Last week, the Gannawarra Shire Council meeting birthed the first real progress in moving forward with a vision of true community benefit to the transmission lines driving the industrial energy developments within Gannawarra.

It’s not the first time a Councillor has asked tough questions on the validity of the community benefit of the projects and sought cheap power. It is the first time a motion passed unscathed, but only just.

Councillor Daniel Bolitho put forward a motion for the Council to write to the Energy Minister, expressing deep concern regarding the VNI West powerline project, and that the Council requests immediate and thorough action from proponents of the VNI West transmission line project, to re-open the route planning process and consultation. The motion also called for an increase in landholder compensation and implementing a benefit structure for easement landholders and near neighbours, and economic benefits provided to all residents of the Gannawarra Shire, such as an exemption to transmission charges and access to energy at the wholesale energy feed-in tariffs.

As far back as 2019, the renewable revolution was touted as a “game changer” for Gannawarra Shire Council. With the prospect of renewables generating huge PiLor payments to the Council, then Mayor Lorraine Learmonth went on record stating “Council, both independently and through its membership of the Murray River Group of Councils, has been advocating both AEMO and the Victorian Minister for Energy, Lily D’Ambrosio for the upgrade of the major electricity transmission line that passes through the Gannawarra,”

The promises of jobs and a local economy boom appear to be evaporating with bussed-in workers, planned worker accommodation compounds, external contractors and trucked-in supplies. Now, questions have arisen as to what is the real benefit of the giant 500kv lines dividing the community.

The motion Cr Bolitho put forward was quickly swooped on by Cr Ross Stanton for an amendment, with vocal support by Cr Charlie Gillingham and Cr Pat Quinn. The amendment sought to remove the exemption to transmission charges associated with the transmission and distribution networks and access to energy at an equivalent value to wholesale energy feed-in tariffs, and add a call to meet with TCV and Vic Grid. With meetings with TCV and Councillors already occurring, the main change appeared to be an effort to be meek and mild towards the powerline overlords and remain “inside the tent”. A version of the Basin Plan’s “remain at the table, not on it”, history can decide if the approach was fruitful.

Having vacated the chair before the motion was put forward, Mayor Garner Smith spoke in opposition to the amendment.

“Now, as councillor Stanton pointed out, we’re at the bottom of the food chain. Now, that doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because this council has actually rolled out the red carpet to this project.”

“It (the council) has encouraged TCV to come through here, it is almost the point, I will say begging, some might wish to dispute that, but I will say that we have begged for them to come through with a project which will cut our community in half, that is why we’re at the bottom of the food chain, because we simply have not put in the demands to this point in time.” said Cr Smith

“We’re only asking for an assessment, which means we’re going to ask. What is wrong with asking for an assessment?”

“I went to the Charlton meeting a few weeks ago. In that meeting, every single group and every single council got together. They split us up into groups, and every group came back and (said) they all wanted cheap power, I think it was actually (their) number one.

Ultimately the amendment was lost, in favour Cr Gillingham, Cr Quinn, and Cr Stanton, those opposing the amendment Cr Bolitho, Cr Farrant, Cr Link, and Cr Smith.

With the coup quelled, Cr Bolitho’s original motion was passed unopposed.

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 27 March 2025.