Farmers Condemn Forced Land Access for Transmission Project

Farmers in the path of the controversial VNI West Transmission Project have condemned the issuing of Section 93 notices, which grant compulsory access to private farmland without landholder consent.

The Victorian Farmers Federation said the move could see farmers’ properties entered during the height of harvest, when biosecurity risks and crop protection are at their peak.

VFF President Brett Hosking said the decision showed “a complete lack of respect for farmers’ rights and businesses.”

“Forcing access to farms at the height of harvest shows just how out of touch this process has become,” he said.

Mr Hosking urged landholders to assert their rights under the Land Access Code of Practice and to communicate their biosecurity and access requirements in writing.

“We’ll keep fighting to ensure farmers’ voices are heard and their rights upheld,” he said.