Farmers face fines, arrest over VNI West transmission line access

Farmers pledge to stand "10 deep" against any police-backed court orders, as VicGrid's property access attempts meet organised resistance along the VNI West transmission corridor.

About 100 farmers and townspeople gathered at James Burke's farm on Tuesday morning to to block VicGrid officers' access.

VicGrid officers have started warning farmers they have the legal right to enter properties along the 240km Victorian section of the proposed 500kV VNI West transmission line.

But farmers are fending off repeated attempts by VicGrid staff to enter their properties along the Wimmera-Mallee route.

About 100 farmers and townspeople gathered at James Burke’s Mount Jeffcott property, near Donald, on Tuesday morning to keep out VicGrid, while a dozen more blocked the transmission company’s second attempt to enter the Reading family’s Wallaloo property.

“They’re being blocked everywhere they go,” said Gre Gre farmer Ben Duxson, who is helping rally farmers and even local townspeople to line up along fencelines at each property.

“It’s getting stronger and stronger,” he said.

VicGrid officers have repeatedly walked up to fencelines and asked to speak to the landholder, to which assembled farmers have responded “access denied, access denied”.

Most encounters only last a few minutes, but the transmission company’s officers are increasingly warning they have the power to enter properties and will be back.

A video taken at Michelle Hines property at Marnoo East last week shows a VicGrid officer telling a group of farmers “we have the right under section 93 of the Elecrticity Industry Act to enter the property and ask you not obstruct us”.

But rather than forcing the issue VicGrid officers continue to walk away, telling farmers we’ll “let the notice take its course and see you on the next occasion”.

Ultimately VicGrid must decided if it will use new legislative powers it was granted by the Allan government in September to fine landholders and obtain court orders to force their way onto properties.

In responding to questions on using the new Section 93B powers, VicGrid stated: “If hindrance, obstruction or delay to land access continues, (its officers) may issue a direction.

“Once a warning and direction have been provided, an authorised officer may issue an infringement notice, with a penalty of $814.

If landholder obstruction continued, VicGrid stated it had the option of seeking a court order to gain entry, which if breached carried a maximum of 30 penalty units or $6100.

Landholders also risk arrest.

Mr Duxson said that if VicGrid returned with a court order and the police then they would be met by a line of farmers “10 deep”.