at least two very sound reasons.
“Local councils like many in my electorate – and I commend them wholeheartedly for it – have spoken up for their communities saying they are not getting a good deal.  It is obscene that farmers and landowners now face fines of up to $12,000 for refusing access for the Victorian government’s transmission line.  
“That is bad model corporate behaviour by the government, and the Albanese Labor Government are cheering Victorian Labor on.”
Dr Webster said Regional Australia Institute needed to go back to regional communities and ask them whether any amount of money would be an acceptable payoff for “blighting their landscapes and turning regions into industrial wastelands of mines, lines and turbines on what will be former prime agricultural land”.
The intitute says its REAL Deal would see:
Regional communities funded to develop regional plans and then prioritise the execution and funding to realise their regions aspirations.
Industry contribute to agreed amounts in pooled regional benefit funds – Local Legacy Funds. 
Governments make strategic funding contributions to local investments.