Coalition vows to scrap VNI West transmission project in Victoria

The Victorian Coalition has promised to dismantle the state's controversial VNI West transmission project, a major infrastructure plan by the Labor government, with the state election just 100 days away. The Liberal and National parties, who had previously committed to reviewing the project due to significant farmer opposition, have now declared it will be scrapped entirely.

"As far as the Nationals and Liberals are concerned, VNI West is dead, buried and cremated," said Nationals deputy leader Emma Kealy. She stated that a review of the project's data revealed it would "never stack up." The Coalition indicated it would explore alternative energy solutions, including unlocking gas reserves and extending the life of coal power plants, alongside metropolitan renewable projects.

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As far as the Nationals and Liberals are concerned, VNI West is dead, buried and cremated.

The VNI West project, intended to connect Victoria to the New South Wales grid, faces strong opposition from farmers in western Victoria whose land lies along the proposed route. The estimated cost ranges from $7.6 billion to $11.4 billion and is central to Labor's strategy for renewable energy integration and maintaining power reliability as coal-fired generators retire.

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Jess Wilson's One Nation-Coalition's reckless decision will destroy electricity reliability across Victoria, guaranteeing blackouts and pushing up power bills.

Energy and Resources Minister Jaclyn Symes condemned the Coalition's pledge as "irresponsible," warning that abandoning VNI West would lead to blackouts and higher power bills. She asserted that only Labor would build the necessary renewable infrastructure. Symes also questioned whether the Coalition would reconsider the ban on fracking in Victoria.

The Victorian Farmers Federation welcomed the Coalition's commitment, with president Ryan Milgate calling VNI West a "failed project" that harms farming families and destroys irreplaceable agricultural land. He emphasized that the value of productive farmland and established farming operations cannot be quantified in dollar terms.

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VNI West has long been a failed project that is tearing apart generational farming families and would rip up some of the best farmland in the country.