Letter to the Editor 

13 March 2025 

The Dederang BESS project is an emotive issue which is sadly dividing the community in and around Dederang.  

The project planning and approval process for renewable energy projects clearly rests with the Victorian Government.  

As a Federal MP my involvement has been to advocate on the critical issues of consultation and community benefit. 

Even before the plans for the Dederang BESS was announced, I worked consistently and constructively to draw attention to the way in which some regional communities feel like the renewable energy rollout is happening to them and not with them. I am concerned about the politicisation of this issue and its impact on the community, as well as misrepresentations of my position on this project and renewable projeccts in general. 

I  have called for the mapping of suitable land for renewable development and establishing ‘no-go’ sites such as high-value agricultural land.  

 I wrote to the Victorian Government in April 2024 to express my dismay with their decision to remove the right for third parties to appeal renewable planning decisions through VCAT. Fast tracking projects and silencing communities is terrible governance.  

In May 2024 I helped organise an independently facilitated meeting to allow Dederang community members to put their concerns directly to MINT Renewables, which I also attended.  This work has been substantial in helping the community relay concerns about insurance premiums, fire risks, biosecurity risks, visual amenity and project placement.

I have raised these issues of poor community consultation at a national level by taking these concerns to the Minister for Climate and Energy Chris Bowen in 2023 to set up an independent Community Engagement Review.  This review, undertaken by the former Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner Andrew Dyer made nine recommendations to improve community engagement and consultation on renewable projects.  I successfully argued for Federal budget to operationalise these recommendations. 

My submission to that review reflects the experiences of people in Indi and makes detailed recommendations, particularly around the use of agricultural land.  I will continue to advocate for the people of Indi in ways that are appropriate to my role as their Federal Member and work to improve the system for all of regional Australia. 

Helen Haines MP Federal Independent Member for Indi