Protesters tell AusNet they’re dreamin’

By Lachlan Ellis

More than 300 members of the Stop AusNet’s Towers group, along with over 25 tractors, gathered at State Parliament in Spring Street last Tuesday, bringing awareness to their ongoing battle.

Joining the farmers, landowners, and others concerned about the planned Western Victoria Transmission Network Project (WVTNP) were a range of big-name speakers.

The Australian actor Stephen Curry, Chair of the Ballarat Potato Growers Association Chris Stephens, and politicians Louise Staley, Bev McArthur, Stuart Grimley, and Tim Quilty all addressed the crowd, backing their fight to get the power lines put underground.

There was a buzz about the rally, with the kilometre-long convoy making its way to Parliament’s front steps and doing several laps around Parliament, with speeches beginning at around 12:30 pm.

During his speech, Stephen Curry “revived an old chant”, getting the crowd to chant “Lily”, a play on Australian cricketer Dennis Lillee and Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio.

Chair of Stop AusNet’s Towers, Emma Muir, said she was happy with how the event was run, and how much awareness the group had generated.

“We’re really pleased with how the rally went, we had in excess of 25 tractors, 10 or so extra vehicles, and between 300 and 500 people. The majority of those people that came had never been to a protest before,” she told the Moorabool News.

“We were very grateful for the Ballan CWA ladies who provided a great lunch, we had giveaways from the Greendale Sunflower Farm, Allendale Nursery gave us things too. There was just fantastic support from the community, from babies to the elderly.

“We’ve got a lot of momentum, we feel Melbourne has certainly heard about us and knows what we’re doing now.”

The main reason for the protest, Ms Muir added, was to “tell the people in Parliament to stop AusNet’s towers”.

To read the full story – Simply click on the following link

https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2022-03-15/11

in the 15 March 2022 edition
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pick up a paper around your town.