Stop AusNet’s Towers Fights to Save Our Communities
Media Release
WEDNESDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2021
AusNet has today announced a narrowed down corridor within the previously identified Area of Interest. The release of this reduced corridor clearly demonstrates Ausnet’s comprehensive dismissal of feedback provided by the community throughout the latter half of 2020 by ignoring the myriad of identified issues.
We are devastated by this announcement, this project impacts our lives, our livelihoods, the environment and our future. It’s not just a line on a map.
AusNet and the responsible government authorities’ lack of care for the community has been amplified by this news.
Despite AusNet’s claim that the WVTNP originally identified area of interest (of approximately 2,000 square KM) was being investigated for suitable corridor options, this has not been the case. In May, 2020 the MCHPA were able to identify a defined corridor by gathering landholder feedback and as such created a map of an identified corridor. Ausnet have continually denied such a corridor existed and that they were looking at all options within the Area of Interest. Today’s announced corridor which aligns with the MCHPA map of June, 2020 confirms that to spite significant community consultation and the subsequent identified issues by these landholders that AusNet have made no changes to the corridor. AusNet’s dismissive and unapologetically lazy level of community engagement has demonstrated no willingness nor changes to the planned WVTNP corridor. The landholders within this corridor will face the devastating effects of the towers and lines.
This project cannot continue in its planned way and deeper more comprehensive community engagement and subsequent tangible action to address these concerns need to take place from the AusNet and the government.
This planned project is having a significantly detrimental impact on many people’s wellbeing. MCHPA is well-organized grassroots, member funded community group backed by specialized legal, technical and campaign professionals. To best mobilize the efforts of the MCHPA, we rely on the unified support of the community. Join us and stand as one against this project and its proponents (Ausnet)!
For further comment please contact
Emma Muir
0412685404
Visit the campaign website: www.stopausnetstowers.com.au
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The only way to make a difference is to get involved. It’s easy to sit back and wait for others to do something but when you are staring at 75-85m towers in a few years time, you will kicking yourself for not doing something when you had the chance. This is OUR only chance to stop these towers, so get involved now.
Welcome to the home of Darley Power Fight. A group of residents in Darley, Coimadai and Merrimu, united against high voltage transmission towers passing through our backyard. We came together through the realisation the transmission line will divide a narrow corridor between Darley and the Lerderderg State Park; altering landscape character, causing widespread damage to critical habitat for threatened species, increasing fire risk to the Park and thousands of residents, destroy our visual amenity, harm local agriculture and will impact businesses and property values. It will completely desecrate, in a few years, what nature has taken millions of years to create.