Moorabool News 3 May 2022

Page 10

Page 10 The Moorabool News – 3 May, 2022

News

Email - news@themooraboolnews.com.au

Webinars concern powerline protesters

The crashed vehicle being winched onto the tow truck. The impact is on the front passenger side. Photo - submitted

By Lachlan Ellis A series of webinars regarding the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project (WVTNP), to be held in early May, have drawn scepticism from community groups protesting overhead plans for the project. Hosted by project planners AusNet, the three webinars willA start this week on Thursday 5 May, and Thursday 12 May, all from 7 pm to 8.30 pm. The WVTNP site lists the webinar topics as ‘Land Use and Planning’, ‘Environment Effects Statement (EES) Process’, and ‘General Q&A Panel’ respectively. A representative from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Impact Assessment Unit is scheduled to attend the EES process session, while a panel of AusNet project staff will attend the Q&A panel to answer questions. A spokesperson from AusNet Services said the webinars would complement “ongoing face-to-face meetings, community engagement and individual consultations”. “Experienced specialists, who have an understanding of working and farming under transmission lines and who work on the project, will head the sessions and be available to answer questions,” AusNet’s spokesperson told the Moorabool News. “We welcome and invite questions

Lucky escape from crash By Lachlan Ellis from the community about the project, understanding that attendance doesn’t necessarily indicate support for the project. Input from the community, local businesses and landholders has been critical and will continue to inform design and planning as we prepare the Environment Effects Statement for this project.” But Chair of the Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance (MCHPA), Emma Muir – one of the spearheads of the campaign to get the powerlines put underground – is not convinced the sessions will ease the concerns of affected landowners. “I’m incredibly disappointed that after several communications with AusNet, they have refused to run any community meetings, which they assured us they would do. Why are these running online? They can access our properties, there’s no problems there…there’s no COVID restrictions stopping this, and yet they still choose to hide behind COVID restrictions and

not have something public,” Ms Muir said. “I think people are so over all this, we are so tired and don’t get straight answers from AusNet. If you feel the need to attend the webinars, you should…I’ll be attending, I’ll be asking the same questions I always ask and get no answers to.” Ms Muir believes AusNet is “just ticking a box” by holding the webinars. “I think it’s a cop out…we’re certainly concerned it could just be a one-way discussion. It’s interesting that they promoted the webinars on their Facebook page…they’ve never used their Facebook page before, and that’s part of the EES requirements,” she said. For more information on the WVTNP webinars and to register, visit www. westvictnp.com.au/news/register-forupcoming-community-q-a-webinars. The sessions will also be recorded and posted on the WVTNP website, for those who can’t attend.

Community Information Sessions Grampians disAbility Advocacy invites you to a community information session about the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. The Disability Royal Commission is taking submissions up until December 31, 2022. Speakers from advocacy, legal services, counselling and the Royal Commission will be there.

Sessions will be held at Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre 13 Camp Street, Daylesford

on May 24th 2 - 4pm and

Bacchus Marsh Public Hall

207 Main Street, Bacchus Marsh

on May 26th 2 - 4pm

Both sessions are free with afternoon tea provided and door prizes. Please register by phoning 1800 552 272 or via email admin@grampiansadvocacy.org.au - Please advise of any dietary or access requirements -

A young driver was lucky to escape a crash uninjured near Bungaree, which wrote off his car and also damaged a truck. A 22-year-old man from the Wallace area was travelling westbound on the Western Freeway near Bungaree, at around 8.15 pm on Thursday 28 April, when his Holden ute collided with the rear of a tray truck travelling in the same direction. Leading Senior Constable Chris Goyne from Ballan Police attended the scene, and said the young man was lucky to avoid injury. "We were extremely surprised to see that the male in the ute walk away from the collision unscathed. His vehicle is a write-off, and the truck was also towed. The Western Freeway was completely blocked for about an hour and a half [following the accident]," LSC Goyne told the Moorabool News. "Local fire brigades attended the scene, as did an ambulance, which conveyed the man to hospital for observation." LSC Goyne said driving conditions would only get more difficult as the colder months approach, and asked drivers to remain cautious when on the road. "Coming into winter, we do want people to be more vigilant on the roads. We don't want repeats of this incident,” he said. Wallace and Bungaree fire brigades, Ballarat police, Moorabool Highway patrol and an ambulance all attended the scene. The man will be charged on summons with careless driving.

A heartfelt Thank You message from

Bacchus Marsh RSL Sub Branch Inc. The Bacchus Marsh RSL Sub Branch Inc would like to thank in no particular order the following businesses that have supported, and generously donated to the RSL. Your continued ongoing support and contribution is truly appreciated:

B a k e r s D e l i g h t I F oo d w o r k s I B a c c h u s M a r s h F l o r i s t I R o y a l H o t e l I L u c o n I n d u s t r i e s I B e a u t y Z o n e I I n t e r i or M o t i v e I L a l a & C o H a i r D e si g n I V i l l a ge D e l i I L o o t C a f é I J o n e s F r u i t M a r k e t I D o n u t K i ng I B a r g a i n s O n P a r a d e I B a cc h u s M a r s h F a r m S u p p l ie s I L o tt o A g e n c y I S u p e r c h e a p A u t o I V i l l a g e B e a n I C o u r t h o u s e H o t el I J o l l y M i l l e r I C el e b r a t i o n s I B u s y Ki d s I F l i g h t C e n t r e I B a c c h u s M a r s h N a t u r a l H e a l t h I B a c c hu s M a r s h N e w sag e nc y I U F S D i spe ns ar y I H e ll o W o r l d I B unni ng s


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