‘No one is listening’: Karl Stefanovic backs Aussie farmers in fight over billion-dollar net zero project
Karl Stefanovic has joined the fight for dozens of Aussie farmers whose land will soon be ‘ripped up’ by renewable energy infrastructure.
The podcast host travelled to the NSW Hunter Valley to speak with landowners impacted by the New England Renewable Energy Zone transmission project.
The billion-dollar project is expected to connect wind, solar, and energy storage projects to the main electricity grid.
Landowners in the Upper Hunter region who will have transmission lines built on their land claim that they were never properly consulted.
They fear the kilometres long, 200m wide corridors and 80m high towers will destroy prime agricultural land and see property values plummet.
Landowners, residents and businesses have formed the Protect the Valley group to oppose the project, which has now been backed by the former Today Show host.
Stefanovic said he wants to give farmers a voice because ‘no one is listening.’
‘The cost of net zero is far more than you could have ever imagined and it’s causing serious pain,’ he explained in a teaser clip for his latest podcast episode.
‘The people we’ve interviewed this week got a knock at the door from the government saying, “We’re going to build these transmission towers to get renewable energy from its source into the grid”.
‘Plus, they’re going to be four or five times bigger than this one behind me, and there’s no guarantee it will work.
‘We went out to Gundy to give these Aussies a voice because they don’t have one – no one is listening.’
In Stefanovic’s latest weekly podcast, farmer Isa recalled the moment EnergyCo workers recently entered her cattle property to conduct a land assessment, without warning and against the wishes of the owners.
‘EnergyCo is seeking to have access routes throughout our farm to get to the transmission lines for construction purposes,’ she told the podcast.
‘We’ve told them in no uncertain terms that they don’t have permission to come on the farm.
‘It’s trespassing, and they wonder why landowners are so fed up.
‘Renewable is not a free ticket to entry – it doesn’t mean they can go about their business.
‘I’m p***ed off and the whole community is p***ed off. People are at breaking point.’
Farmers were quick to praise Stefanovic for joining the fight.
‘Thank you for sharing this incredibly important story that’s being repeated across the country at unimaginable cost to the people and communities directly and indirectly affected,’ one person wrote.
Another added: ‘As one of many landowners in the Walcha area that will be impacted immensely, thank you Karl for listening to the absolutely wonderful speakers who have been our inspiration to keep fighting.’
