On Tuesday, August 15, the Regional Victoria Power Alliance of farmers, their rural, regional, and suburban neighbours, retail and tourism business owners, and many other community members will be holding their “Stop the Towers” Rally in Melbourne, on the steps of Parliament and in Spring Street itself.
The members of this Alliance come from central, western, and northwestern Victoria. They are deeply concerned about the irreversible environmental, social, and economic impact that will occur from two 500kV overhead transmission line projects known as VNI West and Western Renewables Link (effectively VNI West Stage 1).
Their fight against the industrialising of their regional and rural areas is being taken to Melbourne with a simple message: the Victorian Government must Stop the Towers – save our environment, communities, and farms and find a better solution to transmit electricity and support the transition to renewable energy.
Convoy
A convoy of tractors, other agricultural vehicles, horses, and fire trucks will depart from Cathedral Place at 12.45 p.m. and form a distinctive procession along Spring Street and around Parliament House. Hundreds of impacted Victorian community members will be rallying on the steps in support, along with notable speakers.
“Stop the Towers” spokesperson Glenden Watts, “the naked farmer” from Yeungroon, says that he and everyone else in the western and northwestern regions only learnt earlier this year that they were in an “area of interest” for VNI West.
“Over the past few years whenever we heard about the people fighting the Western Renewables Link, we had thought ‘poor buggers’ but we never thought this would happen to us,” said Glenden.
He explained that to deliver both projects the Victorian Government, in consultation with AEMO, was proposing to construct over 800 steel towers up to 80m in height, around the same height as the MCG lights.
He added that these steel towers will carry the high-voltage transmission lines for over 400km, running westwards from Sydenham on the edge of Melbourne to Bulgana near Ararat, and then northwards to Kerang and beyond before crossing over the Murray River into NSW.
Easement
“These transmission towers and lines will carve a destructive 100-metre wide easement through highly productive farms in Victoria’s food bowls, through native habitat and bushfire-prone landscapes and alongside protected state parks. They will push their way through where we live and work, impacting all of us and our environment for future generations”.
Glenden further commented: “The farming families who will be impacted have already cared for their land over many generations. We grow and raise food and fibre for our state and our nation, and we look after our environment. This project will cause immeasurable economic damage to farms and businesses, and irreparable harm to the environment and landscape – to say nothing of the impact on the amenity and liveability of our regions and the wellbeing of our residents. Even those who live in suburbs such as Melton and Darley will be badly impacted.”
Glenden went on to state that “of course the Alliance supports renewable energy, supports action on climate change and supports protecting the environment. But we want the transition away from fossil fuels to use environmentally sustainable energy solutions.
Solution
“A GREEN generation solution requires a GREEN transmission solution.
Constructing more overhead electricity transmission lines using century old technology is NOT in Australia’s strategic national interest, nor cost-effective given its irreversible environmental, social, and economic impact.
“We will be in our tractors and on the steps of Parliament on August 15, because we want our politicians to see and hear us, we want the people of Melbourne to see and hear us. Landowners and communities throughout regional and rural Victoria should not be expected to bear the burden of these enormous transmission line projects – they should be a central part of the conversation to help devise better solutions that suit different situations.
“All we are asking is for the Victorian Government to Stop the Towers and seriously start looking at more environmentally sustainable energy solutions to support the transition to renewable energy. Victorians will thank them for creating a resilient, future proof network.”
WHAT: “Stop the Towers” Spring Street Tractor Rally.
WHERE: Victorian Parliament steps, Spring Street, Melbourne.
WHEN: On Tuesday August 15, 2023 at 12:45pm Tractor Procession and 1.00pm Speeches
HOW: Book on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/stop-the-towers-rally-15th-aug-2023-tickets-675836333667
CONTACT: Glenden Watts 0438 653 081 or stopthetowersrally@gmail.com
For some further background on the Regional Victoria Power Alliance and the up-coming legal action against the two “VNI West and WRL Ministerial Orders” which are fast tracking these projects see here: https://www.stoplaborstowers.com.au/news/stop-aus-nets-towers-newsletter-16-jun-2023/
And here: https://www.stoplaborstowers.com.au/news/update-on-the-alliances-legal-actions-and-a-call-for-donations/
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 8 August 2023.
