The Nationals are putting locals first in Victoria’s transition to renewables, making a commitment to give them a say over future renewable energy projects.
The Nationals’ Member for Eastern Victoria, Melina Bath said Labor has bungled the transition and ridden roughshod over regional communities by fast tracking approvals and removing their rights to appeal to Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
“The Nationals think it is important that residents are given a voice when it came to these large scale planning decisions occurring in their backyards.
“Instead, Labor continues to trample on regional communities in its quest to secure inner city green votes.
“Country people will be living with renewable energy infrastructure in their backyard – they stand to be affected by transmission lines running through their properties, limiting agricultural activities, increasing bushfire risk and impairing visual amenity.
“A government which passes legislation to remove a key stakeholder’s right to object is undemocratic, and you could only imagine the outcry if it were Melburnians being impacted.”
The Nationals will also instigate a bond system to ensure that at the end of operational life, developers decommission energy plants and restore the environment.
Ms Bath said The Nationals policy represents a breakthrough for regional communities by establishing protections from rogue developers and operators.
“Importantly it gives country Victorians an overdue seat at the table, furthermore it requires renewable energy project developers to maintain a social licence to operate.
“There is no doubt new energy solutions are needed but balance must be restored.
“All Victorians deserve to have a say on renewable energy projects and transmission lines, and The Nationals are committed to putting local communities first.”
The Nationals policy will:
- Reinstate the right of appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to ensure that community voices are heard in the planning process.
- Ensure major transmission and large-scale wind and solar generation projects face a rigorous and independent planning panel assessment
- Institute a default 2km buffer zone around proposed wind towers to minimise the impact on residential properties and local communities
- Ensure lower-emission generators, high-voltage transmission lines and large-scale battery owners are required to comply with all relevant bushfire overlays
- Revoke planning scheme amendment VC261, instituted by Labor to strip local communities of planning powers over high-voltage transmission lines
- Advocate to the federal government that any compensation received by landowners for hosting major transmission lines, or for impacts caused by such projects, is exempt from taxation
- Develop principles that ensure overhead lines adhere to strict setback requirements to minimise visual and environmental impact
