Premier Orders Urgent Cost Review of Contentious $1.5 Billion Transmission Line Project

Victoria's Premier has ordered an immediate and independent cost review of the Western Renewables Link (WRL), a contentious $1.5 billion transmission line project, on the same day the Planning Minister approved a major planning hurdle.

The project, which aims to connect renewable energy projects in western Victoria to the energy grid, has been met with significant opposition from landholders and the community. The Premier, Ben Carroll, stated that the review aims to reduce building costs and ensure that Victorian consumers receive updated and transparent costings.

"I respect the public's money. This project was planned almost 10 years ago and Victorian consumers deserve updated, transparent costings," Mr Carroll said.

The proposed 190-kilometre transmission line will run between Bulgana, near Ararat, and Sydenham in Melbourne's north-west. The Planning Minister, Sonya Kilkenny, found that the project would likely have a significant impact on the environment, particularly on "visual amenity" and "landscape values". However, she determined that the potential community benefits outweighed the environmental costs.

The project still requires state and Commonwealth agency approvals and the green light from parliament. AusNet, the company responsible for the WRL, can use the assessment as leverage to gain other necessary approvals.

Shadow Energy Minister David Davis criticized the government for approving the environmental effects statement (EES) just two and a half months before the November election.

"The opposition wrote to the government and said not to grant or provide approvals at this point under the cover of the pre-election period," Mr Davis said.

"The government has sat on this document, it seems, since July and now released it late in the piece in the lead-up to the state election. We say the government should not make steps that bind future governments."

The future of the WRL is uncertain if Labor loses the November election, with the Coalition promising to pause and reconsider the project's future and One Nation vowing to cancel it entirely.

Local member for Ripon, Martha Haylett, welcomed the cost review, stating that the project "does not have social licence" in the community.

"It has been 1365 days since I spoke about our community's opposition to the Western Renewables Link in my first speech in Parliament," Ms Haylett said.

"I have raised my objections to this project with three successive Premiers … I've said from day one that this project does not have social licence in our community, and that has not changed."

Gerald Conroy, a fifth-generation farmer in the project corridor, expressed disappointment in the government's decision, citing concerns about the environmental impacts.

"[I'm] very disappointed in the government. They think they can mitigate these issues by giving more money to the community," he said.

Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) president Ryan Milgate welcomed the cost review, calling for greater scrutiny of all energy projects.

"Farmers have been saying for years that the WRL needs greater scrutiny. The government has now acknowledged that," Mr Milgate said.

"What will these projects cost, and are there better alternatives that don't decimate productive farmland and regional communities?"

An AusNet spokesperson said the project would support Victoria's transition from coal-fired power stations, generating around 700 full-time construction jobs and 1,100 jobs during the building phase.