Thursday, 5 March 2026

 Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Minister for Women) (17:01): I move:

That the question be now put.

The SPEAKER: I believe there is an opportunity for members from parties that have not yet spoken to contribute to the motion. The Greens have indicated that they do not wish to speak to the motion. The member for Ringwood has indicated he does not wish to speak to the motion. The National Party has had a contribution. The member for Murray Plains can continue to finish his speech.

 Peter WALSH (Murray Plains) (17:02): Before we were interrupted for the guillotine, I was speaking about the fact that this amendment being brought forward at the last minute is effectively showing that those in country Victoria who are standing up for their rights are winning over the government. Full power to them for what they are doing and for this particular right for country Victorians to have people kept off their farms. VNI West, which is what this bill is all about, started out as a project a bit over $3 billion. It is now estimated to be $7 billion to $8 billion. It is going to be at least two years later than intended. Most people expect it will go to at least $11 billion. There are alternatives to this powerline. The government said, ‘We cannot upgrade the two 220 kVA powerlines. They’re impossible to upgrade, you can’t upgrade those – we’ve got to build this great big new powerline right across people’s farms.’ But in the last renewable energy zone paper that the government put out, the 220 kVA line has magically changed from Kerang to Bendigo – or Bendigo to Kerang, whichever way you want to look at it – and can be upgraded. It is now listed as an upgraded line. The government just cannot tell the truth to country Victorians. ‘We have to build this great big new powerline across your properties, we have to compulsorily acquire your land, we have to build it, we can’t upgrade the existing powerlines.’ Then the last REZ paper that comes out has it in red – it can be upgraded. Surprise, surprise, the government has changed their opinion on that. Why would anyone believe this government when it has anything to do with these sorts of projects?

Last year we had VicGrid come in and brief the member for Mildura, the member for Lowan and me, as the three National Party electorates affected by VNI West. We explained to them that when the Australian Energy Market Operator went out and talked to the farmers, they did it appallingly. They got them offside immediately. They did an absolutely lousy job of it. So what does the government do? They take the powers off AEMO and set up the VicGrid bill. What do VicGrid do? They talk to the farmers even worse and upset more farmers. We actually had to point out to the VicGrid officials how lousy they were at talking to farmers, and they got offended. They were told the truth and they actually got offended. When they went to leave – normally when you have a meeting, you shake people’s hands as they leave the room – they refused to shake our hands because we had actually told them the truth about how lousy they were at talking to farmers. Every time VicGrid goes out, they upset people even more.

What do we get? Another piece of legislation that comes into this place to take away people’s rights, because VicGrid and the government cannot do their job. They cannot talk to rural people in plain English. They cannot tell them the truth. They keep smudging around the edges. They keep saying, ‘We’ll compensate you this,’ but no-one is actually honouring what is being said. I would say to the minister at the table: if you actually want to get projects done, deal with country Victorian people with respect. Tell them the truth. Actually be factual with them. Do not try and snow them. Do not turn up to the gate with the police. If you have got to bring the police to do an environment effects statement (EES) and an inspection, you are doing something wrong. Like, spare me. Country people are tolerant. They actually trust people, until they do not trust them, and then they bloody hate them. They absolutely hate them, and they will fight to the death. That is where we are at the moment. They were trusting, and they have been screwed over, and now they hate the people from VicGrid. You will not need the police – you will need more than the police; you will need the army, because they are going to fight on this thing, and they are going to continue to fight.

I notice in the minister’s contribution when these amendments were introduced to the house that she congratulated the Greens and the Animal Justice Party for these amendments going through the upper house. Can I say to the Greens party: I thought the Greens actually stood for the environment. To say that they are going to usurp the EES process to allow compulsory acquisition at the same time, the Greens have sold out what I thought they believe for. They have sold out what I thought they believed for in sticking up for the environment. Whatever has happened in the upper house to get this amendment through, something has been done. When it comes to the Animal Justice Party, who would be surprised that the Animal Justice Party would be supporting these particular amendments to take away farmers’ rights? The Animal Justice Party has a defined aim to close down animal agriculture in this state. By supporting this bill they are going to try and close down all sorts of other agriculture in Victoria as well, because in having these giant powerlines forced across people’s properties, people will not be able to carry out their normal farming operation.

You cannot use aerial agriculture anywhere close to these powerlines. For the potato growers close to Ballarat, you cannot use your travelling irrigators, because they will short out. You are not allowed to irrigate under these powerlines. You cannot use your big boom sprayers under these powerlines. You cannot burn stubble because of the smoke and the arcing. Farmers are the greatest innovators in the world. They take up new technology when it is available, if it is of benefit to agriculture. The whole system of GPS guidance will go out the window when you are under a powerline. You will not be able to use it under a powerline. There are so many things that farmers will not be able to do under these powerlines that people have not been honest about. The government has not been honest about those things. To say that you could not be truthful with people and put this in the original bill because of internal processes – what are the internal processes that mean you cannot actually just tell the truth? The internal process is, ‘We have to be sneaky. We have to be sly. We have to try and slip this through at the guillotine on a Thursday,’ because they do not actually trust country people to tell them the truth.

As I started, to Ben Duxson, to all the people opposing this and to all the people that take the phone call and get in their ute and go to the properties to stop the people entering them, more power to you. Keep up the good work, because this government has got it wrong. There are better ways than VNI West. There are better ways than compulsory acquisition. There are better ways than not having an EES before you do compulsory acquisition. Full marks to all of you; more power to you. We will be there, and we will be supporting you. Get rid of this lousy government, because Victoria needs it.

 Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Minister for Women) (17:09): I move:

That the question be now put.

Assembly divided on Mary-Anne Thomas’s motion:

The SPEAKER: A message will now be sent to the Legislative Council informing them of the house’s decision.