Ministers too busy for local forum

SENIOR State Government ministers have refused to attend a Loddon forum tomorrow discussing plans to send transmission lines through the Loddon Shire.

costs that are not accounted for under the existing cost benefit arrangements.”

“Most concerning to the VFF, our members and all Victorians who value food and fibre production, AEMO’s actions to date take no account of agricultural production and its importance to Victoria’s economy.”

Ms Germano said the Government needed to look at the submission by Professors Bruce Mountain and Simon Bartlett and seriously consider its conclusions.

“Their submission highlights the reasons why AEMO is not suitable to be planning Victoria’s transmission network and that it seems to be motivated by wanting to build a transmission link along the eastern coast of Australia. These are grave concerns that the Minister for Energy has a duty to investigate immediately.”

Energy Minister Lily d’Ambrosio and Agricultural Minister Gayle Tierney, who is also a member of Parliament for Western Victoria Region that includes Wedderburn, on Friday formally declined invitations for the forum in Wedderburn at 2pm.

Their response only come on Friday after forum organisers, the Loddon Herald, contacted the minister’s offices when no response had been received to the invitation.

Both offices replied that the ministers have other commitments.

AEMO on Tuesday confirmed it would be sending two representatives - Victorian planning group manager Nicola Falcon and executive general manager system design Merryn York - to the forum in Loddon Shire Council chambers.

Also speaking on the panel will be Professor Bruce Mountain, Energy Grid Alliance director Darren Edwards, farmer Kathryn Myers and Nationals state leader and member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh.

The forum will discuss the project’s impacts and benefits, options and alternatives to current AEMO proposals.

COMMUNITIES would be ripped apart without a proper planning process for VNI West, federal Nationals leader David Littleproud said on Monday.

Mr Littleproud spoke with more than 100 farmers from the Loddon and other areas expected to be impacted by the project.

But Mr Littleproud said in Charlton that there were potentially other alternatives and called for a Senate inquiry.

“The Nationals believe a Senate enquiry into the transmission lines the Labor Government intends to build is essential, to make sure that renewable projects have the social licence they need to operate in rural communities and that all alternatives are explored.”

Mr Littleproud said the $3.3 billion Victoria to New South Wales interconnector linking to the

Western Renewables Link, would be the biggest expense in the Victorian transmission system in more than 50 years.

“Farmers in the region are understandably outraged and worried about pristine farmland as well as the future of their communities without a proper planning process,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Their decision to rewire the nation and fast-track the project has been done with little consul- tation and it will rip communities apart when there are potentially other alternatives.”

Mallee MP Anne Webster said the project would force new renewable generation where the AEMO previously predicted congestion and wastage through spills.

“The AEMO Victorian Planner’s consultation has been tokenistic at best and has raised many questions that are yet to be answered,” Dr Webster said.

Gate visits could be ‘within weeks’

A GROUP of Loddon farmers claims AEMO could start seeking access to local properties this month.

“I am deeply concerned for the region and fear Labor is irreversibly ripping up thousands of kilometres of prime farmland and irrigation districts for a project that will have an enormous cost blow-out and detrimental consequences with dubious benefit, according to the views of other experts.

“The Nationals firmly believe Labor is making a huge mistake,” Dr Webster told local farmers in Charlton.

The group has been preparing their “fact sheets” for distribution around the district.

One document seen by the Loddon Herald said: “The VNI West project is being fast tracked for completion by 2028. Landholders will be contacted as soon as May, 2023 from AEMO representatives who will be seeking permission to access your land.

“Every landholder has the right to not sign any documents with AEMO ... as all landholders have the right to seek legal advice first.”