Anne Webster (Mallee, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health) Share this | Hansard source

A few weeks ago I joined Victorian farmers in Melbourne for a protest on Spring Street with the Leader of the Nationals, David Littleproud. Farmers from my electorate of Mallee and beyond protested Labor's reckless renewables rush and plans for thousands of kilometres of 500-kilovolt transmission lines through prime agricultural land, pristine native bushland and wetlands, and culturally significant sites for local Aboriginal people. I was proud to have worked with these farmers to make this protest a reality. The 50 tractors and 10 prime movers rolling around Spring Street were a sight to behold. One sight we didn't see was regional Labor politicians. People in my electorate were intensely disappointed they did not stand with their communities. Renewables are their priority, not the threat to production of food and fibre for Australia and the world.

My constituents are deeply distressed by the new VNI West route selected by the Australian Energy Market Operator functioning as Transmission Company Victoria. Social licence has not been given by Mallee people, but Labor is disgracefully ploughing ahead anyway. They dishonestly pit neighbour against neighbour, dividing communities. They are disingenuous about the cost and the harm to the environment, wildlife and long-term productivity in their anxiety to get the job done.

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