THE Victorian Government has announced a compensation scheme for farmers who are subjected to the building of new high voltage power lines across their land.

The compensation on offer is $8000 per kilometre of line per year, over a 25-year term; a total package of $200,000 per kilometre. This is payable on top of the existing Land Acquisition and Compensation Act payments that cover the market value of the land.

Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the first payments would roll out to landholders who hosted the yet-to-be-built, 190km Western Renewables Link, from Sydenham near Melbourne to Bulgana, near Ararat.

This decision has been made in an attempt to assuage complaints relating to the serious impact installing the network of new transmission lines the government has planned. Thousands of kilometers of lines are planned to link up the various renewable assets dotted throughout the state, in an attempt to sure up city power supplies.

Farmer are concerned as to what impact not only the build will have on their business, but the impact the lines will have going forward. In particular, around the Ballarat region there are potato and other vegetable growers that stand to lose vital supply contracts if their production is interrupted due to the installation of the Western Renewables Link. 

VFF President Emma Germano said despite the government’s offer of landholder payments for impacted landholders, farmers deserved the right to a fair compensation process and the ability to have access to any documents that determine the transmission process as well as avenues to appeal transmission lines on their private property.

“We’re demanding the Victorian government urgently clarify on what grounds farmers can appeal, how they can gain access to the materials needed to appeal and who they will appeal to. Regulatory oversight must be independent and transparent.”

“The future of farmers and communities along the hundreds of kilometres of new powerlines is incredibly unclear. We need to know whether the government has decided to steamroll through these projects and what that means.”

Ms Germano said despite numerous meetings with the Victorian Government, including as recently as this week, farmers and the community remained in a perilous position.

“The VFF has been calling on decision makers to prepare for the gradual and fair transition to renewable energy and infrastructure since 2019.”

“The reality that we’re now forced to choose between turning the lights on or enjoying produce from some of Victoria’s best agricultural regions is not good enough,” Ms Germano said.

The VFF will continue to seek further information from the Victorian Government regarding this issue.