By LIAM DURKIN   THE state opposition has confirmed it will oppose legislation it says allows public officials to force their way onto the land of farmers and other property owners. However, the state government maintains the bill is merely an extension of what is currently lawful. The National Electricity (Victoria) Amendment (VicGrid Stage 2 Reform) Bill 2025, currently before Parliament, will allow authorised officers to use force to enter private land for the purpose of electricity transmission works, including removing locks and opening gates without the consent of landowners. Individuals who resist face fines of up to $12,210, and $48,842 for body corporates. Offences under the legislation include hindering, obstructing or delaying authorised activity; obscuring, damaging or destroying a notice of proposed entry; failure to provide identification; and providing false identification, address, or evidence of ownership. Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources, David Davis said the state government was thumbing its nose at hard-working local communities in regional areas. “The bill is a departure from accepted democratic approaches and procedures, reflecting an increasingly authoritarian stance in a Labor government now in its 11th year,” Mr Davis said. “There is massive, and building opposition, from many rural communities to the imposition of renewables and associated wires and grids on those communities without their support or consent.” Mr Davis said the government was in a mess of its own making due to the slow rollout of transmission projects such as VNI West and Western Renewables Link delayed by years. “Production of electricity from coal is winding down from 2028 and Labor is ideologically opposed to gas,” Mr Davis said. “For these reasons, the Allan Labor government has panicked and will seek to acquire outrageous new powers to force through its so-called transition to renewables.” Leader of The Nationals and Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien, said the state government’s approach was to bully and attack regional communities, rather than work with them. “This bill highlights Labor is steamrolling farmers and other landholders in its blind rush to renewables,” Mr O’Brien said. “This is an outrageous assault on farming families from a desperate government that is more interested in out-greening the Greens than respecting regional Victorians. “A government that respects rural Victorians would not be introducing legislation like this, on top of taking away their right to appeal against these projects at VCAT. “The Liberals and Nationals will hand back these rights to rural people, as well as reintroducing a two kilometre buffer zone between wind turbines and homes.” The state government however pointed out compulsory land access provisions already exist under the Electricity Industry Act 2000 (EIA). According to the state government, the proposed bill will ensure this existing power can be effectively enforced, and created a new role for authorised officers. “Authorised officers will always work with landowners before accessing land,” a state government spokesperson said. “This legislation will prevent inappropriate behaviour from private transmission companies and brings Victoria in line with other jurisdictions and the delivery of other vital major infrastructure such as transport and telecommunications.” Energy companies building new energy infrastructure will fund landowner payments and contribute to the Renewable Energy Zone Community Energy Fund, which will support regionally significant projects and initiatives that improve energy supply, efficiency, and affordability. “We created VicGrid to lead community consultation on the development of our Renewable Energy Zones and new transmission infrastructure to protect energy security as well as food and water security and ensure communities are consulted early in the planning process,” the government said. “We’ve heard from regional communities that the benefits of the energy transition need to be shared fairly, especially with those communities hosting new infrastructure – that’s why we are developing new community benefit funds and payments to landholders, significantly impacted neighbours and Traditional Owners.” Local host communities will identify and help design projects that will best benefit them. The funds will be formalised through legislation later this year before being given the green light. These funds are in addition to any direct developer benefit payments. They are expected to commence after Renewable Energy Zones have been declared following publishing of the first Victorian Transmission Plan later this year. Landholders hosting new electricity transmission infrastructure will receive payments of $8000 per kilometre of typical easement area per year for 25 years, indexed to inflation. This payment is in addition to the existing compensation arrangements for hosting transmission.

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By STEFAN BRADLEY   CONSTRUCTION has begun on the Fulham Solar Farm and battery, with the occasion marked with a sod turning at the site, with representatives of the state government, Wellington Shire Council and project developer Octopus Investments Australia. The Fulham Solar Farm is supported by the second Victorian Renewable Energy Target auction (VRET2) – a scheme set up to deliver more renewable energy into the grid. Octopus said the project is one of the first “DC-coupled solar and battery hybrid assets” in Australia, which aims to improve grid reliability. The 80 megawatt (MW) solar farm will be coupled with a 64 MW/128 MWh battery – which will take the renewable energy from the sun during the day and dispatch it back into the grid during peak demand. Octopus Australia is a renewable energy fund manager and developer who are taking charge of the construction and operation of the project, investing more than $300 million. The project is also supported by equity capital contributions through Octopus’ managed funds from key investors, including Rest, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), and clients of Westpac Private Bank. State Energy and Resources Minister, Lily D’Ambrosio said the project would support 156 local jobs and generate enough electricity to power 40,000 homes. “I’m really pleased to see another renewable energy project here in the heart of Gippsland. It’s a region that we know has had a very, very proud history of power generation, not only supplying Victoria with cheap energy for decades, but many other states also,” Ms D’Ambrosio said. Sonia Teitel, co-managing director of Renewables Australia and Octopus Australia said: “The successful close of Fulham Solar Farm and battery marks a major step forward in our mission to accelerate Australia’s energy transition”. “This project demonstrates our ability to bring together institutional capital, government support, and leading-edge technology to create renewable assets that provide long-term benefits to our communities and investors. I’m incredibly proud of our team’s efforts in bringing the project through development, and we look forward to beginning construction,” Ms Teitel said. Octopus Australia senior development manager Jaryd Revere said the project would be operational in 2027 and the location was chosen because it was close to existing infrastructure. “It’s been in development for about four-to-five years… it’s within the AusNet distribution network,” Mr Revere said. There’s a 66kV distribution line that runs to the south, only a couple of kilometres away. So that provides a point of connection into existing infrastructure.” The project will see $3 million towards engagement and benefit sharing with the local community for the 35-year operational life of the project – this will make sure that regional towns get additional benefits for hosting renewable energy projects. Mr Revere said includes a community benefits fund of $50,000 during the project’s first year of operations. Octopus Australia is also backing the proposed Giffard Wind Farm and Battery onshore wind project. Wellington Shire Mayor, Scott Rossetti said it was exciting to see the shovels in the ground for the project. “It’s a real step change with the efficiency, with the DC-coupled solar, which I can see eyes glazing over when they talk about that. But as an electrician, I understand it’s getting that efficiency in our system, so you can actually put as much back into the grid as possible from what you’ve generated during the day,” Cr Rossetti said. “We’re looking forward to more projects like this. Gippsland, clearly, is an energy hub… we’re really pleased to be able to support it as a council. “And certainly what it does for our economy, where it brings jobs and activity into our centres is also super important for our communities.” Official: Wellington Shire Mayor, Scott Rossetti and Deputy Mayor, Cindy Madeley with customary shovels at the opening of the Fulham Solar Farm and battery project. Photograph: Stefan Bradley The government said the project will also use 67 per cent of local services, goods and materials during construction and 97 per cent once operational. Last month, Shadow Energy and Resources Manager, David Davis said the state government was mismanaging the energy grid, increasing costs. “After 11 years in government, Labor is still failing struggling families and small businesses, delivering consistently high electricity prices that continue to hurt Victorians and their budgets,” Mr Davis said. “These soaring electricity costs should have eased by now, yet they remain stuck at unaffordable levels because of the Allan Labor Government’s mismanagement of the energy grid, making life even harder during a cost-of-living crisis. Member for Eastern Victoria, Tom McIntosh said the Fulham project would “generate new jobs and opportunities for local supply chains, boosting investment in the local economy”. The project was welcomed by environmental justice group Friends of the Earth.