Dupe tactics are misleading farmers, says VFF leader

LANDOWNERS must receive clear and accurate information on Transmission Company Victoria’s plans for 80-metre tall towers across the Loddon.

The Essential Services Commission statement comes as Victorian Farmers’ Federation president Emma Germano said TCV information had been designed to pressure landowners into signing away access to their land.

“The tactics used by AEMO to try and coerce farmers into signing away their rights is shameful and is yet another example of the way they have acted in bad faith with farming communities.”

ESC on Monday said: “The Transmission Company Victoria does not currently hold a transmission licence in Victoria.

“ A person who wants to engage in the activity of transmitting electricity in Victoria is required to hold a licence granted by the Essential Services Commission.

“The commission has a comprehensive, independent process for assessing and granting licence applications. This involves public consultation with stakeholders, including landowners once the application paperwork has been completed by the applicant and is ready for assessment by the commission.

“The commission is aware of concerns about information provided by Transmission Company Victoria, which may have led to potentially affected stakeholders, including local farmers, having incorrect impressions in relation to the land access rights. It is important that stakeholders, including landowners, receive clear and accurate information relating to decisions that have an impact on them.”

Ms Germano said if the State Government continued to allow TCV’s behaviour, farmers would not co-operate and “there is no way that Victoria will be able to meet its renewable energy targets and keep the lights on”.

Ms Germano said TCV’s landholder guide suggested that it might use powers under legislation to force entry onto farms to undertake surveying.

TCV’s Nicola Falcon told the Loddon Herald in Boort last week it would persevere with landholder negotiations for access to land on the Option 5A route.

“We want to work with people, with landholders, to co-exist,” she said, adding there could be exceptional circumstances where 99 landholders had granted access and one had not.

Ms Germano said the access issue had been compounded by landholders being offered $10,000 payments to enter into a land access agreement with TCV over two years.

“It is unconscionable that TCV would be offering a $10,000 inducement for farmers to give up access to their land, otherwise they’ll use legal powers to force entry, when they do not have that power.”

The VFF understands that the ESC has contacted AEMO to advise them that the information they have provided is misleading and has requested that their materials be re-written.