Power poles: Documentation the key, says TFGA

The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) has now considered at length the Government’s legal advice regarding power pole ownership supplied to it in January this year.

“Having reviewed the advice we concur that when a landowner pays for poles and wires to be installed on their property they remain the property of the landowner, and as such they are responsible for maintenance and replacement,” TFGA CEO Peter Skillern said.

 “The TFGA however concludes from the advice that poles and wires installed and paid for by the HEC or any of its successors are and remain the property and responsibility of those entities.” 

Mr Skillern said that the TFGA was aware of many instances where this had occurred.

 “As a result, we are now advising all landowners to seek from TasNetworks the documentation relative to the original installation of poles and wires on their property. 

“If you are not the original landowner then clearly you will not have such records, however the TFGA expects that, given TasNetworks’ detail assets register, it should be able to provide the relevant information to landowners.” 

The TFGA has called for any landowner, unsure of the status of their poles and wires, to immediately seek documentary confirmation from TasNetworks of the original installation costs of the poles on their property.