The proposed Victorian New South Wales Interconnectors 500kv overhead transmission lines and towers that can reach almost 80 metres in height, is once again under the spotlight. The VNI project will carve a path through farmland and across communities on the journey from Bulgana in Victoria to the substation at Dinawan, near Jerilderie in NSW.

Last week, Gannawarra Shire’s Cr Garner Smith put forward a motion that Council oppose the construction of VNI West through Gannawarra due to a lack of evidence of ongoing operational benefits of the VNI West project for the Gannawarra community.

Cr Burt seconded, with both Cr Gillingham and Cr Collier objecting to the motion.

Cr Smith raised many concerns during the meeting, including the fact the council has consistently pushed the project without consulting the councillors.

“I have been questioning the value of VNI West for three years now,” said Cr Smith in a statement.

“This project comes at a cost for every person in Gannawarra. Either through a reduction of their property value, their enjoyment of a quiet rural lifestyle or the constant reminder of the scarring of the landscape by bulldozing this project right through the heart of Gannawarra.

“Gannawarra is an essential link in the desire to link up the power grid. If this council was serious about the future of Gannawarra, we would be negotiating benefits that promoted industry, value adding, employment and lifestyle in Gannawarra. VNI West is not offering any of those things. It just divides our community with the promises of bureaucrats that will be long gone when the true cost of this project is realised. Then, it will be too late.

“If this council does not play hardball to get true and lasting benefit from this project, we are betraying our community. If we are supporting VNI West in the hope it will indirectly lead to millions in PILOR payments that will prop up the Gannawarra Council, then we are selling out the community for Council’s benefit.

“We are told we have a competitive advantage in producing cheap electricity. In September ‘23, I moved a motion calling for the 5 cents a kilowatt hour paid to renewable generators to be passed directly on to the Gannawarra community. For some reason, Cr Gillingham allowed Cr Stanton to illegitimately amend my motion to destroy any hope of this positive outcome for Gannawarra.

“Is it that Gannawarra’s competitive advantage is not producing renewable electricity cheaply? Is it that we roll out the red carpet and offer up our district, without the due diligence and steely determination needed to negotiate a positive outcome?”

While the motion during the meeting appeared to have the support of three of the six councillors present, Crs Gillingham and Collier spoke against the motion. During his time as Mayor, Cr Gillingham pushed hard for the project stating, “Just like the development of irrigation changed the landscape of northern Victoria in the early 20th century, this project will transform the Gannawarra, enabling renewable projects such as wind, solar and battery storage to proceed in the municipality.

“Our council has been advocating for this for years now and with the Murray River Group of Councils,” said Cr Gillingham during Wednesday’s meeting.

“Probably over the past four or five years we have been pushing very hard for this to come through.

“We can see the positive in the number of large solar farms, wind farms that will come to the area.

“We have staff present to us nearly at every meeting of the positives of VNI West and these renewable energy farms.”

Cr Collier added his weight to push against the motion.

“I think going forward, we are trying to grow Gannawarra, not slow Gannawarra.

“Maybe the future is the solar farms and wind farms that can funnel into these power lines.

“What sort of legacy are we leaving for our, not us, but our kids and grandkids down the track?

“So, look, for the moment, I’m against this motion.”

The final vote was divided three a piece, with Cr Smith, Cr Burt and Cr Link for, and Mayor Stanton, Cr Gillingham and Cr Collier against, with the mayor dealing the death blow to the motion.

The [Koondrook and Barham] Bridge approached a former mayor who had served on the Murray River Group of Councils (MRGC) for two years and they said appetite for VNI West had waned in their time on MRGC.

“Support had well and truly dwindled and diminished with the changing of the route,” the source revealed.

“When it was being bulldozed through prime agricultural land, we had reservations, and they were compounded by the realisation that there was no direct benefit to our communities.”

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 23 May 2024.