11,670 signatures helped renewable fight!
By Deanne Jeffers
The Victorian Government announced the decision last week, with Energy Minister Jaclyn Symes confirming the proposed Central North East Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) had been abandoned following community feedback and technical advice from VicGrid.
The proposed REZ included parts of Greater Shepparton, including Dookie, Pine Lodge and Cosgrove.
The announcement came as a petition bearing 11,760 signatures, calling for the eastern section of the Central North REZ to be removed from the 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan, was debated in Victorian Parliament.
The petition was presented by Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell, who has campaigned against the inclusion of the eastern section.
Protect Dookie & Goulburn Valley spokesperson Jodie Fleming described the decision as a major win for the community.
“So excited to report that we won! The Central North REZ has been completely removed from the renewable energy zone and we couldn’t be happier,” Ms Fleming said on the steps of Parliament.
“That shows you that there is power of the people and it also shows you how important our agricultural land is … not just to us who live on the land, but to everyone to feed our nation.”
Ms Fleming said the campaign had been successful because the community had rallied together, with advocacy supported by local, state and federal representatives.
Greater Shepparton City Council had also strongly opposed aspects of the proposed zone, commissioning an independent review by Sequana which raised concerns about the inclusion of highly productive agricultural land and recommended changes to the proposed boundaries. Council subsequently made a submission to VicGrid calling for greater protection of agricultural land and more targeted consultation with affected landholders.
State MPs Wendy Lovell, Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell and Kim O’Keeffe, Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell and Greater Shepparton councillors had all spoken out about concerns surrounding the proposed zone.
Greater Shepparton Deputy Mayor Geoff Akers said the announcement was a major win for the community.
“It shows that when communities come together with a clear message, they can influence decisions that affect their future,” he said.
While welcoming the decision, Ms Fleming said the broader debate around renewable energy developments and agricultural land was far from over.
“There are still many other projects around the state that are going ahead, such as battery projects around Glenrowan and other areas,” she said.
“Once agricultural land has been developed for energy projects, the land has been taken and cannot be used for farming.”
The Victorian Farmers Federation also welcomed the decision but warned that other regional communities remained concerned about renewable energy development.
“This is a step in the right direction for the community and a recognition that landholders deserve to have a genuine say in decisions that affect their farms, their livelihoods and the future of their region,” VFF president Ryan Milgate said.
“While we welcome this decision, it’s difficult to celebrate one community being listened to when others feel they were ignored by the same process.”
VicGrid also stressed that the decision does not mean renewable energy development will not occur in the region. Existing, approved and advanced solar and battery projects can continue through planning and connection processes, while landholders retain the right to choose whether to host renewable energy developments.
The Government said the Central North REZ was abandoned partly because technical assessments found limited capacity on the existing grid, with significant renewable generation already operating or progressing in the region.
A renewables rally is scheduled from 12pm to 2pm on Saturday, September 19, at Benalla Showgrounds, protesting large-scale solar and battery developments in the region.
