Thursday, 6 February 2025

 Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Northern Victoria) (17:56): (1396) My adjournment this evening is for the Minister for Planning, and the action I seek is for the minister to reject planning application PA2403133. For two years the community of Bobinawarrah have been campaigning against the components of the Meadow Creek solar facility they propose to build in the King Valley in northern Victoria. This project threatens the livelihoods of many generational farmers who care for the King Valley. The community have told me they have been told by their insurance brokers that they will not be able to insure their properties due to the high cost of the facility. Insurance companies do not offer insurance to farmers to cover hundreds of millions of dollars of liability. This area is one of the most profitable agricultural regions in the Wangaratta council area. It is part of Victoria’s food bowl. Food security should be a high priority of the government.

This project also threatens endangered native species. The region is home to the endangered Sloane’s froglet, the critically endangered regent honeyeater and the vulnerable Murray cod. Locals have told me they are concerned with the proposed impacts and possible removal of 31 mature trees on the site, which provide habitat for native wildlife. This area is also of high importance to the tourism industry, being the home of Brown Brothers wineries, Pizzini Wines and Chrismont Wines. This facility has the potential to cause loss of income to this industry with the disruptions caused by the construction stage. The project has no social licence. There have been over 500 submissions made to the Department of Transport and Planning objecting to its construction. The concerns of my constituents are real, and the minister must take these into account. Minister, the action I seek is that the application number PA2403133 be rejected for the protection of the King Valley.