A convoy of tractors has rolled into a Victorian town as farmers protest plans to build hundreds of kilometres of powerlines over their properties.
Farmers furious about two projects have rumbled into the western Victorian town of St Arnaud ahead of a meeting about the lines.
The Australian Energy Market Regulator opted not to attend the session discussing the Western Renewables Link (WRI) and the Victoria-to-New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West).
Rally organiser and farmer Jason Barratt said consultation so far had been lacking.
“Absolutely pathetic, honestly,” he told AAP.
“It’s just been jargon ... the conversation has been extremely poor and it’s just creating angst and anxiety community-wide.”
Farmers are concerned about disruptions during construction and ongoing risks for machinery and bushfires once the lines, which will reach up to 85 metres high, are built.
“They could potentially have huge ongoing effects for years to come as far as the way we farm and the viability of our farms,” Barratt told AAP.
State government plans to pay farmers $8000 a year for 25 years to those with transmission easements on their land won a lukewarm reception from farmers in February.
Last week, Victoria Energy Policy Centre director Bruce Mountain slammed the WRI and VNI as a mistake and said the state should build on existing transmission infrastructure in Gippsland.
“Instead of making the best use of the wonderful grid we already have, AEMO wants the community and renewable generation developers to wait on it to deliver its monumental plans,” Prof. Mountain said in a statement.
“AEMO is stuck in the past, pursuing a redundant vision that suits its corporate interests.”
In response, AEMO said it needed to utilise numerous renewable energy zones to share renewable energy throughout the National Electricity Market.
“If the wind isn’t blowing in Gippsland, then we'll be relying on generation from other regions,” an AEMO spokesman told AAP.
Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano accused the state government of dropping the ball on renewable energy transition and said AEMO’s absence had disrespected Victorian farmers.
“Farmers are being made to bear the brunt of years of inaction while they have a complete lack of detail on a project that has the potential to threaten their livelihoods,” Germano said in a statement.
“For the likes of AEMO to decline today’s community meeting at the last minute demonstrates the lack of respect farmers are being shown.”
AEMO denied it was a last-minute cancellation and said it offered the farmers federation an option to meet later this week.
A Victorian government spokeswoman said new transmission infrastructure was key to providing clean, affordable power to Victorians as the state worked towards net-zero emissions by 2045.
“AEMO have consulted with communities and experts on the design of these transmission projects and will continue to engage as the projects progress, ensuring they deliver benefits for both local communities and energy consumers,” the spokeswoman said in a statement.
AEMO has received over 500 submissions on the two projects as part of ongoing consultations.
A report due in May will identify a preferred option for the renewables link.
