Webinars concern powerline protesters

By Lachlan Ellis

A series of webinars regarding the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project (WVTNP), to be held in early May, have drawn scepticism from community groups protesting overhead plans for the project.

Hosted by project planners AusNet, the three webinars will start this week on Thursday 5 May, and Thursday 12 May, all from 7 pm to 8.30 pm.

The WVTNP site lists the webinar topics as ‘Land Use and Planning’, ‘Environment Effects Statement (EES) Process’, and ‘General Q&A Panel’ respectively.

A representative from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Impact Assessment Unit is scheduled to attend the EES process session, while a panel of AusNet project staff will attend the Q&A panel to answer questions.

A spokesperson from AusNet Services said the webinars would complement “ongoing face-to-face meetings, community engagement and individual consultations”.

“Experienced specialists, who have an understanding of working and farming under transmission lines and who work on the project, will head the sessions and be available to answer questions,” AusNet’s spokesperson told the Moorabool News.

“We welcome and invite questions from the community about the project, understanding that attendance doesn’t necessarily indicate support for the project. Input from the community, local businesses and landholders has been critical and will continue to inform design and planning as we prepare the Environment Effects Statement for this project.”

But Chair of the Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance (MCHPA), Emma Muir – one of the spearheads of the campaign to get the powerlines put underground – is not convinced the sessions will ease the concerns of affected landowners.

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

https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2022-05-03/10

in the 3 May 2022 edition
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