DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL HEALTH
SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

TOPICS: Approval of Warracknabeal Energy Park, connection to the national energy market, Coalition positions on Victorian transmission lines, Labor's approach to renewables, protection of prime agricultural land

T. WEBSTER

Now, listen, I was speaking about this Waracknabeal Energy Park Park on Friday. I mean, I noticed the story. I forget where I saw it. I thought to myself, goodness me, it's massive. It'll be the largest park of its kind, if I'm correct, in the southern hemisphere. And Dr Anne Webster is the shadow minister, and Dr Webster's team happened to be listening to us, and she called in this morning. She's also the MP for Mallee in northwestern Victoria. Dr Webster, morning.

A. WEBSTER

Good morning.

T. WEBSTER

I saw it on I thought goodness me that sounds absolutely huge what is it some 220 wind turbines on many acres in Warracknabeal in Victoria, which is your electorate, yeah?

A. WEBSTER

Yes, it is in my electorate, and let's not exaggerate, Tim, it's 219. It is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, and it has been so controversial, I cannot tell you. It has divided towns, like so many of the renewable projects that the Labor government are rolling out, especially over my electorate. We have three renewable energy zones that they've targeted - Labor see Mallee as a blank mat, with nothing on it, when in actual fact we are prime agricultural producers, whether it's broadacre, whether it's mixed sheep and broadacre, and of course horticulture as well. For goodness sake, it is such an enormous project. And I think there are critical problems with it that I don't think that your listeners would be aware of, including currently there is an environmental effects statement that is being sorted through by the federal government. The state government approved it, the project, finally, and then have sent it through to the federal government process with the locals. The problem is it's harvest time. This is not the first time they've done this. It's like on repeat. They go, 'oh, the farmers are busy. Let's give them this mountain of paperwork. And if they've got objections, they can write massive documents to us and tell us all about it, which we will ignore.'

T. WEBSTER

Is it just an energy park? Does that mean it involves transmission lines as well as the turbines?

A. WEBSTER

Theoretically - so what's happened in my patch is that I have stood with my farmers who have stood against the VNI West. And VNI West is the long transmission line that connects to what is called WRL, WRL, Western Renewable Link. And the Coalition both at federal and state level have said we will not build VNI West - period - so that is the important connection point. The WRL is now on pause- even state Labor have finally put that one on pause so it leaves the WIRES project which joins from Bulgana to Warracknabeal, which has not not yet been approved. Murra Warra Terminal Station is already at capacity. So you have what will be effectively a 219 wind turbine system property, let's call it an industrial site, that will not be connected anywhere. So is that really going to be built? Are investors really going to invest that money when there is no guarantee that they will be able to offload the energy it produces?

T. WEBSTER

All right, in the story that I read, I think the farmer who sold the land to them said, oh, look, he's happy, and generally the people in the area are happy, and you're saying, no, they're not?

A. WEBSTER

No. I know Craig. He is a friend of mine - I consider him a friend of mine. But that's all by the by side, by the way, because what we have are communities that are... divided all up and down Mallee now. There is a lot of anger that has been ... it's really become quite toxic in some towns where people who have been either lifelong friends or family members no longer talk to one another. I mean it's terrible what has actually happened. To achieve energy targets set by Chris Bowen, and by the state Labor Minister, Lily D'Ambrosio, now fortunately gone, can I say, in Victoria. And the whole energy grid... We know what's going on across the nation. It's not NIMBYism. We want to grow food and fibre. That's what we're really good at. We have been doing it for six, seven generations. And the government has decided to change its path.

T. WEBSTER

Yeah, right. I mentioned Warracknabeal because my wife and I have just been on a very lovely camper van trip down the coast of New South Wales into Victoria and I mention it because I was coming back up through, the GPS took me down up through Melton, which is only just outside of Melbourne. And just outside Melbourne, there's this Melton - "This is huge... " I mean, I said to my wife, "look at that solar farm, solar panel farm." And then I tied it into Warracknabeal. But I mean, how do you dissuade this government from these projects? Because they're hell bent on them, aren't they?

A. WEBSTER

Look, I think that the fight has to be at every level. I've certainly encouraged my farmers for years now to stand up and tell both governments in Canberra and in Spring Street what you really think. There have been multiple protests in Melbourne with very good reason. I've stood with them to say, stop treating us like we don't matter. value. I actually put together a piece of legislation called Protection of Prime Agricultural Land that was tabled this year in the House and then it was tabled in the Senate by Matt Cameron the day he became Leader. That bill calls for prioritisation of prime agricultural land which would be determined by an external and objective components in that bill that would protect prime agriculture, which is incredibly vital. Matt Canavan has come out several times now and said, we are at risk of a food security crisis. and we produce our own food. Like, this is a ridiculous situation.

T. WEBSTER

I know, It's totally ridiculous. I mean, we can be... This country can be almost completely self-reliant on food, energy, mineral resources, the whole... And we just keep stuffing it. God, 219 wind turbines. That's... Wow. So that's a fair number that's getting built. That can't be stopped. No?

A. WEBSTER
‍
Well, no - we don't know.

T. WEBSTER

OK.

A. WEBSTER

... it is now sitting with the federal government. If I have have anything to do with it, I will be making sure that Chris Bowen wears the pressure that has been building in my electorate. He wouldn't come near my electorate. He's welcome to come any time. Happy to introduce him to many farmers who would love to give him a piece of their mind and their views on these energy projects. And we need a sensible, reliable and affordable energy grid. our side of the fence. The Coalition is promoting and pushing lot of thought go into it because what has been happening cannot continue to happen.

T. WEBSTER

Well, you know, getting a piece of the mind of a Mallee farmer may be the very reason he doesn't want to come.

A. WEBTER

Well, then I would call chicken - that's what I would say. Absolute chickens.

T. WEBSTER

Good on you. getting in touch. I appreciate it. I really do. Thank you.

A. WEBSTER

No worries. Thank you.