Tough new penalties including five-year prison terms await contractors in NSW who interrupt the electricity and gas supply. Legislation for the stiff measures follows a series of power failures in Sydney's central business district in March and April. It includes fines of up to $22,000 for individuals and $440,000 for corporations who fail to take adequate measures to avoid cutting into power cables or gas lines when digging.
The legislation, which passed the upper house this week, puts the onus on the contractor, not the company, to ensure cables and pipelines are not cut. The city's main electricity supplier, EnergyAustralia, has admitted it may be months before new equipment is installed to reduce the possibility of further large power failures.
In response, the Government has introduced a "dial before you dig" telephone service for contractors to check on cables in the area they plan to excavate. They face five years' jail if they cut power or gas supplies.
However, you would think that such digging activities should in many cases require a local government permit. Wouldn't the logical response be to have an integrated permitting process involving both local government and all agencies that have infrastructure that may be impacted - electricity, gas, water and telecommunications?
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