Western Victoria Region
Mrs McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:45): (1794) My question is for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change and concerns the future of electricity transmission in Victoria and particularly the western Victoria transmission project. It is significant that the minister is responsible for both energy and the protection of the Victorian environment. A balance must be struck between new transmission infrastructure and the impact it will have on the environment, visual amenity, property valuations, productive farming land, ecological consideration and firefighting ability, to name just a few problems. I am greatly concerned by the recent widespread social media and newspaper blitz by western Victoria transmission network proponents AusNet. They rely on a self-serving preliminary report highly disputed by other experts to discredit undergrounding. My question is: given the scale of new infrastructure required and the minister’s support for underground transmission inherent in the Marinus Link and Star of the South wind energy projects, will the minister begin a comprehensive, neutral and honest statewide public consultation on this new network of 30 projects—particularly the western Victoria transmission project—which will crisscross Victoria and launch an honest debate on the value of undergrounding and power transmission?
The PRESIDENT: Do you know how long you went over time? No-one is watching; no-one is looking. We just take our time and ask a constituency question, ask a question, whatever we like. I could rule it out, Mrs McArthur, but I will not do it. But I am just asking members, please, when you are on your feet, there is a clock there. Watch the clock, or your question will be ruled out.