Coalition vows to cancel VNI West transmission if it wins Victorian election

With the Victorian state election a hundred days away, the Liberal and National parties have announced they will scrap the VNI West transmission line if they form government. The pair argue that abandoning the $7.6-$11.4 billion project will allow the state to unlock gas supplies, prolong coal generation and invest in solar parks near urban demand. Nationals deputy leader Emma Kealy said the proposal is “dead, buried and cremated,” after earlier pledging a pause and review following farmer opposition.

Energy and Resources Minister Jaclyn Symes condemned the pledge as reckless, warning it could trigger blackouts and higher bills, and questioned whether the Coalition would lift the ban on fracking. The Victorian Farmers Federation praised the decision, citing damage to productive farmland, while the Clean Energy Council and Environment Victoria warned that cancelling the line would reduce electricity access and increase costs. The Coalition also indicated it may scrap the more advanced Western Renewables Link project.