Power outrage

By Oliver Powell (4^th Yr Deakin Uni)

AusNet’s latest community information dinner may not have had the desired effect, with locals hosting their own protest dinner next door.

Dozens of Moorabool residents, despite the bleak weather, made their way to the Myrniong Fire Station for a BBQ, right next to the Myrniong Hall where AusNet were hosting their information session on Monday 29 August.

The protest was simply an opportunity to convey the discontent with AusNet’s plans to build 190km of above ground transmission line from Sydenham to Bulgana, with over 60km cutting through the Moorabool Shire.

The Myrniong session was one of the less popular community discussion dinners, attracting only  four participants, but AusNet said there was more success in the Ballarat and Melton sessions.

“Ballarat was well attended and Melton was booked out,” according to AusNet’s media representative Lisa Gilbert.

Locals discussed their frustrations with each other, as well as how to progress with their protests.

Community members conveyed a clear discomfort with AusNet’s tactics for drawing their support.

A disgruntled community member said “they are turning neighbour against neighbour and community against community” during the discussions.

Myrniong farmer Nathan Lidgett, expressed concern with the firefighting capabilities around such transmission lines.

He raised the issue of the placement of the lines on a backburning line, which was successfully used to prevent more damage through fires in 1983.

The line is located between Darley and Myrniong, along Longpoint Road, and could severely hinder the CFA’s ability to access this danger area.

Residents along the proposed transmission line route believe there has been a severe “lack of consultation” with property owners and feel they have not had a say from the beginning.

Many believe that the recent change to the route of the transmission lines is “because it’s cheaper, not because they are good people.”

Moorabool Shire Council conducted an independent report outlining that moving the transmission lines underground is a viable solution with lower impact on environment and affected property owners, a solution that locals resoundingly support.

AusNet however have a varying view on the underground option, believing that “overhead construction is the most appropriate for the length of the 190km project because it causes less ground disturbance compared with trenching.”

AusNet also expressed a financial concern saying, “given the size of the project… it would cost significantly more to put the transmission line underground – a cost that would ultimately be paid for by the electricity consumers in their power bills.”