Overhead transmission lines debate rolls on
Jenny Pollard. Avenues of engagement, updates on consultations and community intervention were amongst the themes addressed by the speakers at last Monday’s community meeting held at the Charlton Park function room ... Member for Mallee, Dr. Anne Webster, made good on her offer to bring Leader of the Federal National Party, David Littleproud, to the region following the strong activism at the St. Arnaud forum held in mid-April.
Government must take control of electricity planning infrastructure: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has called on the Victorian Government to step in and take over planning of the state’s transmission network following the consultation on the proposed VNI West project. VFF President Emma Germano said the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) had failed to take the impact on agricultural production into account in planning for transmission on behalf of the Victorian Government, and that the government needs to take back control.
Powerlink aggravating anxiety: Property Rights Australia
Powerlink Queensland’s continued roll out of power transmission projects is having significant mental health impacts on Queensland landowners. "On Wednesday 26 April landowners were contacted by Powerlink representatives advising of an imminent announcement of the final Woolooga West high voltage powerline corridor": Interim Chair of Property Rights Australia (PRA) Jim Willmott.
Recommended corridors released for Gympie, Somerset and South Burnett transmission line connections: Powerlink
Powerlink is seeking community feedback on two recommended corridors for proposed new transmission line connections in the Gympie, Somerset and South Burnett regions. Powerlink’s Draft Corridor Selection Report (CSR) has been released publicly and provides detailed analysis of a number of corridor options against social, environmental and economic criteria.
Council supports farmers in transmission fight
Northern Grampians Shire Council has issued a harsh rebuke of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), citing its abject failure to answer local landowners' questions about controversial power transmission infrastructure. Mayor, Cr Kevin Erwin said there was absolutely no justification whatsoever that the legitimate concerns of landowners remained unanswered at this stage of the project. “We are talking about one of the biggest rural energy infrastructure projects built in the past 60 years, and the government’s planner can’t confirm how it will operate on the easement,” Cr Erwin said.
To whom it may concern:
The 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission investigated the Black Saturday fires ... found that the blaze was caused by the negligence of SP AusNet and their assets managers Utility Services Group in the duty of safely maintaining the infrastructure under their control ... Keep this deplorable behaviour and lack of honesty front of mind when considering AEMO and SP AusNet’s bungled attempt to rush through a flawed and less-than-optimal solution to the VNI West project.
As AEMO’s transmission blunder boils over … the placards say it all!
Janine Batters. Over 300 community members with placards - on foot, in trucks and tractors - put their message in simple terms for the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) at St. Arnaud on Monday, regarding their views on the VNI West Transmission Project. The protest blocked Napier Street for over an hour to send the message home to AEMO, after feeling any previous attempts had landed on deaf ears. The protest took place before a planned community consultation meeting regarding the project.
Northern Grampians Shire Council submits a firm response to energy transmission report
Northern Grampians Shire Council has called on governments and energy agencies to respond directly to the concerns of farmers and local landowners before it develops new power transmission infrastructure ... "At the forum most of these questions were left unanswered. Rather than decide and defend, the government needs to ensure that meaningful consultation and direct negotiation is offered": Cr Kevin Erwin.
VNI West and Western Renewables Link: VFF
“The Victorian Government must answer questions why it is fast-tracking a project experts say could triple electricity transmission costs, whilst steam rolling our state’s farmers in the process ... The Victorian Government must explain to farmers why they are being forced to endure needless anxiety and fear over having their land carved up by power lines that may provide no benefit to the state": VFF President, Emma Germano.
Say no to the lines rally: Property Rights Australia
"Landowners and farmers have made it clear at a rally held in Widgee on Friday 17 March, Powerlink and the State Government are not listening to the community ... The community has attended so-called stakeholder meetings in rural and regional Queensland only to discover that the consultation process is tokenism with little to no consideration of alternative power corridors on State owned land": Chair of Property Rights Australia (PRA) Rob Atkinson.
Lockhart residents warned to prepare for noise from energy project
Energyconnect will be constructing a worker accommodation camp ... to house workers during main construction activities as part of Transgrid’s construction of 700 kilometres of new power lines from the SA border to the regional energy hub of Wagga Wagga ... Crews will be working daily as required, Monday to Sunday 7am to 7pm in approved Out of Hours Work ... Workers will also be accessing water during the construction of the access point and will be using the existing water fill point ...
