Nationals leader David Littleproud has called for a pause on plans to construct electricity transmission lines that Victorian farmers claim will adversely impact their properties.
The national energy market operator is planning to build 28,000 kilometres of power lines from the western Victorian town of Bulgana to just north of Jerilderie in southern NSW.
The project is expected to deliver 500 kilovolts of energy to Victoria and is part of the state government's plan to achieve its 95 per cent renewable energy target by 2035.
"It is time to pause to plan better and to make sure that the unintended consequences of this reckless race are taken into account," Mr Littleproud told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.
Whether it be a national energy summit or a Senate inquiry, the Nationals leader urged the prime minister to return to the drawing board and explore other options.
"There's a place for renewables. The habitat for renewables should be on rooftops, and wind towers should be offshore away from the Great Barrier Reef," he said.
About 50 Victorian farmers gathered at Parliament House to complain about a lack of consultation from governments.
Charlton farmer Glenden Watts said the Labor government had fast-tracked the project while communities had little information.
"They haven't consulted with the community. We don't know where the corridor is going to be other than a blurry map on the line," Mr Watts said.
"With the drop of a hat the route changes, and then the state Labor government pushes ... ministerial orders through to fast track this."
Energy Minister Chris Bowen rejected a claim by Nationals MP Anne Webster that landowners in her western Victorian electorate of Mallee haven't been properly consulted.
The Australian Energy Market Operator made an announcement two weeks ago that it had changed the proposed route based on community feedback, he told parliament's question time.
The operator previously defended its decision to skip a consultation meeting in western Victoria stating it had been in a different format than agreed after a convoy of tractors protested against the project.
The federal government's Rewiring the Nation policy will inject $20 billion to expand and modernise Australia’s electricity grids to support more renewable power.
