THE South Gippsland lifestyle is facing one of its biggest threats this week after the State Government launched its 'Developing the 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan' highlighting an area around Korumburra, and also the broader area of South Gippsland and Bass Coast as a site of "high opportunity and low constrants" for wind turbines and transmission lines as the government prepares to roll out the renewable infrastructure it hopes will replace the coal-fired power stations of the Latrobe Valley.
But Gippsland South MLA Danny O'Brien has weighed in to the issue warning the State Government's plans for the closely settled, highly productive hills around Korumburra and Leongatha are "not the place for industrial energy facilities."
Here's what he had to say this week:
“This latest brain snap from the Labor Government yet again shows how divisive and out-of-touch the Government is when it comes to energy developments and regional Victoria," Mr O'Brien said.
“The area shown as a top priority for renewable energy facilities and transmission lines in the western half of the South Gippsland Shire is an area of outstanding natural beauty, is highly productive farmland and has a burgeoning tourism sector.
“That the Government thinks the rolling green, productive hills running north from Kongwak through Loch and Korumburra to Strzelecki , as well as a zone near Fish Creek and Foster, are good spots for wind and solar farms just shows how little it cares for country people.
“These are very closely settled locations and highly productive and picturesque farmland and they are not the place for industrial energy facilities.
“At the same time the Government restates its blanket ban on wind farms in city playgrounds like the Yarra Valley, Mornington and Bellarine Peninsulas, highlighting just how hypocritical this Government is: it seems to think these developments are fine for the country but not the city."
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