A new bill that fines individuals who block builders from entering private land to build transmission lines has passed Victoria’s Parliament.
Under the legislation, VicGrid will be able to enter private property to survey, construct and maintain transmission lines.
Landowners who block access to their property could be fined $6,000 for blocking access to their property. Corporations could be fined up to $48,000.
The original legislation proposed by Labor incorporated a $12,210 fine for individuals and $48,000 for corporations.
However, a last minute supported amendment, put forward by Legalise Cannabis MLC David Etthershank with support of the Animal Justice Party, essentially halved the penalty units for landholder breaches.
Liberals Says VicGrid Receiving Too Much Power
During discussion on the legislation, Shadow Energy Minister David Davis told parliament the bill had “deep and fundamental flaws.”“The purpose of this bill is to consolidate entirely within VicGrid transmission planning and jurisdiction on transmission planning functions that were previously shared with AEMO, the Australian Energy Market Operator,” he said
“The bill also establishes a compliance and enforcement regime, providing power of entry for VicGrid to access land and a wide variety of other powers.”
Davis said, “Why on earth the government has put these draconian penalties in there?”
“The answer is, sadly, that this is a long-term government. It has been in power almost 11 years. They feel they own everything. They feel that they can do what they want.”
Joe McCracken, a Liberal member of the Legislative Council (MLC), described it as “the most cruel, callous and calculated” piece of legislation.
“Need I mention the drought that many regional Victorians have gone through? Need I mention the emergency services tax, which is forcing farming families to consider whether they remain farming families or not?”
Labor Says It Safeguards the Future
Labor stood by the law with Sheena Watt, Victoria’s upper house member of the Northern Metropolitan, giving her “strongest possible support.”“It is a landmark reform, a reform that will determine how Victoria builds the infrastructure required to deliver a future powered by renewable energy, a future where every household and every business has access to clean, affordable and reliable power,” she said in parliament.
Watt the bill was about restoring power to the Victorian people “through their government.”
“This bill is about ensuring public accountability in energy planning and restoring power to the Victorian people through their government. It is about fairness and making sure that communities, landholders and traditional owners are not left behind but instead are active participants and beneficiaries in the renewable energy transformation,” she said.
Watt said above lowering bills and guaranteeing Victoria remains a clean energy leader as it leaves behind “polluting coal.”
“We are on track to achieve 65 per cent by 2030 and a remarkable 95 per cent by 2035. This is extraordinary progress, but it also brings extraordinary challenges.”
Labor MLC Ryan Batchelor said the heart of the bill was about dealing with the “reality of climate change” and making sure Victoria has an energy generation sector when the coal fired power stations reach the end of their life. .
Farmers Concerned About ‘Coercive Powers’ Handed to VicGrid
Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) President Brett Hosking expressed concern about the large transfer of power to VicGrid.He said farmers were not standing in the way of renewables, but refused to be “trampled over” in the process.
Hosking said the halving of some fines would do very little to calm community sentiment.
“The reduction in fines is cold comfort given they never should have been part of this Bill in the first place,” he said.
