Melina Bath & Tim McCurdy – Minister passes the buck amid renewables fight
Thursday 21 March 2024
The Allan Labor Government today refused to answer simple questions on its decision to strip VCAT from the renewables appeals process.
Despite the loss of the “third umpire” causing significant angst in regional communities, the Attorney General ignored heavy grilling in Parliament and passed the buck.
Attorney General Jaclyn Symes said the review process for renewable projects was not part of her portfolio and passed the matter to the Minister for Agriculture, Ros Spence.
As the buck passing continues, The Nationals will continue to fight for answers given affected primary producers will now have to take their grievances to the far more expensive Supreme Court.
Labor’s move, buried under the guise of renewable energy development, threatens to silence the very voices it claims to represent.
Under the new planning powers, any renewable energy project, regardless of size, will be fast-tracked as a “significant economic development.”
The changes also remove the planning panel process and third-party appeals at VCAT which further isolates communities from the decision-making process.
The Nationals’ Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath, slammed the changes in question time.
“We are witnessing a blatant display of incompetence by the Labor Government,” Ms Bath said.
“Labor’s controlling and alarming political decision in denying primary producers access to VCAT, reveals their true despicable colours to true hard-working Victorians.
“It’s time the government listens and upholds a fair and proper legal access for all.”
The Nationals’ Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs, Tim McCurdy, said Labor was treated the issue like a “hot potato”.
“We need answers and it seems there is a lot of buck passing going on. If the Attorney General can’t answer simple questions, surely the Minister for Agriculture can,” Mr McCurdy said.
“It is just so wrong that hardworking Victorians have to go as far as the Supreme Court to fight projects adjoining their properties.”