Ausgrid continues to give fines for corflutes on power poles, issue in east brought to council

By JUSTIN COOPER

With the upcoming NSW state election, electric distributor Ausgrid continues to fine candidates who have attached campaign posters to power poles without permission within the local Waverley council area.  

Ausgrid has reportedly collected approximately $160,000 in candidate and party fines for putting corflutes on restricted areas.   

During the Federal election in May last year, almost 2500 corflutes were removed from power poles and other infrastructure, with candidates being issued fines and strict warnings for the future.

“It’s too dangerous and not worth the risk,” Ausgrid Chief Customer Officer Rob Amphlett Lewis said in a statement in January. 

Waverley Councillors bring issue to attention in eastern suburbs

On Tuesday, March 21, a notice of motion put forward by Liberals Councillors Sally Betts and Will Nemesh requested that Waverley Council warn state election candidates about displaying campaign posters on power poles.  

Participants in the upcoming election were advised by Ausgrid about the illegitimacy of hanging posters or cornflakes on power poles. The motion stated, “Some candidates have ignored Ausgrid’s request for election posters to not be displayed on Ausgrid ‘poles and wires’” within Coogee and Vaucluse. 

The motion requested that Waverley Council appeal to Ausgrid to donate the money from the fines to local charity organisations. However it’s also noted that the legal capacity and choice to donate the collected amount from such fines is a “matter for Ausgrid”. 

“Given the number of signs which have been removed and the money generated from the fines, it would be a kind and appropriate gesture for Ausgrid to donate that money back into the community,” Cr Nemesh said. 

Nemesh said the notification to candidates and parties informed them that “placement of election posters (‘conflutes’) was in breach of the law.”

Furthermore, he called out “Predominantly candidates from the Greens, Labor and some independents” having been caught within Coogee and Vaucluse for in-proper placement of posters. 

Everyone does it?

However during Waverley Council’s discussions on the motion, Labor Councillor Tim Murray announced his vote against the motion as it would be hypocritical.

Stating, “My image has been on many Ausgrid poles over many campaigns.” Cr Murray furthers his point explaining instances involving Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos during their past campaign, where posters on power poles were taken and continued to be plastered by voters after the election. Cr Murray then asked, “Should you be fined or your campaign be fined for that sort of unrequited admiration from voters?” 

Further statements included from Greens Councillor Dominic Wy Kanak, declaring a “less than significant non-pecuniary interest” due to his candidacy in the upcoming election for the seat of Vaucluse and then was not present for further considerations and vote.

The motion was ultimately defeated, with only Councillors Betts, Nemesh, Tony Kay, and Leon Goltsmans in support. 

In January Ausgrid released a statement reminding election candidates to “put safety first ahead of the NSW election campaign.”

The reminder which noted the removal and disposal of any election campaign material would also include a fine to the “offending candidate up to $150 for each poster removed”. Referring to the Electricity Supply Act 1995, The Electoral Act 2017 and Ausgrid’s own policies, that without written consent “prohibit the attachment of material to electricity assets.” 

Furthermore, the statement highlights Ausgrid’s commitment to discourage those planning “to climb a power pole, a substation or any electricity asset.”  

Ausgrid say they will continue to enforce these rules throughout the state election and onwards.