Vic Election 2022: What a Labor win means for farmers

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and his team hold an almost unassailable majority. So, what does Labor’s re-election mean for farmers?

Massive transmission lines and towers are to be built across six renewable energy zones to feed solar and wind power into Melbourne and interstate. Picture: Alex Coppel.

A re-elected Victorian Labor Government is set to drape more high-voltage transmission lines across farmers’ paddocks, introduce new animal welfare laws and leave the Murray Basin Rail project in limbo as it struggles with soaring state debt.

Next Thursday marks 100 days until Victorians goes to the polls on November 26 with Premier Daniel Andrews’ team holding 55 of the 88 seats in the Lower House, to the Liberal-Nationals Coalition’s 27.

If re-elected, Labor is expected to have no choice but to cut spending, with Treasury forecasting net debt to blowout from the current $102 billion to $167 billion within four years — equal to 26 per cent of the state’s gross domestic product.

That’s expected to lead to less funding for regional roads and local government as Mr Andrews or his likely successor, Jacinta Allan, try to complete the metro tunnel, level crossing removals and other major Melbourne projects. Farmers are already upset with the Government’s decision to cut 100 jobs from Agriculture Victoria.

The Government is also set to forge ahead with building multi-billion dollar transmission networks in Victoria’s six renewable energy zones - Gippsland, the Ovens-Upper Murray valleys, central north, north-west Murray River region, Western and South West Victoria.

Environment and Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio has repeatedly stated REZ transmission upgrades were “an investment in unlocking the next wave of renewable energy across Victoria”.

But Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance chair Emma Muir said farmers within the REZs needed to wake up to the reality of what they faced over coming years.

Ms Muir said 250 landholders were already dealing with the stress of having the Western Victoria Transmission Network built across their properties, which will run from Sydenham to Bulgana, west of Ballarat.

Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance chair Emma Muir says farmers need to wake up to the reality that many more transmission towers and powerlines will be built across Victoria.

“As we learned, we didn’t get a say (in the project) until it was too late,” Ms Muir said. “The spinners have even renamed it the Western Renewables Link.”

Last month AEMO released the draft project assessment for another 500 kV double-circuit overhead transmission line (the Victoria-NSW Interconnector West), which will run from North Ballarat into southern NSW, via Kerang, affecting hundreds more rural landholders.

In Gippsland 48 landholders sit on the proposed route of a new transmission line, which will run from Giffard to Hazelwood via Longford.

Meanwhile industry says a re-elected Labor Government would be the final nail into the coffin of the native forest timber industry.

Powelltown Timber Mill part-owner Dan Pote has invested $4 million in upgrades to the mill, but fears he and his 40 fellow workers face a grim future as Labor promises to phase out native forest logging from 2024. PICTURE: ZOE PHILLIPS

“We’ll (have to) shutdown,” Powelltown sawmill part-owner Dan Pote said. “That’s 40 jobs lost and we have about 100 different suppliers and contractors.”

Hunters are also in the Government’s sights as it prepares to introduce proficiency testing, which Field and Game Australia believes is vital to reducing wounding and proving duck hunting season should continue.

A proposal to extinguish landholder’s existing right to build a dwelling on 40ha or more within 100km of Melbourne has been sidelined in the lead-up to the election, given 10 Labor MPs sit in the peri-urban seats that surround Melbourne, from the Bellarine Peninsula to the Bass Coast.

Labor MPs in electorates surrounding Melbourne face a tough battle at November’s satte election.