Riverina farmer hit by HumeLink backs land acquisition law reform

The state government's department of planning, housing and infrastructure has begun public consultation of a review on the Land Acquisition Act 1991, with a session to be held in Wagga in mid-April.

Lands and property minister Stephen Kamper said the government intends the acquisition process "easy to understand and transparent."

"It wants to strike the right balance between landowner's rights and the provision of essential public infrastructure," Mr Kamper said.

Over the past 30 plus years, the government has undertaken several reviews of the legislation, including a recent joint inquiry into land acquisition for major transport projects.

Mr Kamper said the current review, begun in 2023, will aim to ensure the act remains "fit for purpose and continues to serve the people of NSW."

But for one Riverina farmer, Hansie Armour, the current state of affairs is hardly fit for purpose.

The Snowy Valleys councillor lives at a 2500-acre property on Burrinjuck Road at Bookham and is currently facing the prospect of compulsory land acquisition on her property as Transgrid looks to roll out its major electricity infrastructure project HumeLink.

The government-funded project will see the installation of a new 500kV transmission line to connect Wagga, Bannaby and Maragle and is set for completion in mid-2026.

Mrs Armour's property already has a 1.5 kilometre easement for an existing row of power lines installed around the 1950s, so it's not the first time the family has been impacted by the law.

But she said her experience of dealing with Transgrid over the past two-and-a-half plus years has been anything from clear and straightforward.

"What we have experienced [in that time] is not at all clear," Mrs Armour said.

She said Transgrid workers have showed up on her farm "without much notice" with demands.

"They virtually tell you that they wish to acquire the land and if you don't agree to what they are offering, then they will compulsorily acquire it," she said.

She said the process has also not been fair to landowners like her family.

"There has not been a fair balance at all, because there's a whole lot of information we're not being given," she said.

Mrs Armour said the legislation needs to be updated to reflect the changes in laws including insurance, which have taken place in recent years.

She said these include the increasing difficulties insurance has posed with motor accidents caused by escaped stock, biosecurity risks, and the rules against fighting fires under or in too close proximity of powerline infrastructure.

It comes as the government's land acquisition act review opens for public consultation, with a community consultation session set to be held at the Wagga RSL on April 17, following advocacy by Dr McGirr.

"Following the failed consultation process on the HumeLink project, I have been pushing hard for governments and developers to genuinely listen to local communities and act on their concerns," he said.

"This should especially be the case when land is to be compulsorily acquired for renewable energy infrastructure."

Dr McGirr said landowners have previously been "all-but ignored for too long while poles and wires or solar factories appear on properties against community wishes."

He said it has "taken too long" for the review to get underway but expressed relief it has now come.

"I'm pleased the government has now acknowledged a balance needs to be reached between the rights of landholders and the benefits of public infrastructure development."

Dr McGirr said it is also an opportunity for the government to consult those in the path of public infrastructure works and that residents should be able to expect their "concerns will actually be addressed".

But he raised concerns the review does not include landowners affected by flooding from environmental flows.

He said while those landowners were not having their farmland compulsorily acquired, there was still a significant issue.

"The fact remains the inundation of property causes major damage and is very costly to landholders," he said.

Dr McGirr said landholders "deserve fair compensation" and prefer that to be paid out in "ongoing annual instalments."

"I will continue to fight for a fair deal for landowners who will be badly impacted by flooding," he said.

"I urge anyone affected by flow easements or any other negative impact from public infrastructure to make a submission to the review and demand a fair go."

For more information on the review and to make a submission, go to the land acquisition review page on the department of planning website.