Business & Rural
27 May, 2026
Farmer's forum gets feisty
Farmers from across the state filled the Town Hall and Victorian Nationals leader Danny O’Brien coped the brunt of their frustrations as he said his party would “reconsider” the projects, rather than stop them. Met with what could only be described as an uproar and pure rage, the crowd wasn’t having a bar of it.
TENSIONS surrounding proposed renewable projects across the Wimmera and Mallee boiled over last Thursday as local farmers and community members made their stance clear.
What was meant to be a listening post for Nationals politicians in St Arnaud last week turned nasty as a then fence-sitting stance on controversial projects like VNI West, mineral sands angered the public.
Farmers from across the state filled the Town Hall and Victorian Nationals leader Danny O’Brien coped the brunt of their frustrations as he said his party would “reconsider” the projects, rather than stop them.
Met with what could only be described as an uproar and pure rage, the crowd wasn’t having a bar of it.
“We don’t want you to reconsider it, stop dancing around it and just stop it,” Wycheproof resident Jodie Munro-Ford said in response.
When Federal Nationals leader Matt Canavan tried to assure attendees he would “fight for them”, the crowd responded again with a “no you won’t”.
“Stop talking and start doing,” one person shouted.
But underneath it all, and the message that did ring loud and true was that they just want one thing, to do what they’ve always done - just farm.
“Have a good look at this crowd and what they have to do to have their message heard,” Birchip farmer Julie Weir said. “We should be out on the tractor, but we’re victims of politicians. My daughter has come home on the farm and is now questioning if that’s the right decision.”
Mr O’Brien said he had supported farmers at a number of events across the state, including a forum in Horsham, but the crowd wasn’t having it.
“Yes you were at two functions, but you let us down those two times,” one member responded.
Mallee MP Anne Webster, who organised the forum with Mr O’Brien, Mr Canavan and Victorian deputy leader Darren Chester, assured residents they were here to listen and take the feedback on board. Another concern raised by the crown included the potential for a One Nation candidate in the seat of Ripon. “We have no interest in deals with Pauline,” Mr Canavan said.
Read More: St Arnaud