Allan Labor Government legislation that would allow public officials to force their way onto the land of farmers and other property owners will be opposed by the Liberals and Nationals.
Individuals who resist the intrusion face fines of up to $12,210 under a draconian Bill designed to ram through Labor's shambolic energy policies.
The government is trampling on long-standing democratic processes as it faces the consequences of its botched rollout of "renewables".
Extraordinary powers would be given to authorised officers under the National Electricity (Victoria) Amendment (VicGrid Stage 2 Reform) Bill 2025 that is before Parliament.
These officers would be allowed to use reasonable force to enter land deemed necessary for the construction of electricity transmission towers across large swathes of the state.
They would have the power to remove any obstruction, with authorisation to cut locks and break open gates when undertaking involuntary entry onto properties.
Penalties for non-cooperation reach $12,210 for individuals and up to $48,842 for body corporates.
Offences under the legislation include hindering, obstructing or delaying authorised activity; obscuring, damaging or destroying a notice of proposed entry; failure to provide identification; and providing false identification, address, or evidence of ownership.
A Liberal and Nationals Government would restore normal rights and democratic approaches, with a commitment to review and repeal the draconian Bill.
Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources David Davis said the Allan Labor Government was thumbing its nose at hard-working local communities in regional areas.
"The Bill is a departure from accepted democratic approaches and procedures, reflecting an increasingly authoritarian stance in a Labor government now in its eleventh year," Mr Davis said.
"There is massive, and building opposition, from many rural communities to the imposition of renewables and associated wires and grids on those communities without their support or consent."
Mr Davis said the government was in a mess of its own making due to the slow rollout of transmission projects such as VNI West and Western Renewables Link delayed by years.
"Production of electricity from coal is winding down from 2028 and Labor is ideologically opposed to gas," Mr Davis said.
"For these reasons the Allan Labor Government has panicked and will seek to acquire outrageous new powers to force through its so-called transition to renewables."
Leader of The Nationals, Danny O'Brien, said Labor's approach was to bully and attack regional communities, rather than work with them.
"This Bill highlights Labor is steamrolling farmers and other landholders in its blind rush to renewables," Mr O'Brien said.
"This is an outrageous assault on farming families from a desperate government that is more interested in out-greening the Greens than respecting regional Victorians.
"A government that respects rural Victorians would not be introducing legislation like this, on top of taking away their right to appeal against these projects at VCAT.
"The Liberals and Nationals will hand back these rights to rural people, as well as reintroducing a two kilometre buffer zone between wind turbines and homes."
