The Victorian Farmers Foundation (VFF) have asked the state government to take over the planning of the state's transmission network, citing a failure from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to properly consult with farmers.
VFF President Emma Germano said the state government needed to completely oversee projects like the Western Renewables Link and the Victoria-New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West), after AEMO had failed to take the impact on agricultural production into account in their planning.
"Farmers have had a gutful over the disrespectful way in which these projects are being planned," Ms Germano said.
"AEMO is not up to the task of taking into account the impact of these projects on Victoria's food and fibre production.
"It is an unelected agency which seems to answer to no-one."
She also said consideration should be given to a submission from the Victorian Energy Policy Centre (VEPC) which concluded that using existing energy infrastructure in Gippsland in combination with renewables would be a better option than the VNI West project.
"Their submission highlights the reasons why AEMO is not suitable to be planning Victoria's transmission network and that it seems to be motivated by wanting to build a transmission link along the eastern coast of Australia," Ms Germano said.
In response to the expert submission, AEMO said independent analysis found energy capacity needed to be developed in both Gippsland and western Victoria with the western half of the network providing a back-up in the case of weak winds in the Bass Strait.
The VFF's call comes as Nationals Leader David Littleproud spoke at a meeting in Charlton on Monday calling for a pause to transmission projects in Victoria, so that they can be subject to federal and state government inquiries.
Mr Littleproud said that plans to build transmission were too rushed and that a "social licence needs to be earnt by the renewables industry."
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"This government has put a time limit to accelerate decisions that haven't been undertaken with transparency or all the alternatives... in the distribution of renewable energy" he said.
"We've been trying to engage with the crossbench as our avenue to create a Senate inquiry that comes from [Charlton] all the way to Townsville, so that common sense can prevail," he said.
Mr Littleproud also called for renewables close to the source of where it can be distributed including "small scale modular nuclear technology".
"[This] can be plugged in where existing coal fire powered stations are, and that means you don't need any new transmission lines," he said.
In response to questions about the VEPC submission, Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said that the country was "decades behind" in getting renewables investment and the grid had not been updated since the 1970s.
"This is transforming the way energy is generated and moved out to the country - and this obviously something that we work our way through with [AEMO]."
During a press conference in Ballarat, Ms King said she had also raised concerns about AEMO's consultation process over transmission line projects.
"Certainly as a local member I have raised some concerns about the way they have undertaken consultation with local communities," she said.
"Through their regulatory processes they are learning as they go along."
At the Charlton meeting, cropping and sheep producer Barry Batters, St Arnaud, said AEMO were yet to give out relevant information to local farmers in the region.
"We have been denied answers to our questions on many occasions," he said.
"Simple things like knowing whether we can work underneath or near these power lines, whether there is insurance if someone hits these power lines, or can we can fight fires near them,"
Mr Batters said there were also concerns over compensation, or whether second transmission line was being planned.
"Are we going to put these monstrosities up, and will they be old technology by then?" he said.
He said local farmers were conscious about the need to use renewables, but questioned whether transmission lines were the right option.
He also urged Melburnians to understand the concerns of rural farmers about transmission line projects.
AEMO will be releasing all public consultation submissions into the VNI West project later this month.
