Farm grab ‘shameful’
A WESTERN Victoria MP has condemned the “over-mighty and arrogant” state government for its move to compulsorily acquire a chunk of a 164year-old Waurn Ponds farm.
Liberal Upper House MP Bev McArthur took aim at the state government’s “shameful” handling of the acquisition, after Planning Minister Richard Wynne applied a public acquisition overlay on about 61ha of the Larcombe family’s 455ha Reservoir Road merino sheep farm.
The acquisition came despite property owners the Larcombe family — now into their fifth generation on the farm — warning the “ruthless” move would split the farm in two and potentially render it unviable.
“This is a terrible decision, which destroys a historic property and a working family farm,” Ms McArthur said on Wednesday.
“This is another case of an over-mighty and arrogant government walking all over those in its path, with no regard for individual rights or community concerns.
“The ministers for Planning and for Transport Infrastructure have taken no personal responsibility for this, and have not fronted up at any stage.”
Ms McArthur also slammed the Planning Minister for ignoring a recommendation from the Government Land Standing Advisory Committee, after he appointed the group in July 2019 to take submissions on the project and hand down advice on the suitability of the planned acquisition.
The committee recommended the minister add a condition to the project’s in
Asher corporated document that the Environmental Management Framework included a “continuity of agricultural production plan” addressing “the need for farm infrastructure on land south of the railway line to secure its ongoing agricultural use.
This condition was not added.
“The committee heard expert evidence on this proposal, and ultimately recommended it be adopted to mitigate the losses Mr Larcombe will suffer,” Ms McArthur said.
“It is appalling that their considered recommendation has been rejected, simply to make things easier for the state government and their agency Rail Projects Victoria.”
Ms McArthur’s comments come in support of 82-year-old farmer Stan Larcombe, who owns the site with his brother Gordon, who on Tuesday slammed the five-year process that led to the minister’s decision.
“It’s a bloody farce really, the whole thing,” Stan said.
“He didn’t take any notice of what they recommended.
“That’s what we expected in a way, because what the government wants, the government gets.”
The acquired land will make way for the $115m Waurn Ponds train maintenance and stabling facility, which will allow for more regular services along the Geelong rail line where demand for services more than doubled between 2015 and 2019.
The Larcombe family has revealed that they have been told to expect a notice of intent to acquire 11ha of land for stage one of the project in coming days.