Tuesday, 7 March 2023

 Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:36): (52) My question is to the Minister for Energy and Resources, and I ask on behalf of my constituents why the minister will not consider up-front undergrounding of transmission lines as the government considers its renewable energy zones around the state. I am very aware of the additional costs that will likely apply to underground versus overhead transmission lines, but the government has recently gone through its Victorian transmission investment framework preliminary design with a whole lot of consultation in which the vast majority of constituents – people involved with prospective overhead transmission lines – asked the question about undergrounding. The minister needs to come out and explain and give information about the potential costs and benefits of overhead versus underground. We certainly welcome the notion that the government will provide additional payments to those residents who host transmission lines – I am not sure that what is being proposed is enough – but there does need to be better explanation about whether underground is relevant and affordable for these new transmission lines.