MPs JOIN FORCES FOR BETTER HUMELINK BENEFITS

The Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, and local Nationals MLC Wes Fang have joined forces across both houses of parliament to push for major improvements to the community benefits package proposed for communities affected by HumeLink.  

The MPs have presented notices of motion (NOMs) to their respective houses, calling on the state and federal governments to do all they can to ensure that the Australian Energy Regulator and Transgrid provide much greater compensation for communities along the route. 

The NOMs make it clear that the proposed $15.6m for community benefit projects is completely inadequate. 

“The amount of money proposed does not come close to providing appropriate compensation for communities who continue to suffer the social and economic impacts of the huge overhead power lines that have marched through our landscape without effective consultation,” Dr McGirr said. 

“The sum proposed is miniscule when compared to the total cost of the project – in fact it’s only 0.003 per cent of that total - and that is just not good enough. 

“There is now an opportunity to balance the ledger and deliver something positive to communities along the route, which means a very substantial increase to the benefits package to deliver real and lasting benefits to those affected by HumeLink.” 

Mr Fang said the proposed package for HumeLink communities was woefully inadequate compared to that offered to other NSW communities affected by renewable energy infrastructure.  

“Both state and federal governments must acknowledge that these projects negatively impact rural and regional communities, for the benefit of those in metropolitan areas,” he said. 

“Not only is that a bitter pill to swallow, we now see the communities impacted by HumeLink, treated like second-class citizens when compared to other renewable energy infrastructure precincts in NSW. 

“All impacted communities must be compensated equally.” 

Dr McGirr will be writing to the Australian Energy Regulator, asking it to support an immediate review of the proposal to deliver the full compensation that HumeLink communities need and deserve.