FOLLOWING the news item in the Gannawarra Times (November 12) regarding the proposed powerlines, I feel compelled to respond as there are always two sides to a story.
There has been a lack of open communication with landholders regarding the proposed massive VNI West project.
I would like to point out and make people aware that compensation is only paid to the directly affected people for 25 years.
This infrastructure is lacking vision – it should be for 60 to 80 years like the Victorian railways.
Compensation is taxable between 25 per cent and 48 per cent. In other words, it’s passive income.
Recent announcements suggest the cost to roll out of the renewable program has blown out between $1.3 trillion to $1.5 trillion, for which each and every person will be expected to pay for eventually.
The loss of 70 per cent of land earmarked for renewables may result in a massive downturn on food production.
The average person is unaware that 95 per cent of powerlines are to be constructed on privately owned land.
The use of Crown land for the construction would lower the compensation costs dramatically, resulting in lowering the total project cost that we have to face for many years.
There has been announcements that livestock can coexist with the powerlines, solar panels, wind turbines and electrical transformers, however there has been a very quiet change to the livestock assurance program in September 2024 that farmers must now identify any chemical or physical contamination risk to livestock.
This will include these electrical transformers, solar farms, wind turbines, which could have a major impact on livestock trading in the future.
People are led to believe that a large increase in local employment has taken place to increase businesses starting up in the townships. Can you see this eventuating?
Insurance is another dilemma, with the lack of fire protection available for transmission lines and other renewables.
It is already very evident the projects are dividing families and communities. People not connected to these new developments only see the dollar signs but don’t have a vision for the future.
It is thought by some people that if they are paid enough annually they won’t have to work again, but the passive tax will decimate this dream.
Can we remind people about the demise of the irrigation water industry in the Goulburn-Murray Water districts, decimating this industry along with decreasing staff, plus assets that took generations to put in place for the irrigators and the state.
The Murray-Darling Basin Plan is decreasing water supplies and selling off water. There is a strong similarity to these current trends with the renewables propositions.
Each and every person should be demanding a complete review and change of mindset by authority. This project will fail due to major objections along the entire line.
There is no connection to the previous lines that were constructed in the 1960s. People were actually asked to invest in the construction in order to gain power, which changed the lives for all rural people.
We do not want to leave a legacy for the future generations to pay this absurdly costly project by your children and grandchildren.
Colin Fenton
Farmer
