The Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt has confirmed that the proposed Port of Hastings Terminal will be a “controlled action”, which means the project will proceed to environmental assessment under the EPBC Act.
The State Government submitted a modified proposal for the Port of Hastings Terminal for Federal approval with reduced reclamation and dredging in late June this year, after the then-Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek rejected the initial proposal publicly in January 2024.
The project, known as the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal (VRET), was proposed back in 2023 to “develop and operate a facility to serve as a base for the assembly of offshore wind farms” at the Port of Hastings.
According to Bass MP Jordan Crugnale, the “controlled action” decision is a “positive step for Victoria’s offshore wind industry”.
“VRET will be building important infrastructure, supporting local jobs and driving investment and innovation across the Westernport region and Victoria,” she said on her Facebook.
She also noted that this is not project approval to begin construction.
“The next focus is continuing with detailed impact assessments and further refining the project design,” she stated.
“The project must receive approval from both the State and Commonwealth Governments before construction can commence.
“Preliminary assessments found any potential impacts are expected to be small, localised and temporary. The updated referral, published on 25 June 2025, followed 18 months of technical studies and design refinement.
“We’ll continue working with the federal government, industry and our communities as the project moves forward.”
