NSW election candidates fined for power pole signs

Ausgrid spokesperson Emma Shanks told 2GB drive host Chris O’Keefe political candidates and now politicians would cop a $150 fine if their campaign signs were left on power poles.

“We took down just over 1700 posters off power poles they were mostly across Sydney parts of the network so the Inner West, Eastern Suburbs, the Northern Beaches,” Shanks said.

“We’re a bit disappointed that we had so many candidates breaking the law and breaking the rules.”

Shanks said candidates have received fines for leaving the signs on power poles.

O’Keefe did the maths and revealed it was about $250,000 worth of fines.

“It’s cost recovery for Ausgrid. It is not cheap for us to do this,” she said.

“The reality is to safely go and do any work near a power pole… we are taking out traffic control, forklifts and all the different material needed to remove these.

“It is a safety issue to have this material on power poles.”

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Shanks said diverting crews to remove the signs is a costly exercise and the company hopes the fines will deter candidates from putting campaign posters on power poles in the future.

“There are so many places you could put this. The candidates electoral guide they get from the commission talks in detail about advertising, how important it is, what they can do and this is one of the things in there – don’t put it on power poles,” she said.

“We’re hoping this will be the last of it.”

Shanks added the fines have gone out and some of them are already overdue.

”No bills have been paid there might be some hope we will let it go due to the nature of the issue,” she said.

If they’re not paid, the company will be taking further action, Shanks warned.

She also warned if candidates are looking to prove whether the signs were on power poles, the crews have taken photos of every sign they removed.