Thursday, 27 February 2025

Ausgrid warns candidates against posters on power poles

Ahead of the 2025 federal election, Ausgrid is asking candidates not to attach campaign posters or corflutes to power poles or any electrical assets, warning it poses a safety risk and can interfere with electrical work.

Ausgrid will remove and dispose of any election materials on its infrastructure, as well as pursue cost recovery from candidates.

Ausgrid Group Executive Safety, Delivery & Operations, Sam Sofi, said the practice of attaching posters to poles is both dangerous and against the law.

"We realise political passions run deep, but please put your safety first and don’t attach campaign material to Ausgrid power poles,” he said.

“As well as being illegal, attaching posters to power poles poses many risks to those people and can result in significant costs for removal and repair.

"Beyond the immediate safety hazards, removing these posters diverts our crews from essential maintenance and can impact the reliability of supply for all our customers.

“We understand the passion and energy that comes with an election campaign, but safety comes first.

“We urge all candidates to respect the integrity of our network and allow us to focus on keeping communities connected.”

Ausgrid's network standards, in conjunction with the Electricity Supply Act 1995, the Electoral Act 2017, and the Graffiti Control Act 2008, explicitly prohibit the attachment of materials to electrical assets.

Candidates are strongly encouraged to explore alternative and safe advertising methods that avoid endangering themselves or the public.

To report any campaign posters or materials attached to Ausgrid power poles, please use the graffiti reporting form available at: ausgrid.com.au/graffiti.