Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell and state member for Northern Victoria Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell have both accused Labor governments of not listening to the needs of regional communities in recent discussions in the federal and state parliaments.
On Wednesday, February 5, Mrs Tyrrell called on Victorian Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to reject the planning permit submitted by Venn Energy in January to build a 606-hectare solar and battery energy storage system in Colbinabbin.
Venn Energy claims the proposed solar farm could generate enough clean renewable energy to power 180,000 Victorian homes.
Mrs Tyrrell highlighted the concerns held by many community members about the Cooba solar facility and the supposed inaccuracies of data in the submitted planning application by Venn Energy.
The Colbinabbin Renewable Action Group claimed Venn Energy’s application downplayed and undervalued the soil on the proposed site.
“With a flawed public consultation process, this is another renewal energy project that is robbing a regional community of beautiful agricultural land, right in the middle of a wine-growing region,” Mrs Tyrrell said.
“The harm this is causing to the community is indescribable.”
In federal parliament on Wednesday, February 5, Mr Birrell reiterated his opposition to proposed projects such as the Cooba solar farm and Koyuga Nanneella wind farm.
The proposed Koyuga Nanneella wind farm includes 20 to 25 wind turbines around McKenzie Rd, Koyuga, extending towards Rochester and south to Rushworth for grid connection.
Developer Fera Australia said the project could provide energy to 200,000 homes and offset one million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
“I spoke to a young couple from Timmering who are off the grid ... They’re doing a lot more for climate change than a lot of people living in the concrete jungles of Australia,” Mr Birrell said.
“They said to me: ‘Why do I have to have wind turbines the height of the Rialto ... and many of them two kilometres away from where I’m trying to sustainably produce sheep and vegetables?’
“Regional Australia has given up on Labor because Labor has given up on them.”
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