Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For the last three years, western Victorians have been fighting the Labor Party's reckless renewables agenda. VNI West is a proposed 500-kilometre high-voltage transmission line that will run right through prime agricultural land, connecting industrial wind and solar farms in rural Victoria and New South Wales with Melbourne and Sydney consumers.

The project will receive over $2½ billion in taxpayer subsidies through the Rewiring the Nation Fund, yet its cost has already escalated from $3.6 billion to $7.6 billion, with warnings it could reach over $11½ billion. Ultimately, these blowouts will be paid for by households and by small businesses through higher electricity bills. Farmers are rightfully concerned about fire risk, operational constraints, biosecurity, visual intrusion and the long-term impacts on land values.

The Labor government in Victoria has armed transmission planning agency VicGrid with coercive powers to be able to enter private property, threatening fines of up to $8,000 for anyone who resists them. Previous attempts by VicGrid staff to conduct surveys were unsuccessful last year. However, people are fearful right now, as they are receiving letters forcing access onto their land. It's taking a heavy toll on their mental health and wellbeing. Reports by VicGrid that the majority of landholders are onboard are simply not true.

The great resistance from farmers will continue, as they fight for their land, their homes and their communities. I applaud the communities of Marnoo, St Arnaud and Donald, under the leadership of Across Victoria Alliance and Andrew Weidemann and his helpers. We will stand with you on this fight.