Western Victoria Region
Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:50): (105) My constituency question is for the Minister for Energy and Resources and concerns the Western Renewables Link. I have frequently raised the environmental and ecological threat, the visual blight, the damage to farming, the disruption to firefighting and the constraint of development of Melbourne’s western housing growth corridor in relation to this project. But there are immediate impacts too. The threat of the line is already overshadowing lives and damaging mental health. Those fighting the project face the arrogant dismissiveness of the Australian Energy Market Operator, AusNet and government ministers and MPs. Another immediate impact is economic damage. Domestic and agricultural property values are being reduced today. Those remortgaging or raising finance face already reduced valuations, constricting their ability to borrow. One agricultural business has been devalued by $1 million. Minister, where in the cost-benefit analysis of this project have you accounted for losses like this, and what is the total cost to the communities affected?