Campaign spearhead calls time

A LOCAL woman has stood down from chairing a community group which started locally before branching across the state, after almost four years at the helm.

Emma Muir chaired the Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance (MCHPA), which later joined other community groups under the Regional Victorian Power Alliance (RVPA) banner, for over three and a half years.

The group was formed to oppose the overhead Western Renewables Link and VNI-West transmission line plans.

In January, Ms Muir was named Moorabool’s Citizen of the Year, with her list of contributions to the community including being Treasurer of the Pentland Hills Landcare Group, being a member of the Grow West Implementation Committee, and past involvements with Little Athletics, Myrniong Primary School, and the Bacchus Marsh and Ballan Football Netball Clubs.

Ms Muir said the RVPA’s committee was in a good place with nine members from across Victoria, and she felt it was time for “new blood”.

“The group’s gotten so much bigger, it’s not just us around Ballan, it’s now all the way to St Arnaud, Charlton, Boort, Kerang, and into New South Wales,” Ms Muir said.

“I’m still fighting the fight, I’m still happy to talk to people, and I’m still very invested in the cause, and ensuring that we get a fair go.

“Four years is a long time to fight something and maintain the rage, and I think I need a bit of a break.”

When asked what her proudest moments have been as RVPA Chair, Ms Muir said it was the community who had backed the cause that had made her most proud.

“Initially I was a little sad to say goodbye, because we got the group up and running in this district, and I was inaugural Chair…I felt a lot of ownership,”

“But as it’s grown bigger I think it needs great input along the whole alignment. One amazing thing I think we have done is we were the first of these groups.

“To look along the east coast of Australia and see how many people are standing up, and saying ‘you need to consult better with renewable projects in regional Australia’…it sort of snowballed, that makes me proud.

“I’ve been thankful for the support of the community, who’ve raised funds for us and come to rallies. Those rallies in Melbourne and Ballarat were incredible.”