NOW IS THE TIME

WE ARE TAKING CONTROL

REAL ACTION TO CANCEL THIS DUD PROJECT

NOBODY IS ABOVE THE LAW

SAVE YOUR HOMES, FAMILY, BUSINESS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

WHAT WILL IT COST YOU IF THIS PROJECT PROCEEDS?

WE NEED REAL DONATIONS, NOW IS THE TIME

STOP AUSNET’S TOWERS

The Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance (the Alliance) filed an application in the Supreme Court of Victoria on 23 December 2022 to quash the 4 November 2022 decision by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) that the Western Renewables Link (WRL) Project remains the best way to resolve transmission issues in Western Victoria.

The originating motion and a supporting affidavit have been served on AEMO and a directions hearing is set for 22 February 2023. This will formalise the next steps for our legal action e.g. the Court date for the hearing. This action of the Alliance is supported by leading solicitors and barristers led by Kings Counsel. A copy of the Originating Motion can be viewed by Alliance members on request.

REAL IMPACT AND REAL LOSS

This project presents devastating and generational impacts and risks to our lives, our homes, our business and the environment. Bushfire risks will skyrocket, land will become unusable, agricultural and tourism business will be unviable and our precious environment will be pillaged.

Land values will plummet. Several landowners have already had their properties devalued by more than $1 million due to the impact of the proposed 100m wide transmission corridor. And the WRL isn’t even approved yet!

WE NEED YOU TO DONATE REAL MONEY

If this project is allowed to progress those within and/or adjacent to the transmission corridor and/or terminal station will realise significant financial loss. Initial communication on compensation indicates impacted landholders may receive only a fraction of their value given the loss on property devaluation, business and amenity impact. As an individual, how much would you be prepared to pay to fight this and avoid such losses?

Yes, taking this to the Supreme Court to force AEMO is an expensive exercise, but we aren’t one, we are many.

This is your opportunity to help stop this devastating, ill-conceived and poorly planned project.

This is the community’s chance to take control, so please dig deep and support our shared fight.

As we all learnt via several announcements in December 2022, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) is investigating other options for the location of the proposed terminal station for the WRL project. AEMO is looking further west along the proposed WRL line in the Waubra/Lexton area and in the Bulgana area but is also continuing to consider the Mount Prospect location selected by AusNet.

AEMO’s investigations are not directly related to the WRL but are part of a further analysis of options for another transmission line project – VNI West – which is proposed to run up into New South Wales. Both WRL and VNI West remain at various stages of approval, and at this stage they are entirely dependent on each other. VNI West requires a connection point at a terminal station on the WRL line. The WRL line is required to connect VNI West to Melbourne.

VNI West and the terminal station will intensify the already identified significant impacts and risks associated with the WRL. All the terminal station location options involve limited change to the proposed transmission corridor. To date there has been no community consultation on any of these options.

The following overview explains what the Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance Inc. (the Alliance) has learnt so far about AEMO’s proposed investigations, how they might impact on WRL, and what it could mean for many of us. As we get more information, we will let you know.

What is VNI West?