Vol. No. Vol. 2018No. 39 27
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LABOUR OF LOVE: Retired Horsham truck driver Eric Smith has restored an R190 International truck, similar to the one he used to drive throughout his working life. He bought the truck in 2005 and completed the project last month. Story, page 13. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Mayor in power push H
BY DEAN LAWSON
orsham mayor Pam Clarke has appealed to the State Government to draw inspiration from its past and lead the way in opening greater renewable-energy opportunities in western Victoria. Cr Clarke said the timing was perfect for the government to announce a profound financial commitment to upgrade electrical infrastructure that would open the door for more wind and solar projects. She said a state commitment to significantly increase electricity capac-
ity across the Wimmera and southern Mallee and increase greater power connectivity with South Australia was waiting to happen. “With so much national anxiety surrounding power supply and security, spending money on major infrastructure that promotes a clear way forward is a no-brainer,” she said. “But the concept needs state and national governments to come together, agree on the best way of getting it done and to share the costs. This is clearly in the interest of both the nation and the state.” Cr Clarke said the scenario had a
familiar ring. “Construction of the Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline was an obvious but costly project that had to happen,” she said. “It required a brave political move and it was a state Labor government that ultimately put the money forward and challenged the Federal Government to match its commitment. Look what we have now,” she said.
Billions
Cr Clarke is member of a regional Sustainability Alliance involving five councils and her call has added weight to previous comments from Grampi-
ans New Energy Task Force chairman Stuart Benjamin. Mr Benjamin told The Weekly Advertiser that renewableenergy production in western Victoria had the potential to pump billions of investment dollars into the Wimmera. He said he had written to the Australian Market Energy Operator, as part of its review of the national electricity grid, to lead an upgrade of western Victorian power infrastructure. Part of the push includes establishing a third electrical interconnector between Victoria and South Australia. Cr Clarke said the issue came down to political leadership.
“We know the State Government might be tentative in making big politically sensitive decisions with the approach of the November election. But what a winner this would be, not only for our region, but for the state as a whole,” she said. “There has been so much discussion about money being spent to keep coal-fired power stations up and running when we have the capacity to spend the same amounts of money to provide new, strong and sustainable networks of power. It seems a terrible contradiction.” Continued page 3
IN THIS ISSUE • Proposed electoral boundary change • Football-netball coverage
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