Coalition's power line pledge could win back farmer votes

In a bid to win back support from farming communities ahead of the November state election, the Coalition has promised to cancel the controversial VNI West Transmission Line Project.The proposed corridor for the controversial energy interconnector between Victoria and New South Wales slices through the centre of Ripon — a state seat held by Labor incumbent Martha Haylett by a margin of 5.98 per cent.Ripon has also become a focus of One Nation's election campaign in Victoria where the party has gained significant support due to its disapproval of project, valued at between $7.6 billion and $11.4 billion.Yesterday, 100 days from the election, the Liberal and National parties hardened their former promise to pause the build, declaring they would instead cancel the project entirely if they were elected in November.Emma Kealy says if the Coalition is elected, a final decision on transmission infrastructure would be made. (ABC Horsham: Alexander Darling)Deputy leader of the Nationals Emma Kealy said the Coalition viewed VNI West as "dead, buried and cremated"."We've gone back and had a look at all of the data that surrounds VNI West and it's really clear that the project isn't going to ever stack up," Ms Kealy said.Nationals reconsidered in RiponGre Gre North farmer Jason Barratt, whose property is in the planned corridor, said the Coalition's announcement was "fantastic"."It's basically what we've been pushing for a long time and it's not a moment too soon," Mr Barratt said."They [the Victorian Labor government] want to basically cut our farm in half with this massive transmission line."Jason Barratt says Gre Gre is normally "Nationals country". (ABC News: Kyle Harley)A week ago, Mr Barratt said he was planning on voting for One Nation, saying he was dissatisfied with the Coalition's commitment to pause the project.But he said the Coalition's new policy announcement had reopened the question for voters who had previously seen One Nation as the only party offering to end VNI West."We are Nationals people, normally," Mr Barrat said."But obviously when we've got another option that is supporting the way we think, I think we've still got to weigh up everything that's put on the table."One Nation having that push, I think, has certainly given the Coalition the nudge that they needed."Competition welcomeThe transmission project has caused sustained tension, protest and upset within west-Victorian communities in its path.Mr Barratt said the attention from competing parties was welcome after years of campaigning."It's good to see that they're actually starting to pay attention and listen to us," Mr Barratt said."They just assumed that if you're in the country, your vote doesn't really matter."Now people are actually starting to sit up and listen."Many Ripon farmers, including Mr Barratt, had thrown their support behind One Nation before the party had formally announced its VNI West policy.Mr Barratt and FFB chair Ben Duxson previously told the ABC they assumed One Nation would stop the project if elected, because of the party's opposition to Australia's net zero targets.One Nation has not announced its candidate for the seat of Ripon.Coalition triggers One NationUntil the Coalition's announcement, One Nation had refused to publicise its formal stance on whether it would either pause or stop the project.Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell is One Nation's sole Victorian sitting member. (Supplied: Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell)Ms Tyrrell said One Nation had been planning to announce its key policies on energy, farming and cost-of-living at an event in Marnoo on August 29, co-hosted by anti-VNI campaign group Farmers Fightback.Federal party leader Pauline Hanson will be at that event.Pauline Hanson speaking at a press conference. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)Only after the Coalition made its announcement did One Nation answer whether it would pause or stop the project."One Nation was always going to get rid of it, and it didn't take us a decade to come to that conclusion," One Nation Victoria leader Warren Pickering told the ABC.'Retribution and a voice'The announcement from the Coalition came after Kos Samaras told the ABC that One Nation support in Ripon had climbed above 40 per cent.Kos Samaras says One Nation could win the seat of Ripon. (ABC News)Mr Samaras, director at strategy and analytics group Redbridge, said the electorate had traits associated with a strong One Nation vote: an older-than-average population feeling overlooked by the major parties and facing economic decline."It's [One Nation support in Ripon is] about retribution and a voice," Mr Samaras said."They know by voting for One Nation, it's upsetting the two party system."Predicted Labor toppleMr Samaras said it was likely One Nation would topple Labor incumbent Martha Haylett at the election, describing Ripon as "ground zero" for Labor in regional Victoria.In response, Ms Haylett did not address the threat to her position directly, instead defending her record by citing a list of local achievements."I have fought for upgrades to our local hospitals, schools, sporting clubs, and community facilities," she said."There is more to do, but all my opponents want to do is make $40 billion of cuts under a Liberal-One Nation Coalition."Earlier this month, Labor's Premier Ben Carroll appointed Ms Haylett as the Parliamentary Secretary for Rural and Regional Development.'Some sensible policy'Mr Duxson has been a prominent local figure opposing VNI West for years, and has recently been loudly supporting One Nation.Ben Duxson is a sixth-generation farmer near Marnoo in western Victoria. (ABC News: Tamara Clark)When asked if the Coalition's announcement would impact the state election, Mr Duxson told ABC: "One hundred per cent.""I think we're starting to see some sensible policy starting to come into it."