Redacted VNI West EES documents undermine community's right to say

Northern Grampians and Buloke shire councils are concerned that redactions in the VNI West Environment Effects Statement (EES) are preventing residents, landholders and businesses from properly participating in the process. 

Information about the proposed locations of temporary workforce accommodation and construction laydown areas has been redacted from the exhibited documents.  

Buloke Shire mayor Graeme Milne said these sites would have some of the most direct impacts on local communities, including pressure on housing, roads, emergency services and amenity. 

“Communities cannot make informed submissions about impacts they cannot see,” he said. 

“People need to know whether a worker camp or laydown area is proposed next door, near their town or along their school bus route. Without that, the consultation is incomplete.” 

The EES is meant to be Victoria’s most rigorous and transparent environmental assessment.  

Cr Milne said withholding location information left neighbours unable to assess traffic, noise, dust, flooding, biosecurity and fire risk. It also leaves them unable to say whether the sites suit the local road network, which is already under strain from recent flood damage. 

Buloke and Northern Grampians councils are calling on the Minister for Planning to: 

• Release the redacted workforce accommodation and laydown area information promptly; 

• Extend the submission period to allow for meaningful review once released; and 

• Explain the grounds for each redaction. 

Northern Grampians Shire deputy mayor Justine Hide said both councils had already raised concerns about the public exhibition process following changes to the Terms of Reference. 

“The updated Terms of Reference limit the topics the inquiry panel will hear verbal submissions on, while also limiting the ability for expert witnesses to be called,” she said. 

“These redactions in the EES are just another example of us not being given the complete picture.” 

Cr Hide said the redactions undermined the community’s right to fully participate in the process.