Property Rights Australia (PRA), Media Release, 21 March 2023
Property rights are being eroded, trampled, or put aside by the roll out of power transmission projects.
“Landowners and farmers have made it clear at a rally held in Widgee on Friday 17 March, Powerlink and the State Government are not listening to the community,” Chair of Property Rights Australia (PRA) Rob Atkinson said.
The rally attracted an estimated 200 landowners impacted by poorly conceived power infrastructure development.
“The community has attended so-called stakeholder meetings in rural and regional Queensland only to discover that the consultation process is tokenism with little to no consideration of alternative power corridors on State owned land.”
The development of power infrastructure should be underscored by a triple bottom line assessment addressing the social, environmental, and economic impacts to the community.
“The social and economic impacts are being ignored in favour of environmental factors. Simply put, State owned land corridors for power infrastructure have been flagged by the community but ignored by government.”
The government is dividing the community, to pit one landowner against another. This impacts on social cohesion, trust, and the very fabric that binds these community together.
“Rural and regional communities will not stand by and let the government destroy our lands and livelihoods. Grass roots Australian people are fighting back with a unified voice to say no to the lines in solidarity.”
“We will not play this divisive game the government is forcing on our communities. We stand as one against the lines. In face of government tin ear intransigence, the gates will be locked.
Minister de Brenni, I call on you to meet with the communities Powerlink are undermining,” Mr Atkinson said.
Related stories: Powerlink playing with our property rights: Property Rights Australia; Powerlink Queensland responds to Property Rights Australia
