THE local rural community has slammed the State Government’s plan to accelerate renewable energy projects across the state.

In a bid to advance $90 billion worth of developments held up in red tape, Premier Jacinta Allan last week announced renewable energy projects will be eligible for an accelerated planning pathway under the Development Facilitation Program (DFP).

Under the change, all new renewable projects in Victoria will be treated as a “significant economic development”, removing the planning panel process and third-party appeals at Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) and opening a pathway for decisions to be made on applications within four months.

Meadow Creek Agricultural Community Action Group (MCACAG) spokesperson, John Conroy, said the government’s decision would divide themselves from communities in an effort to “get their own way”.

“Once again they’re removing any sort of power from local communities or local representatives to have any impact on decision making,” he said.

“It’s hugely concerning when you’ve got international renewable companies coming to claim our agricultural land and turn it into an industrial zone, which is going to change our landscape forever.

“These professionals are spending years putting together these applications and they expect a community to digest information and come to them with all of their is dotted and ts crossed and be a chance to defend their proposal.

“Communities are meant to be built on trust and good relationships with neighbours and once again the government seems to be able to destroy it.”

MCACAG have vehemently been advocating against the construction of a proposed $750m solar farm development at Meadow Creek since November 2022, which will be one of the projects that could fall under the fast track changes.

Under the new changes, Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny said communities can still raise concerns through the usual consultation submissions process and appeal decisions to the Supreme Court.

Mr Conroy said MCAACG would be prepared to take the State Government to the judicial system if the proposed Meadow Creek development is given the green light.

“We feel we have a really strong case; going by the guidelines the government set, if they approve the Meadow Creek Solar Farm in its current form, it’s unjust,” he said.

“They clearly state that it can’t be there, and they think it’s a chance of getting across the line just because their agenda is net-zero by 2045.

“They’re aiming for responsible renewables in appropriate locations and this is neither, we need to protect our premium assets, we have 96 per cent non-arable grassland in Australia and there has to be some better planning involved.”

Mayor Dean Rees said council was in full support of the Conroys and the current government was out of touch with their decision making.

“This is just another reason for why the Allan Government has to go; they’re taking rights away from people to even put a case forward,” he said.

“One of council’s five main pillars is to support farming, we know farming is one of our major employers, which is cropping and grazing, and this doesn’t support farming.

“I’d be happier if these decisions were council made decisions, not at State Government level and we can get the community to decide.”

Cr Rees said he and around eight other representatives from Victorian councils met with Ms Kilkenny late last year, where he had hoped conversations around further consultation in solar farm development would progress.

“I thought they were going to listen to us and were going to talk to us, I put some things out there where I was happy to talk about other solutions for our community for which I’ve heard nothing back,” he said.

“We’re disappointed to hear it but we will still fight for our voices to be heard, this is not democratic, this is a dictatorial government that does whatever they want.”

Nationals Member for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, said he was disgusted with the blatant attempt from the Allan Labor Government to silence regional voices in favour of big renewable energy companies.

“I am incredibly concerned that by removing the planning panel process as well as third-party appeals at VCAT, we will see more communities ignored by Labor in their push for renewables,” he said.

“The government for Melbourne are once again silencing the regions in favour of their ideological city-based agenda.”