VFF STATEMENT: Farmers gutted after compulsory acquisition amendment passes
To be attributed to Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) President, Brett Hosking:
“The Victorian Farmers Federation is gutted that Parliament has backed laws allowing farmers’ land to be taken for transmission lines before the environmental assessment is even finished.”
“This will pour fuel on the anxiety and uncertainty already gripping communities at the heart of the energy transition.”
“Families now face the shadow of compulsory acquisition hanging over them while they are still trying to understand what a project means for their homes and livelihoods, as well as provide comprehensive information to the EES process.”
“It tells us that those in charge don’t genuinely understand the sentiment on the ground. It sends a clear and devastating message to regional Victoria that getting towers in the ground matters more than delivering a robust Environmental Effects Statement and treating people with dignity.”
“We thank the members of Parliament who questioned and opposed this change on behalf of regional communities.”