The federal leader of the Nationals certainly made waves during a recent visit to Maryborough.
Matt Canavan used his appearance in the town on Friday, May 22nd to formally announce that his party would stop “all transmission lines” running through farmland in regional Victoria.
“We’re against these transmission lines because the Liberal and Nationals Party [sic] is against Net Zero,” Senator Canavan said.
“We’re against Net Zero because it’s just not working for our country.
“The only reason these lines are being built is… to pursue [state energy minister] Lily D’Ambrosio’s, [Premier] Jacinta Allan’s and the Victorian government’s mad approach to cutting carbon emissions here while other countries continue to burn our coal.”
Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster was alongside Canavan for the announcement, saying the project is a key issue facing farmers in her electorate.
“We must protect prime agricultural land, the food security for the future, and for the generations of farmers behind me and their kids coming up,” Dr Webster said in front of a band of supporters.
(Photo supplied)
The announcement comes as the state government and VicGrid forge ahead with plans to build the Victoria to NSW Interconnector West, or VNI West.
That project aims to both connect proposed solar and wind energy projects with the national power grid, and provide a second connection with NSW to stabilise distribution.
Critics though, claim that the process to establish the Link has been rushed and landholders haven’t been properly consulted about VicGrid’s plans.
In hopes of easing their concerns, VicGrid has just this morning announced the landholder benefit from hosting transmission lines will increase from $46 thousand, to $56k.
“Careful planning and design of transmission infrastructure can minimise impacts on properties and farming operations and there are many farms across the state that have long hosted transmission and are highly productive,” VicGrid CEO Alistair Parker said in a statement.
“However, we know there will be impacts from new infrastructure, so we are making sure this is recognised and landholders receive fair payments and compensation for those impacts.”
According to VicGrid, the move “reflects analysis of land values, land use and feedback gathered across multiple transmission projects and renewable energy zones.”
“These projects are critical to maintaining a reliable energy system as Victoria’s coal-fired power stations retire,” Mr Parker said.
“Our responsibility is to deliver them in a way that recognises impacts on landholders and communities, while supporting the long-term energy needs of Victorians.”
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