The Victorian Liberal-National Coalition pledged to scrap the VNI West transmission line project and develop a new energy plan if elected [1, 2].
The move targets a growing conflict between the state government and rural landowners in Western Victoria. Farmers argue the proposed transmission corridor infringes on their land, leading to legal disputes and fines for those obstructing planning work [3].
Agricultural activists have pushed the opposition to take a firm stance against the project. Ben Duxson, a farmer activist, said the Liberals and the Coalition have been proving a bit slippery regarding their commitments [2].
The VNI West project is designed to strengthen the electricity grid, but it has faced intense local resistance. Some landowners reported receiving notice of entry letters that included warnings against interfering with the project's progress [3].
While the Coalition has announced its intention to abandon the project, some reporting suggests a gap between the party's public pledges and the demands of the farming community. Some farmers continue to urge the Coalition to provide a more definitive commitment to scrapping the line [2].
The opposition's strategy focuses on the upcoming state election. By aligning with rural voters, the Liberal-National Coalition aims to position itself as the protector of land rights against state-led infrastructure mandates [1, 2].
“The Victorian Coalition have announced they would scrap the VNI West transmission line project if elected.”
This pledge transforms a technical infrastructure dispute into a central campaign issue for the 2026 Victorian state election. By promising to rewrite the energy plan, the Coalition is betting that rural land-rights concerns outweigh the state's long-term grid stability goals, potentially creating a legislative clash over energy transition timelines if they win office.
