Landholder Engagement Marinus Link

Marinus Link is committed to working with impacted landholders who will have the proposed Marinus Link electricity interconnector on their properties.

All impacted landholders have been contacted by Marinus Link and allocated a dedicated Land Access Agent.

We recognise the vital role of landholders in enabling transmission projects that support all electricity customers and thank them for their ongoing cooperation.

Surveys on your property

Through our dedicated Land Access Agents, we continue to work directly with landholders to gain access to properties to undertake the required field surveys in locations which are likely to be impacted by the proposed route. These surveys allow us to understand and assess potential impacts and make refinements to the route where necessary.

The most common surveys include:

Ecology surveys to understand the plants and animals in the area
Cultural heritage surveys to determine the presence or absence of Aboriginal and historic cultural heritage values
Geotechnical surveys to understand ground conditions which informs our design and construction approach

Accessing your property

During the Design and Approvals Phase of the project, Marinus Link may implement powers under Section 93 of the Electricity Supply Act 2000 to access private land where it currently does not have access agreements in place.

Marinus Link will continue to work with all landholders to gain agreed access and work within the expectations set out in Section 93 and the ESC’s Code of Practice.

How is survey information used?

The information gathered during these surveys has played a crucial role in shaping the technical reports within our Combined Commonwealth Environmental Impact Statement and Victorian Environmental Effects Statement (EIS/EES).

These documents outline the existing environmental conditions in the project area, potential project impacts, and strategies for minimising and managing these impacts.

Both the Australian and Victorian governments will review these documents, alongside public submissions, to determine project approval.

What does this mean for me?

As per regulatory requirements, the EIS/EES, and all associated technical reports will be put on public display. This allows anyone to view our findings, potential impacts, and proposed mitigation measures, and provide their own feedback during a process known as public exhibition, scheduled from 31 May to 12 July. For more information, visit: marinuslink.com.au/assessment/commonwealth-and-victoria/.

Cultural Heritage

What if Aboriginal cultural heritage is found on my land?

We are required to report any Aboriginal cultural heritage findings to the relevant Traditional Owners and/or Registered Aboriginal Party and the First Peoples State Relations Secretary for registration on the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Register.

We will work with you, Traditional Owners and/or the Registered Aboriginal Party to develop management strategies to avoid and/or minimise project related impacts on Aboriginal cultural heritage. The management strategies will be implemented under the approved Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP) for Marinus Link.

In general, having Aboriginal cultural heritage on your land will not stop existing land use from continuing, though ongoing management will need to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Aboriginal cultural heritage (which includes places and/or objects) are protected by law under the Aboriginal Heritage Act.

Once more details are known about the significance of the Aboriginal cultural heritage on your property, we will work with you and the Traditional Owners and/or Registered Aboriginal Party when developing project related CHMP management conditions. Some examples of management approaches may include the salvage or relocation of Aboriginal cultural heritage, in agreement with you, Traditional Owners and/or Registered Aboriginal Party.

For more information on Aboriginal Cultural heritage click here

Essential Services Commission

The Essential Services Commission regulates Victoria’s energy, water, and transport sectors. The Commission holds the power to grant electricity transmission licences in Victoria.

For more information, visit – Homepage | Essential Services Commission.

What is an electricity transmission licence?

All electricity companies must hold a licence (unless an exemption applies) to generate, transmit, supply or sell electricity in Victoria. Once a licence is granted by the Commission, licence holders have statutory rights and powers to do with the planning, construction, and operation of electricity transmission projects, including powers to compulsorily access and acquire land.

On 20 December 2023, Marinus Link was granted an electricity transmission licence by the Commission. You can view the licence here.

Land Access Code of Practice

The Essential Services Commission issued a Land Access Code of Practice which came into effect on 1 March 2024.

The Code is an enforceable document that sets out the rights and obligations of transmission companies, landholders and stakeholders when transmission companies are undertaking land access and landholder engagement activities.

The Code governs how electricity transmission companies like Marinus Link operate when accessing private land under the Electricity Industry Act 2000 (Vic) (Act), including information that we must provide to landholders.

The key sections of the Code include:

Our obligations prior to accessing land.
Our obligations when accessing land under section 93 of the Act.
Dispute resolution.
Our obligations in relation to record keeping and reporting.

You can access a full copy of the Code here.

The Commission has also published a fact sheet for landholders on the Code and what to expect when an electricity transmission company like Marinus Link proposes to access private land. You can access the fact sheet here.

More information on our procedures and how we comply with the Code can be found here – www.marinuslink.com.au/information-to-landholders.

You can also read more about how our land access activities relate to our field surveys and investigations here.

Landholder and land-access enquiries and complaints  

Marinus Link understands the importance of respectful engagement with landholders, land managers and tenants throughout the lifecycle of the project.  

Marinus Link have a dedicated land access team who are committed to communicating clearly, effectively and collaboratively with landholders and tenants. All landholders and tenants will be allocated a dedicated land agent.  

Marinus Link takes complaints against the project seriously and has a process to address landholder and tenant complaints in a timely manner.   

The steps below outline how landholders and tenants can make an enquiry or complaint. 

How to make a general enquiry or provide general project feedback 

If you have a general enquiry or wish to provide general project feedback, you can submit it through our Contact Us webpage.  

Your enquiry or feedback will be received by a member of the Communications and Community Engagement Team who will reply to you within five (5) business days. 

How to make a landholder or tenant complaint  

If you wish to make a landholder or tenant complaint, please contact your land agent. Alternatively, you can contact a member of the project team on the details below: 

Phone

To speak with a member of our Communications and Community Engagement Team, please call 1300 765 275. 

Online

Please email your complaint to team@marinuslink.com.au or complete the contact form at marinuslink.com.au/contact-us-2. 

By post

Please address your complaint to: 

Head of Communications and Community 
Marinus Link Pty Ltd 
PO Box 606 
Moonah Tasmania 7009 

Helping us to resolve your complaint  

To have your complaint resolved as soon as possible, it is important that you include the following information when you contact us: 

Your details, including your full name, address of the land to which your complaint relates, and best contact phone number, as well as; 
A description of your complaint; 
Any documentation, evidence, or information that you wish to share in support of your complaint;

Any requests or wishes you have for the process and outcome of the complaint.

When will you get a response? 

We are committed to ensuring that complaints are dealt with in an efficient and timely manner.  

Marinus Link will respond to complaints within five (5) business days of receipt, with the aim to resolve in an efficient and mutually beneficial way.  

Where the complaint is complex or requires further investigation, we commit to engaging with the complainant at regular intervals to keep them informed about the progress of their complaint. 

What do we record? 

Your personal information is private and confidential. 

We only record the information we need to investigate your feedback and our responses to you. 

Find more information in our Privacy Policy. 

Land Access Complaints Policy

For more information on Marinus Link’s landholder and land-access enquiries and complaints process, including how to escalate your complaint if you’re not satisfied, please view our Land Access Complaints Policy (.pdf).  

Community Support Services

Marinus Link offers a service to members of the community who are directly impacted by the Marinus Link project and who may be experiencing genuine distress regarding the project and its impact, whether personal or business related. For information on this service, please access the Community Support Services Brochure (.pdf).