Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF), Media Release, 27 August 2025

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has written to state MPs to vote down the contentious VicGrid Amendment Bill that would pave the way for police-backed powers to force entry onto farms and slap landholders with fines of up to $12,100.

VFF President Brett Hosking is reiterating previous calls to halt the Bill ahead of it being debated in State Parliament this Thursday.

“The transition to renewable energy has already faced delay after delay as the government’s approach farmers, landholders and communities appears only to involve coercive powers and threats. It’s time for a new approach.”

“If Victoria is to make serious, economy wide reductions to our emissions then we need to partner with each other to achieve this particularly our farmers who are being asked to carry most of the burden of this change.” 

“The VicGrid amendments are deeply concerning. Handing police powers to enforce access and threatening farmers with fines for protecting their own land doesn’t build trust, it shows exactly why trust has been lost,” Mr Hosking said.

Mr Hosking said the government’s approach to push ahead with major transmission projects, such as the Western Renewables Link (WRL) and Victoria to New South Wales Interconnector West(VNI West), without genuine consultation is eroding community confidence and jeopardising the projects themselves.

“The WRL and VNI West have failed from the start and should be abandoned. They’ve been poorly managed and communities have made it clear they won’t accept transmission lines being forced across their farms.”

“These projects are too important to ram through. By taking this approach, the government risks derailing the renewable transition. The only way forward is to admit mistakes and start again.”

“The VFF has raised these concerns directly with the government and written to every MP, urging them to vote down the VicGrid Reform Bill,” Mr Hosking said.