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MID-North Coast communities from Stroud to Lansdowne owe Burrell Creek farmer Bruce Robertson a debt of gratitude, federal MP Rob Oakeshott says. Mr Robertson, the Lyne MP said, and The Manning Alliance have played a big part in TransGrid’s decision to abandon a major upgrade of its transmission line. Mr Oakeshott said he had no doubt the state-owned electricity corporation would have gone ahead with its unsightly and unnecessary 330,000 volt transmission line had it not been for Mr Robertson and group. TransGrid has issued a statement that it would stop all work on the project because its latest forecasts revealed the upgrade would not be required for some time. “This is exactly what Mr Robertson and The Manning Alliance have been telling TransGrid since the massive upgrade was proposed,” Mr Oakeshott said. “And when Mr Robertson accused them of gold-plating – overspending on poles and wires to earn a bigger rate of return on their investment - the $10 billion electricity sector tried to sue him. “It has been an extraordinary David and Goliath battle that has resulted in a win for everyone who lives, works or farms along the Stroud-to-Lansdowne corridor. “The Alliance’s research work and lobbying, which convinced me to introduce a Private Member’s Bill to try to curtail the single biggest component of our power bill increases – goldplating, has paid massive dividends, although not the kind the state government was hoping for. “The community’s voice has been heard because of the hard work of a beef farmer from Burrell Creek and a community group based in Wingham,” Mr Oakeshott said. “Well done Bruce, the Alliance’s chairman Peter Epov and the entire Alliance team.”

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