RE-Alliance has warned that cancelling VNI West would tear up years of planning by farmers, energy companies and small communities across north-west Victoria, while leaving unanswered questions about the state’s future electricity supply.
Responding to the Victorian Coalition’s announcement that it would cancel VNI West if elected, RE-Alliance National Director Andrew Bray said:
“Farmers who choose to host wind or solar should not have that choice taken away because the politics has changed in Melbourne. We need stable, bipartisan energy policy—not a new plan every time government changes hands.
“Proposed projects around Kerang, Quambatook and Meering West involve more than 200 wind turbines across farming properties. Farmers and communities have spent years planning for the projects VNI West was intended to unlock.
“Cancelling VNI West means lost income for farmers, lost work for regional contractors and fewer opportunities for surrounding communities to negotiate lasting regional benefits.
“You can cancel a power line, but you can’t cancel Victoria’s power problem.
“Victoria’s coal-fired power stations are ageing and Yallourn is scheduled to close in just two years. If the Coalition wants to tear up this part of the replacement plan, it must show Victorians—in detail—how it will keep the lights on.
“The loudest opponents do not speak for every farmer. Many farmers have actively chosen to host projects so they can diversify their income, strengthen their farm businesses and keep farming through droughts and volatile commodity prices.”
“RE-Alliance has long advocated for improvements in how transmission is planned and delivered. Communities deserve better consultation, fair treatment for affected landholders, stronger local benefits and a genuine role in shaping development.
“But those failures will not be fixed by cancelling essential infrastructure and wiping out opportunities for people in the regions. They will be fixed by delivering the renewable energy rollout properly, with hosting communities at the table.”
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For media inquiries and interview requests please contact Monica Tan on 0425 243 750 or monica@re-alliance.org.au.
