Those are the words of Pine Lodge Ward councillor Geoff Akers, who represents the people on the land within Greater Shepparton that has been added to a renewable energy zone without notice.
The new area of land between Shepparton East and Glenrowan in the Central North zone — one of six proposed zones in Victoria — was not included in the previous draft of the plan, and Cr Akers said farmers and locals in his ward had been blindsided by the inclusion.
The previously proposed Central North REZ marked a larger area of land between Shepparton and Bendigo that has been reduced in the updated plan.
VicGrid said the Central North REZ was reshaped based on new information and feedback from communities, regional stakeholders and the energy industry during an 18-month statewide consultation period.
It has removed more irrigated farmland and brolga habitats from the original planned zone and included the new area to the east of Shepparton, saying it is more suited to renewable energy development, and now more closely aligns with the transmission network, which VicGrid says will reduce the need for lengthy transmission connections from solar and wind farms.
City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali said council had requested an immediate briefing with VicGrid to understand exactly how the decision was made, and “where our region now stands with this proposal”.
“These community members ... were not given the opportunity to understand what this may mean for their future or the wider agricultural productivity of our region — a region known as the ‘Food Bowl of Australia’ — prior to including these areas into the plan,” Cr Sali said.
Cr Akers said farmland in Shepparton East and Dookie was too valuable to be included in the REZ, and the local economy too dependent on agriculture.
“It is unreasonable to put our prime agricultural land at risk — our region is home to the most productive, high-yielding cropping country in Victoria,” Cr Akers said.
State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell was equally angered by the inclusion and encouraged local stakeholders to remain vigilant and monitor potential developments in their area.
“Local communities outside renewable energy zones should not become complacent, but continue to monitor potential projects in their area, because the Labor government can still approve renewable energy developments outside the zones,” she said.
VicGrid said locals and stakeholders in the region would have further opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed location of the Central North REZ during the REZ declaration process, which will include a six-week consultation period set to start in the next few weeks.
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