In short:
Farmers warn the Federal Government’s EPBC fast-track laws could put added strain on productive areas such as Werribee South, where Wyndham’s rapid urban growth meets some of Victoria’s most valuable farmland. The VFF says governments must consult local communities before major projects reshape Melbourne’s western food bowl.
Farmers Fighting Federal Legislation
Victoria’s farmers say regional communities must not bear the fallout of the Federal Government’s newly passed Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, warning the reforms could put extra pressure on food-producing areas that sit beside fast-growing suburbs — including Werribee South’s intensive farming precinct.
The Bill aims to fast-track approvals for housing, renewable energy and critical minerals projects at a time when Wyndham continues to expand into former farmland at an unprecedented pace.
Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) President Brett Hosking says the changes must not become a way to bypass local voices, particularly in places like Werribee South where farming and urban growth sit side-by-side.
“While the intent of faster, more predictable approvals can be seen as good, the specific focus on a faster rollout of renewables and critical minerals projects will leave many farmers nervous.”
“Most farmers will treat this announcement with trepidation and for very good reasons. Time and time again they’ve been ignored in the face of infrastructure developments and this move can’t be seen as full steam ahead.”
He says regional and peri-urban communities — including those on Wyndham’s urban–rural edge — deserve a genuine say.
“The voice of regional Victoria matters and this Bill doesn’t trump that. It’s so important that the community continues to have a voice and for approvals to properly weigh the impacts on farmland.”
“Victoria is home to Australia’s best farmland. We produce a quarter of the nation’s food from just three per cent of its arable land. It’s not empty space ripe for development,” Mr Hosking said.
He is urging governments to work directly with the agriculture sector before implementing the reforms, noting Wyndham’s situation — where large-scale vegetable farms in Werribee South operate only minutes from some of the state’s fastest-growing housing estates.
“It’s critical that the government and the new EPA adopt a proactive approach of working with farmers to help them comply, rather than simply bringing a big stick.”
“This could be a fork in the road moment. We’re urging the government to talk to us and understand the implications of the decisions they make. To date, they haven’t done that and now the ball is in their court,” he said.
More than six thousand people have signed the VFF’s petition to protect Victorian farmland since it launched last week.
Petition link: https://www.vff.org.au/protectourfarmland/#petitionform
FOLLOW US
