STOP LABORS TOWERS NEWSLETTER – June 22nd 2024
CFA Units’ Strike Over Reckless Renewable Expansion
CFA units have declared they will “refuse to fight fires” on lands that host high-voltage transmission lines, solar farms, or wind farms. This significant step underscores the firefighters’ strong opposition to the current expansion strategies of renewable energy projects across Victoria.
In a recent Sky News Australia report, Country Fire Authority (CFA) units have initiated a strike in response to what they describe as the Victorian government’s “reckless” expansion of renewable energy infrastructure. The firefighters and local communities are calling for an immediate halt to the development of renewable energy projects, such as wind farms and large-scale solar installations and high voltage transmission lines, in the Victorian countryside.
Safety and Operational Concerns:
The CFA and local communities argue that these renewable energy installations pose significant operational risks. High-voltage transmission lines and large renewable energy facilities can complicate firefighting efforts, potentially increasing the danger to both the firefighters and the public.
The presence of such infrastructure in rural areas is seen as a hazard, particularly in fire-prone regions, raising the stakes for fire response and management.
Government and Policy Critique:
The firefighters criticize the Victorian government’s policies as “reckless,” suggesting that the pace and scale of renewable energy projects are not adequately taking into account the safety implications for local communities and emergency services.
They advocate for a more considered approach to renewable energy expansion, which includes thorough safety assessments and greater consultation with affected communities.
Community Impact and Consultation:
Local residents share the CFA’s concerns, feeling that their safety and the environmental impact have been overlooked in the rush to expand renewable energy capacity.
The protesters call for better engagement with local communities and a more balanced approach that prioritizes safety and environmental integrity alongside renewable energy goals.
This strike highlights broader tensions between rapid renewable energy development and local safety and environmental concerns, suggesting a need for policies that better reconcile these interests.
Conclusion:
The CFA’s strike serves as a stark reminder of the complexities involved in balancing rapid renewable energy development with local safety and community engagement. It calls into question the processes by which these projects are approved and highlights the need for a more nuanced and inclusive approach to energy policy and implementation.
WE HAVE A DATE FOR THE SUPREME COURT APPEAL
As explained in a previous Newsletter, the Regional Victoria Power Alliance is fighting back with an appeal against the December 2023 Supreme Court judgment which dismissed our challenge against the Victorian Government’s “VNI West and WRL” Ministerial Orders.
This Appeal represents the crucial stand by all of us against such Ministerial Orders which are Victorian Government decrees, in concert with AEMO, for massive powerline projects such as VNI West and WRL to be built here and anywhere in Victoria, completely ignoring rural and regional communities.
We have now received the following information from the Court regarding the Hearing for our Appeal:
Date: 7 August 2024
Time: 9.45 am
Location: Blue Court, 459 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
The Court also advised that it has reserved a second day of hearing, 8 August 2024, should it be needed.
We will keep you informed if there are any updates and when we have a court weblink so that you can watch the hearing. In the meantime, there is still a lot of work for our Counsel and solicitors to do to prepare for the hearing, to ensure they make the best possible argument on the day, for all of us.
But to make sure we get into the courtroom, the RVPA needs your continuing support to raise the final amount of funds needed. This David and Goliath fight is for the many, many 1000s of people who will be impacted by the WRL and VNI West projects. The ripple effect of impact will spread far and wide.
Please consider donating – $250/$500/$1000/$2000 or whatever you feel is appropriate – sincere thanks to those who have already donated in 2024 to this critical fight.
You can transfer funds directly:
Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance Inc.*
BSB: 633 000
ACC: 175 892 850
Or donate at any Bendigo Bank branch.
*This is the legal name of the RVPA.
When you consider how much to donate, please have a think about how much impact and financial loss you will directly or indirectly suffer, how much impact your community will suffer, and how much the environment will be adversely impacted by every stage of these projects from construction to operation and decades into the future.
Or are you a supporter who wants to help stop rural and regional Victorians from being bulldozed over by the Government? All donations will be gratefully received.
As we have said before, justice does not come cheap, but THE TIME IS NOW OR NEVER! We have momentum, and we have an enormous, hard-won chance to break these two projects right now.
ABOUT US
Stop Labor’s Towers is demanding better consultation and a genuine process to consider alternatives.
The Regional Victoria Power Alliance comprises landowners, residents and community group concerned about the impacts of this project on our lives, land, environment, community and future generations.