The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, is warning landowners not to rush into signing any agreements with Transmission Company Victoria for its VNI West renewable transmission line corridor.
Mr Walsh says the path VNI West will take through northern Victoria will be officially released within a fortnight, with the company approaching individual affected landholders ahead of that announcement.
He says if you find your property in the final proposed corridor you will have options about the compensation you receive.
Compensation he says should not just be a set period as proposed, but a payment for the life of the towers and the power lines, just as it is with wind turbines.
“I would not be recommending anyone sign up immediately unless they are super-satisfied with the package they are offered,” Mr Walsh says.
“In my years of experience in these matters, traditionally the best outcome has been those whose properties/tracts of land are compulsorily acquired,” he says.
“And for that to happen, you don’t sign anything, you don’t accept any offers, and you hold out until the compulsory acquisition kicks in.”
Mr Walsh says the fact the corridor announcement is this close and neither TCV or VNI West have held detailed negotiations with any impacted landholders at this point still convinces him compulsory acquisition will be the best financial outcome.
He says the Allan Labor Government is already using its legislative muscle to strip away people’s rights to appeal decisions on the use of their own land for big bucks projects such as VNI West.
Which he describes as a “blatant disregard for the individual’s rights”, something previously enshrined in our governmental system, legal system and our very way of life.
“At the same time as the government has bulldozed its legislation through the Parliament, robbing people of their rights, the proponents of the VNI project have also failed to be transparent and proactive operators,” Mr Walsh says.
“The people behind the VNI project have been incredibly poor at how they have engaged with the individual families, and whole communities, which will be impacted by this massive development,” he says. “And in some cases, they have been quite dismissive and disingenuous of those who have raised concerns.
“If the government and big business have stacked the deck against the individual property owner, then hanging out for the best possible outcome is now your best possible alternative.”
