Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Agriculture Minister, David Littleproud, said this week that Labor’s planned 240-kilometre Victorian stretch of the Victoria-New South Wales Interconnector (VNI) West powerline will rip up prime agriculture land, cutting through about 250 farms and private properties in regional Victoria.

Mr Littleproud said the preferred route showed Labor was choosing to put ideology before food production amid a cost-of-living crisis.

“This decision will put farming in Victoria at risk, forcing farmers to walk away if they aren’t successful in their fight,” Mr Littleproud said.

“When supply goes down, prices go up. Labor’s all-renewables approach is coming at the expense of our agriculture industry and families will pay for this decision at the check-out.

“The farming community is devastated by this decision but is determined to fight it. The Nationals 100 per cent support our Victorian farmers.”

Chosen route

Transmission Company Victoria’s chosen route crosses the Murray River at Murrabit, travels south past Kerang and Charlton, before reaching Bulgana, where it connects to the Western Renewables Link.

Kanya farmer Ben Duxson, whose property could be impacted by about 1.5 kilometres of transmission lines, said he was prepared to go to court over the decision.

“We know this is no good for Australia, this isn’t right for agriculture, food sustainability or food affordability,” Mr Duxson said.

“Once they try and put 70 per cent renewables in our farm land, we never get it back. We are an agriculture country that needs to produce food. We have other energy sources out there. The alternative is nuclear, not ripping up prime agriculture land. None of it is good for food consumers or energy consumers. It just increases the cost in both areas and makes no sense.”

Fight

Cattle, sheep and wheat Marnoo farmer Billy Baldwin said the community would fight, even if it came down to compulsory land acquisition.

Mr Baldwin faces about 1.4 kilometres of lines through his property.

“We are not going to give it to them, we will have to stand at the gate,” Mr Baldwin said.

“The company now plans to get a transmission licence, so they can get more power over us, a bigger stick.

“But to us it makes no difference, we will be ready to fight. We will protect our community, our home and our right to farm.”

Yeungroon farmer Glenden Watts said the whole project isn’t necessary.

“The project hasn’t been done correctly, it’s a political decision,” Mr Watts said.

“The route does a dog-leg into farming land, rather than the populated areas.

People’s rights

“This is almost dictatory or communism. I don’t believe in taking away people’s rights to farm or contest the decision. I don’t believe in this project. This isn’t Australian to come in and do what they are doing.”

Gre Gre farmer Jason Barrett, who has sheep, cattle and wheat, barley and canola, said the 1-kilometre line through his property would also restrict the way farmers can farm.

Restrictions

“There would be height restrictions, even to the point at time of day,” Mr Barrett said.

“We harvest in summer and there will be temperature restrictions also, not being able to use machinery underneath the lines. We need to farm on warmer days because that’s the nature of farming.

“There is no way we are going to lie down. We are united in our fight.”

This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 1 November 2024.
See: Victoria New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West)