The state government as well as Powercor has to take responsibility for the poor state of the south-west’s power infrastructure, a dairy leader says.
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United Dairyfarmers of Victoria (UDV) president Paul Mumford said “the government has to bring the big stick out and say there is a shortfall in infrastructure to services in regional Australia.”
Mr Mumford, who was in the south-west this month, said it appeared Powercor was allowing the region’s power system to deteriorate.
Mr Mumford said the region could not afford to have another St Patrick’s Day fire.
Last year’s St Patrick’s Day fires, which devastated a large part of the south-west, were all started by electrical assets.
Mr Mumford said the deterioration of the region’s power infrastructure would have serious consequences for “any government that is in power,” he said.
He said the UDV was lobbying the state government on the issue but realised the best outcome was to also work with Powercor on the matter.
Poor power infrastructure affected not only the south-west but all of regional Victoria, he said.
VFF president David Jochinke had communicated with the new state agriculture minister Jaclyn Symes and the UDV would meet with her during the next parliamentary sitting to discuss the issue.
The UDV had also raised the issue with the peak dairy advocacy body, Australian Dairy Farmers, and the peak industry development body, Dairy Australia, Mr Mumford said.
The UDV’s advocacy for better power infrastructure also included vigorous lobbying by the UDV Wannon branch for the extension of three-phase power in the south-west, he said.
Mr Mumford said the lack of three-phase power in an almost 50-kilometre long area from Yambuk to Portland was “a clear lack of fairness.”
Power companies were making their decisions about upgrading infrastructure based on economics and “in some cases were not willing to invest,” he said.
There appeared to be a line between regional Victoria and suburban Melbourne with power companies favouring suburban Melbourne for investment, Mr Mumford said.
The UDV Wannon branch has said only between $4 million-$5 million is required to fund a pilot community project to provide three-phase power to the area from Yambuk to Portland.
Oonagh Kilpatrick from the UDV’s Wannon branch said the poor state of the region’s power infrastructure was a big hindrance to plans by local businesses, particularly dairies, to grow the region’s economic viability.
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