Last week I spoke about the Swan Hill community’s view on local health services thanks to the responses to date in Mallee’s Biggest Survey.  You can still complete your Survey by return mail, or on my website www.annewebster.com.au.

Survey results so far show two-thirds of Swan Hill residents do not want to pay a cent towards reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.  Of the remaining third, most are only willing to pay $100 or less annually toward ‘net zero’.

You already pay that much and will pay a lot more as the Albanese and Allan Labor Governments are hell-bent on political targets to appease inner city voters and bolster a flagging bid to host the peak global climate change conference, COP31, in Adelaide the same month as the next Victorian state election – November 2026.  

Labor is totally disconnected from the pain households and small businesses are feeling in their energy bills and the reality that their net zero goals (Victoria by 2045, federally by 2050) and renewable energy targets (Victoria 95 per cent by 2035 and federally 82 per cent by 2030) simply cannot be reached. It is a fantasy.

The VNI West transmission line from Kerang to Bulgana could now cost triple the $3.4 billion estimated just last year – and experts say around half the $8 billion extra cost will be felt on your power bills.  VNI West will now also take at least 2 years longer to build and every year longer means greater cost.

As the sole remaining NSW offshore wind proposal at Newcastle looks very shaky, Gippsland is the sole potential location where offshore wind turbines might be built.  Victorian Labor said if offshore wind doesn’t proceed, they will need as much as 70 per cent of Victoria’s prime agricultural land for energy generation. Victorian Labor also want to fine farmers $12,000 if they refuse access.

This week the federal Productivity Commission recommended watering down our environmental laws to fast-track ‘clean’ energy projects. Labor railroading farmers and threatening fines for objecting is bad enough, let alone trashing local environments supposedly to save the planet.