Councils back powerline reforms

Two motions brought to state forums by Moorabool Shire Council, advocating for reforms to the transmission network approval process, have been adopted by Victorian and national council associations.

Council put the motions to the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) and the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), which were adopted at the 20 – 22 June ‘National General Assembly’, and 24 June ‘State Council’ meetings.

Around 1,000 delegates attended ALGA’s National General Assembly in Canberra, with Minister Catherine King and National Party Leader David Littleproud addressing the Assembly.

ALGA represents 537 councils across the country, and its National General Assembly is the largest meeting of democratically elected representatives in Australia.

Moorabool Shire Mayor, Cr Tom Sullivan, said he was pleased to see that councils across the country were in agreement with Moorabool, that the process being used to plan the Western Renewables Link is inadequate.

“The current regulatory process for major transmission network projects is not fit for purpose, and we are encouraged that our local government colleagues are with us on this issue,” Cr Sullivan said.

“It is critical that planning for and designing new infrastructure considers potential environmental impacts and community views at the earliest opportunity, while there is still capacity to facilitate locally appropriate development.”

The motions submitted by Moorabool Shire Council call for the State and Federal Government to develop policies for “conducting and integrating community engagement findings when planning for and delivering renewable energy high-voltage transmission projects”, and “ensuring all future high-voltage transmission projects will be required to investigate the lowest social, environmental and economic impact technologies and design options available”.

The Western Renewables Link (formerly the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project) proposed 190 kilometres of high-voltage overhead powerlines to be installed through western Victoria, 60 kilometres of which would be in Moorabool.

Council says that while it supports the transition to renewable energy, it is concerned that not enough consideration is going into how the plans will affect the environment and the communities along the powerline corridor.

For more information on Council’s response to the Western Renewables Link, visit www.moorabool.vic.gov.au/transmissionlines.