Tuesday, 4 February 2025

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (18:42): (1366) My adjournment debate is for the Minister for Planning and concerns the objections raised by residents of Little River regarding a secretive Barwon solar farm at Mount Rothwell and the proposed battery energy storage system on Sandy Creek Road. Over the weekend Brad Battin, Liberal candidate for Werribee Steve Murphy and I visited Little River, and we were appalled by how unsuitable this location is for major renewable energy projects. Despite the serious implications for local residents, the Labor government has shown no interest in properly consulting the community. No Labor MPs have bothered to visit these Little River properties. I have now been out there three times, and David Davis, the shadow minister for energy, has also inspected the sites. This is not just negligence; it is a deliberate attempt to push renewable energy projects through without listening to the concerns of those who will be directly impacted. The government know that the Little River location is wrong, yet they are still pushing ahead because they are trying to avoid scrutiny. Why? Because they know the truth. These projects will damage the landscape, harm tourism and negatively affect the local community. These projects are on prime agricultural land in a high-wind, fire-prone area on the outskirts of the You Yangs national park, a significant Aboriginal cultural site and a major tourist destination. As Getaway star Catriona Rowntree has said online, the Mount Rothwell property has:

… been the scene of so many incredible movies and productions, bringing in a fortune for the local government.

In their rush for renewables, she said:

Labor are considering all of these completely wrong locations.

In so doing she urged everybody to vote for Steve Murphy. When the government were exposed fast-tracking the lithium battery farm last year, they tried to cover it up with a community consultation survey. The survey closed in September 2024, and residents were promised an assessment by October, a decision by November and notification by December. They rejected the community’s request to have the consultation extended due to the short timeframe. But as of today, in February 2025, there has been no assessment, no decision and no communication with the community. This is bureaucratic incompetence at its finest. In stark contrast Steve Murphy, the local Liberal candidate for Werribee, has shown leadership by actually taking the time to visit Little River and speak with residents. So the action I seek from the minister is a commitment to meeting with the residents of Little River before she makes her overdue decision.