Stop AusNet’s Towers Newsletter – September 2021

The past few months have been a busy time for the Stop AusNets Towers committees and volunteers as we have elevated our fight against the WVTNP and it’s planned horrendous and unsafe towers and transmission station.

We have continued our daily lobbying of politicians, AEMO and the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner, Andrew Dyer. We recently ran a campaign that showcased an Open Letter to Minister D’Ambrosio.

This campaign which ran state-wide, included the placement of several full-page ads in local papers as well a comprehensive social medial campaign via Facebook. We called upon the Minister to stop the WVTNP and send it back to the drawing board.

Your voices are being heard, keep writing and voicing your concerns to the local and state politicians as well as to the Energy Commissioner, AEMO and AusNet

Every affected community member has been perfectly clear nobody wants these outdated and dangerous transmission towers. We are not alone in our fight against these horrendous towers and the dangers they bring, see a similar fights in NSW Bannister and Upper Lachlan dig in over Transgrid’s transmission line | Goulburn Post | Goulburn, NSW and Merriwa-Cassilis Alliance continues push to shift proposed powerline corridor for Orana-Central West REZ corridor | The Land | NSW.

There has been an increase in community activity in Melton including dedicated Stop AusNet’s Towers in Melton banners being spread around the city.

Our legal team have been busy on multiple fronts. Specifically, preparing to challenge AEMO over the legalities of the how this project was initiated. In addition, we have developed a guide for landholders who have had land access requests from AusNet or their agents.

Over the past month AusNet have acted shamefully as they have bullied landholders into gaining land access. AusNet have been vague and uncommitted as to actual work they will undertake causing concern for landholders. Whilst we accept investigations are part of the EES process, access to land must be undertaken in a respectful and considerate manner allowing landholders to seek suitable consultation and legal assistance.

AusNet’s aggressive and bulling manner is unacceptable. See our media release here: AusNet continues standover tactics to force the Western Victoria Transmission Project through > STOP AUSNET’S TOWERS (stopausnetstowers.com.au)

If AusNet are wishing to gain access to your land, please look at the land access guidelines on our website. We also encourage you to contact a legal firm that specializes in land access agreements. Should you need assistance in finding a suitable legal firm please reach out to us at info@stoplaborstowers.com.au.

Find our Land Access Guidelines on our website here. 

On a more pleasing subject, there have been many recorded sightings of the endangered Swift Parrot along the proposed route. Specialist environmental protection groups are recording and documenting these sightings. Should these towers be built, this will decimate the Swift Parrot population. Do we want a future where outdated and dangerous technology destroys our living environment and, in this case, wipes out the Swift Parrot, this is not a world Sir David Attenborough or us want to live in.

If you have not yet become a member of the Stop AusNet Towers campaign, please sign up on our member’s page.

We rely on the generosity of many volunteers to keep the fight going however we also require expert legal, technical and campaign professionals to provide guidance and direction. In order to continue this support, your donations are always welcome, please see our donations page.

If you would like to volunteer, we are looking for someone to assist in coordinating our fundraising efforts, if you are a good organizer and communicator and feel you have a few hours a week to assist please get in touch with us at info@stoplaborstowers.com.au

And finally, our inaugural AGM will take place on 14 October 2021. Save the date as more information will be provided to members soon.

Regards,

Stop AusNet’s Towers Campaign Team

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