General News
13 February, 2026
Across Victoria Alliance puts parties ‘on notice’
The Across Victoria Alliance presented its framework and agenda for the November Victorian election, formally notifying all parties of its priorities following its recent conference.
Organisers released six key policies which have been the focus of the organisation since uniting 27 state action groups in the past several years.
AVA chair Andrew Weidermann emphasised the need for rural Victoria to have a stronger voice.
“Today marks a major milestone for the AVA as we seek outcomes for rural and regional Victoria and in doing so, officially put all 2026 election candidates on notice," he said.
"This has been in my head for so long that it was a relief to finally get it out there, get everyone together face-to-face, and get policies and strategies on the table.
“This is the year for change and to make a difference.
“We are a coalition of community groups from across the state that have come together over a shared concern about the complete lack of whole-of-government policy-making in Victoria regarding the use of prime agricultural land for wind turbines, transmission lines, battery energy storage, and mineral sands mines.”
Primarily composed of landowners, the AVA said it sought to ensure the formal protection of farming land and the food and fibre industry from mining and renewable energy projects.
Key policies include requiring a whole-of-government impact assessment before approving major projects on prime agricultural land, granting statutory protection to such land, repealing forced farm entry laws, ensuring transparent planning processes, prioritising water use for food production, and repealing the Fire Services Levy.
These topics were covered at length during the conference by about 20 speakers representing the AVA, the National Party, the Liberal Party, Mine Free Mallee Farms, the farming community, energy industry, agriculture, local government, soil experts, insurance, Blaze Aid, and the Need for Feed.
People from Gippsland, Port Fairy, Melbourne, Swan Hill, and the local communities attended the conference.
Mr Weidermann introduced Horsham Rural City Council mayor Brian Klowss, whom he described as a champion of the area, despite being personally affected by the January 9 bushfire.
Cr Klowss emphasised genuine engagement and advocacy for a better future for the next generation in his opening address.
“The Wimmera has faced challenges in the past and will do so again," he said, referring to the recent fires.
He discussed the effects of new industries on the farming community and stressed the importance of improved engagement to achieve better outcomes.
“This is a broad-acre farming region, and we must make sure that we guarantee the growth and we work on strengthening the industry," Cr Klowss said.
"To do that, we must have genuine engagement and investment.
"I hope everyone here today leaves the conference having learned more, understood more, and has a spring in their step about the future.”
Victoria Nationals leader Danny O'Brien said, “Put the Liberals and Nationals in government in November”.
He promised to reduce the impacts on farmers by reinstating their right of appeal through VCAT on decisions affecting their farms, increasing buffer zones for neighbouring property owners to wind farms, repealing fines against farmers who deny access to transmission line workers, introducing independent audits on the impact of agricultural land values, and not sacrificing the agriculture industry for renewables.
Western Victoria MP and opposition leader in the upper house, Bev McArthur, said the decision made in Melbourne on the Fire Services Levy had been made with no choice given to the people it would mostly affect - the volunteer firefighters - many of them farmers who fight fires often at the risk of not protecting their own properties.
While supportive of the agriculture industry and echoing Mr O'Brien's claims that an elected Coalition would introduce protection measures, she was unable to confirm if they would stop further mining and renewable energy on agricultural land or stop projects already approved by the current government.
A question from the Gannawarra Shire Council mayor Garner Smith on how they would protect mining proved to be a “tricky” one for the MP.
However, Mrs McArthur agreed that the Environmental Effects Study would be tightened up if they thought it was necessary.
The mayor's comment that he'd prefer mining to renewables was not well received by some sections of the crowd.
Questions from the floor included water use in mining, radioactive mining, the moratorium on gas use, and impacts on small businesses, hospitality, and dairy farmers.
Donna Johns asked Mr O'Brien if he would support a veto on mining agricultural land because, currently, farmers had no say and no right of appeal through VCAT.
Mr O'Brien said he had no current policy on that matter, but noted that the law states that landowners do not own the minerals beneath their land.
"We are stuck without mining,” he said. "We use the material from mining every day."
Concerns about contamination of crops and livestock from renewable energy, wind turbine turbulence during fires impacting fire management, and the lack of proven land rehabilitation after mining were discussed throughout the conference.
“The importance of food production land must be recognised, and no one should have the right to enter a farm without the farmer’s permission, particularly with the biosecurity threat this poses,” Mr Weidermann said.
“It is ludicrous to think that a huge wind turbine can be built without the planning scrutiny that a homeowner would face for adding a small home office.
“Water is a scarce resource, and over generations, we have sought to use water as efficiently as possible for food production.
“It is unacceptable that mineral sand mines have effectively been granted as much water as they need, thereby threatening water supply for rural and regional communities, livestock, and crop production.”
Volunteer firerighter Cam Walker said that while the conference was excellent, the lack of government representation on the podium meant the content was mainly one-sided, with no other opinions to consider.
Mr Weidermann said that Premier Jacinta Allan and other government ministers were invited.
"It was disappointing that she did not attend, nor did any of the premiers, and to have no Labor representative there was very disappointing," he said.
The AVA chair said Monday's speakers were pleased with the quality of the questions and the reception they received.
“We will continue to campaign, in partnership with the United Firefighters Union and the Country Fire Authority volunteers, for the removal of the Fire Services Volunteer Levy and a replacement system that is fair, transparent, and equitable,” he said.