The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, has raised concerns about the Allan Labor Government’s Victorian Transmission Plan, saying it will have a devastating impact on regional communities and large sections of the state’s prime agricultural land.
The plan has been developed by VicGrid, Labor’s renewable energy body, and includes a map that identifies sites within Victoria based on their suitability for solar, wind farms, and transmission lines.
Large areas of the Euroa electorate are included on the map, including Seymour, Benalla, and surrounding towns.
Ms Cleeland expressed deep concern about the plan, most importantly that Labor had ignored the voices of landholders and those involved within the agricultural sector.
“Farmers are the ones putting food on our tables and are backbone of the Victorian economy,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Despite how crucial they are to our entire state, Labor has no strategy to compensate them for the significant loss of food production that this project will create.
“Upgrading the power delivery system within Victoria isn’t the issue. The issue is the way this Government wants the upgrades to take place, which is sacrificing prime, highly arable agricultural land in our state.
“Labor can’t manage projects, can’t be trusted to look after our agricultural sector, and Victorians are paying the price.”
Ms Cleeland said that certain renewable projects across the region had already left local farmers feeling uneasy, and that more consultation with the community was required.
“The proposed Cooba Solar Facility in Colbinabbin will build 740,000 eight-foot solar panels in the middle of the Heathcote Wine GI, on prime, highly arable agricultural land,” Ms Cleeland said.
“This land is the livelihood for so many in the region and consuming it with such a large project has left many feeling concerned.
“These projects should not be going ahead without proper community consultation.”
People can visit engage.vic.gov.au/victransmissionplan to make a submission and to see locations for regional drop-in sessions and online webinars.
