Agriculture
4 August, 2024
VNI West partner will become owner
LANDOWNERS with farms that could be threatened by the controversial VNI West renewable energy transmission line project should make submissions to the State Government’s 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan consultations. Mallee MP Anne Webster has...
LANDOWNERS with farms that could be threatened by the controversial VNI West renewable energy transmission line project should make submissions to the State Government’s 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan consultations.
Mallee MP Anne Webster has written to landowners as speculation mounts that Transmission Company Victoria will announce the refined VNI West corridor between Stawell and Kerang within five weeks.
TCV parent company Australian Energy Market Operator last week said it started a process to select a partner to work with TCV to continue to develop VNI West, , assist with the completion of the early works, and to eventually build, own and operate VNI West
Dr Webster said: “I’ve just seen the map and despite earlier indications of six Victorian Renewable Energy Zones, clearly Mallee is the prime target in Labor’s sights,” Dr Webster said.
“Just last week visiting Charlton, Donald and St Arnaud I met with one justifiably upset lady whose farm is in the VNI-West pathway and she’s been driven to tears by Transmission Company Victoria’s behaviour. Farmers have had to pursue legal advice or become experts in their non-existent spare time on energy, planning, property and other laws and regulations to know their rights.”
The Victorian Government’s consultation map shows the Tier 1 focus of Victoria’s REZ plans are largely in the east of the Mallee electorate. The Victorian Government says: “We will prioritise these areas to investigate for future renewable energy generation and transmission infrastructure, based on the combination of high opportunities and low constraints for wind and solar.”
Dr Webster said: “Wind prospect mapping has consistently shown that coastal areas and those with high elevations have the best prospects for wind energy, not the River Murray tributaries and floodplains that are Tier 1 according to the Allan Labor Government.
“Remember that Victoria’s wind strategy previously stated – until they hid it – that 70 per cent of Victoria’s prime agricultural land would be needed for energy generation and transmission projects if offshore wind can not proceed.
“We are seeing offshore wind hitting serious community and environmental objections, yet somehow the views of coastal Australians matter more than my constituents? Our food security and GDP are at stake here and it is high time Labor listened to and governed for all Australians.”
“Furthermore, what are Tier 1’s ‘low constraints’? Labor have misconstrued and failed to pay attention to the pushback, the lack of social licence and the destruction of agricultural confidence caused by their blatant arrogance. I won’t have Mallee residents, their legitimate concerns and their rights called ‘low constraints’! Little wonder TCV are using heavy-handed tactics and big dollars on offer to landholders just for transmission and generation proponents to get access to their land.”