Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland has condemned new legislation that would allow government officials and transmission companies to enter private farmland without landholder consent.
Despite enormous opposition, the National Electricity (Victoria) Amendment (VicGrid Stage 2 Reform) Bill passed the Legislative Assembly on Friday 1 August and will now move to the Legislative Council for debate.
Ms Cleeland said the Bill represented an 'extraordinary overreach' by the Allan Labor Government, giving VicGrid and authorised officers the power to cut locks, break gates, and forcibly access private land in the name of building transmission infrastructure.
“This Bill allows energy companies and authorised officers to break onto private farmland without permission,” Ms Cleeland said.
“That is a serious intrusion on property rights and a complete breakdown of trust with regional communities.
“Farmers are being threatened with fines of up to $12,000 for simply standing their ground.
“Companies could face penalties of nearly $49,000 for refusing access.
“Even removing a notice from your own fence could get you fined.”
Ms Cleeland said her office had been inundated with calls from concerned landholders.
“People are genuinely angry and afraid,” Ms Cleeland said.
“They feel their voices are being ignored, their livelihoods dismissed, and their property rights torn up."
Ms Cleeland also raised serious concerns about biosecurity, liability, and animal safety if gates are broken or fences compromised, with no clear protections in place for the landholders affected.
“We are not against renewable energy or updating the grid,” Ms Cleeland said.
“But it has to be done with communities, not to them.”
The Nationals have committed to opposing the Bill and repealing any laws that infringe on landholders’ rights.
