VFF Says VicGrid Guidelines Fall Short of Binding Protections

The Victorian Farmers Federation says new VicGrid Community Engagement and Social Value Guidelines are a welcome acknowledgement of long-standing concerns, but fall well short of providing enforceable protections for landholders affected by renewable energy projects.

VFF President Ryan Milgate says the guidelines include improvements the organisation has advocated for, but lack the “iron-clad” obligations farmers were seeking.

He says while stronger expectations around consultation are welcome, there is no clear enforcement mechanism or compliance framework to ensure developers meet commitments.

Mr Milgate says that without consequences for non-compliance, communities are still left without certainty that projects will proceed only where proper engagement has occurred.

He also warns trust in regional communities has been eroded by years of unresolved concerns around transparency and fairness in renewable energy development.

The VFF says key issues including insurance liability, decommissioning standards and defined community benefit payments remain unresolved, and questions whether a three-year review period is responsive enough given the pace of development.