Council & Politics
12 March, 2026
Endorsing energy strategy allows council to ‘meet obligations’
Northern Grampians council is one of nine considering the strategy document.
A NORTHERN Grampians Shire councillor has criticised the need for a strategy to outline issues surrounding the impending renewable energy projects causing conflicts in the electorate.
At its ordinary March meeting held last week, council agreed to take a “neutral stance” on local by endorsing the “Resource Ready: North-Western Victoria Energy and Mining Impact and Readiness Strategy”.
But it didn’t come without slight pushback from Cr Karen Probst who said she would support the strategy, but she was disappointed it took a document like this to get the issues heard.
The strategy calls for proper investment and due diligence from the state and federal governments to ensure communities are prepared for major energy, transmission and mining projects
“It’s a very fine and detailed strategy that maintains a neutral position and is focused on rediness and impact management rather than advocating for or against the energy and mining transition, specific technologies or individual projects,” Cr Jenny Greenberger said.
“The council has two relevent resolutions, namely not supporting VNI West and that it advocates against the introduction of the proposed new energy zones covering the shire in its current form.
“These resolutions and the recommendation to endorse the strategy aren’t in conflict with each other.
Cr Greenberger said this endorsement would reflect council’s committment to fullfilling its obligation under the Local Government Act 2020 to provide good governance in its municipal districts to benefit the community “regardless of what decisions are ultimately made by State and Federal approval authorities regarding major projects in the region”.
Cr Karen Probst said it was “disappointed” that council had to take the step of doing the resource.
“Over the last year that we’ve been in council, and periods before that, we’ve made representations to the State Government about the issues with renewables in our area, but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears,” she said.
“This study is putting those issues into an official format with data backing up the issues we know affect our communities here.
“We know there’s economic issues, community opposition.
“Agriculture is the main industry in our areas and its crucial in our economy.
“If these projects go ahead, they’ll take workers from other places that are already struggling and it will also put pressure on our housing.
“We need support for the strain it will put on us, but also recognition for the effects on our community, the conflict its causing, the relationship breakdowns, for the mental health, the effect on the agriculture.”
Mayor Karen Hyslop declared a conflict of interest to the plan and exited the meeting.
Northern Grampians council is one of nine considering the strategy document.
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