MEMBER for Eurora and Shepparton, Annabelle Cleeland and Kim O’Keeffe, have joined forces to call on the Minister for Energy and VicGrid to overhaul their consultation process and deliver tangible benefits for regional communities hosting renewable energy projects.
Following a meeting with the Minister, VicGrid’s CEO and the Benalla Rural City Council, Cleeland and O’Keeffe pushed for a Community Future Fund, a model they say would pool developer contributions and invest returns into long-term local projects.
“This is about making sure regional communities see real benefits from renewable energy developments, not just token gestures,” said Cleeland. “We want investments that creates training opportunities, supports new housing, and builds industrial precincts, not just another football uniform.”
The proposal also calls for independent governance overseen by councils, businesses, and community representatives, to ensure transparency and prevent political interference with the fund; a clear community benefit framework; and genuine consultation, after they say “VicGrid’s process left many residents feeling ignored or misled.”
A recent survey by Ms Cleeland, with more than 70 respondents from across north-east Victoria, found widespread frustration and distrust toward the rollout of renewable energy zones.
Locals cited poor consultation, loss of farmland, and a lack of accountability as major concerns, with many saying that projects were being done to them, not with them.
“People are angry because they’ve been shut out of decisions that reshape their backyards and our communities,” O’Keeffe said. “VicGrid’s commitment to extend consultation in the Shepparton and Benalla regions is welcome, but this must be the start of a genuine reset.”
Both MPs have secured a dedicated VicGrid contact point for their electorate offices to help clarify information and address misinformation as community discussions continue.
“This is about restoring trust,” Ms Cleeland said. “Regional Victoria deserves a renewable rollout that’s transparent, fair, and shaped by the people who live here.”
