Wednesday, 30 October 2024

 Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (18:14): (1227) My adjournment is to the Minister for Energy and Resources. As a member for Northern Victoria, I represent a region that covers over 100,000 square kilometres – the top half of the state. There is a saying that God gave us two ears and one mouth so that we should listen twice as much as we speak. I encourage the minister to listen to the people who live and work in rural and regional areas, who deserve a seat at the table in decisions that affect their local communities. For too long the government and multinational corporations pushing renewables projects have had little regard for communities that are directly impacted. I have spoken with a fifth-generation Mallee farmer who is in the path of VNI West and has also been approached by 13 different companies, including wind and solar, who are keen to utilise his land, with a relentless barrage of phone calls, doorknocks and contracts with lots of fine print.

I met Claire Tuohey in Colbinabbin about the proposed Cooba solar farm, with plans to construct 740,000 solar panels and 300 batteries on prime agricultural land. It is opposed by the Colbinabbin Renewable Action Group, which represents 60 businesses, farmers and residents who surround the property. Nanneella wind farm is another project with plans for 25 wind turbines with a tower height of 265 metres and blades spanning 170 metres. The distance of only 1 kilometre between the turbines and neighbouring homes falls well short of best practice. In the King Valley, John and Jess Conroy have been joined by locals to protest the proposed Meadow Creek solar factory, which would see 475,000 panels constructed on prime agricultural land. Residents are angry at the government’s reckless rollout of large-scale renewable projects on prime agricultural land and too close to homes while removing the right of residents to appeal. In the rollout of renewables, straightforward questions remain unanswered. While renewable companies can be fast-tracked and approved, it seems no-one can provide an answer on liability insurance.

The Nationals and Liberals have announced a regional energy development policy that puts communities first. This policy returns the power to those who live and work in these areas, giving a voice to those affected most by renewable projects and bringing down the cost of living with fair compensation for impacted landowners and cheaper electricity bills. We will revoke planning scheme amendments that strip local communities of their say, and we will introduce protective measures to ensure major projects are assessed rigorously and independently. We have committed to bringing back a 2-kilometre buffer zone around proposed wind towers to safeguard residential properties and ensure that new energy projects face a comprehensive and transparent planning process. In considering the planning permits for these renewable energy projects, I ask the minister to listen to local concerns and ensure that local communities have a seat at the decision-making table on projects that affect them. Renewables are beneficial when they are in the right place, but we want regional areas to benefit from well-placed renewable energy developments that take land use and different farming methods into account and benefit local communities.