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News.com.au
2 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Randwick Council votes to consider ban on election corflutes on power poles
A local Sydney council has voted to consider a total ban on election corflutes on all public infrastructure, citing 'visual pollution' and a perceived 'impost on campaigns' for the move. Randwick Council voted 9-5 on Tuesday night to pass a motion from Greens councillor Masmoomeh Asgari for council staff to report on reducing election waste material and banning corflutes on council property, including parking poles. 'In the past three years we have had two federal elections, a state election and a local government election and in each case large amounts of waste have been produced in the form of corflutes and paper (how-to-votes and flyers) in order to inform voters about candidates, their policies and how they should vote,' the motion states. 'Corflute waste is a particular issue in Randwick. Ausgrid have banned them on telegraph poles, so the main display structures are council's parking poles and the like. 'This annoys residents due to the visual pollution, the inconvenience of placement and the litter, including from plastic ties. 'Informing voters is essential in a democracy but it's time to investigate how this can be done with less waste.' The potential ban follows a burst of corflute controversy in the May 3 federal election, including furious debate over where exactly corflutes are permitted. Footage of federal independent MP Monique Ryan's husband Peter Jordan pulling down a corflute of Liberal challenger Amelia Hamer went viral on social media during the heated Kooyong contest in Melbourne. The footage shows Mr Jordan walking away with the Hamer placard, with a Liberal Party supporter pursuing him. Mr Jordan claims the sign had been illegally placed on public land. 'I'm taking the sign down … it's on public land … I'm not saying who I am,' Mr Jordan says in the video. Responding to the kerfuffle, the Australian Electoral Commission said it did not regulate the placement of political signage. 'Signage on public land is generally a matter for local council,' the AEC said. Later, Mr Jordan apologised for the blow up. 'I unreservedly apologise for removing the sign. It was a mistake,' he said. 'I believed the sign was illegally placed, but I should have reported my concerns to council.' South Australia, meanwhile, has banned corflutes from public roads, trees and poles in state and federal elections. Randwick, which takes in Sydney's eastern beach suburbs, sits within the federal electorates of Wentworth and Kingsford Smith. Liberal councillor Christie Hamilton voted against the motion on Tuesday night, telling NewsWire candidate posters served an important democratic function. 'I don't think we should ban them everywhere,' she said. 'They trigger for people that there is an election coming. It is up to the parties and candidates to do all they can do to put their candidates out there and it needs to be visual. 'It can't just be words on a page, they need to see who the person is. And if they see them on the street, they can come up and talk to them. 'It's part of the democratic process.' Ms Hamilton said Ms Asgari's motion had come about because of Greens anger over their corflutes being taken down during campaigns. 'Everyone gets their corflutes taken down,' she said. '(Liberal Wentworth candidate) Ro Knox had her corflutes taken down. There's nothing you can do about it. 'She (Ro Knox) put up funny stickers saying, 'please don't steal my corflutes'. You try to combat it with a bit of humour.' A report on the motion is expected within six months and Ms Hamilton said that vote on the report's recommendation would be the crucial one to watch for. 'When it comes back with the recommendation, that's when the real fight will start,' she said. 'I don't think Labor (councillors) will do it.'
AU Financial Review
4 days ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
He quit consulting. Now his AI start-up is worth $100m
A Sydney-based artificial intelligence start-up founded by former Boston Consulting Group partner Hanno Blankenstein has raised $17 million from wealthy European investors, in a deal that values the 10-year-old firm at more than $100 million. Unleash Live uses a form of AI known as computer vision to analyse the footage captured by security cameras and drones for customers including Ausgrid, BHP, Transport for NSW, and Alcoa to spot hazards and improve productivity.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Tradie critically injured on a cherry picker in Randwick
A tradie has been rushed to hospital in a critical condition after being electrocuted while operating a cherry picker in Sydney. The man went into cardiac arrest after coming into contact with power lines on Darley Road in Randwick just before 2pm on Wednesday. It's understood the man, who is aged in his 40s, is an employee of Ausgrid. After the tradie came into contact with the power lines, his co-workers brought him down to the ground and commenced CPR. Paramedics took over CPR on the tradie at the scene before he was rushed to St Vincent's Hospital. Several Randwick residents are currently without power following the incident. Ausgrid workers are on site attempting to restore power as quickly as possible. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. Police have established a crime scene and are looking into how the tradie came into contact with the power lines.
News.com.au
18-05-2025
- Climate
- News.com.au
Millions brace as severe weather smashes NSW Central Coast, Sydney
Trees have been torn up, roads are closed, and thousands remain without power as heavy rain and blistering winds rip through Sydney and NSW's Central Coast. Emergency services and SES crews have been deployed across the city, with more than a month's rain expected to smash parts of the state within just days. The NSW SES received more than 350 calls through Sunday night, including 60 calls in metro Sydney as trees were ripped up and strewn across streets, as residents faced leaking rooves and other damage to their properties. The SES were called to Taronga Rd in Terrey Hills after a large tree fell and landed on a car, requiring crews to clear the tree and roadway. 'There were seven flood rescues overnight - all of these were in Northern NSW, particularly in Gosford and Wyong, for people driving vehicles into floodwaters,' an SES spokesman told NewsWire. 'Everyone (was) retrieved safely.' A tree has brought down power lines on Peronne Ave in Clontarf, with residents urged to stay at least 8m away from the wreckage as Ausgrid and emergeny services work to restore power. More than 2200 people are currently without power across Sydney and the Central Coast. Hundreds of people have been impacted in Sydney suburbs Allawah, Beacon Hill, Frenchs Forest, Narraweena, and Oxford Falls. Nearly 800 have been impacted in Kincumber and Macmasters Beach. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe weather warnings for parts of the Mid North Coast, Hunter region, and Sydney, with blistering winds reaching speeds in excess of 100km/h in the Hunter and Mid North Coast. The Bureau's senior meteorologist Angus Hines said while the rain was starting out 'quite patchy and intermittent', conditions ramped up on Sunday evening and more than 100mm of rain smashed the Central Coast, including 121mm in Wyee and 117mm in Dora Creek. The heaviest falls in Sydney have been in the city's north, with 70mm recorded at Wairunga and 62mm in Pearl Beach. The wild weather is expected to stick around for several days, with heavy rainfall and dangerous surf conditions stretching from the Newcastle to Port Macquarie districts. 'A weather system over the Hunter region is forecast to move north to the Mid North Coast today (Monday), bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds to the coast,' an SES spokesman said. 'This will linger along the coast for several days, bringing sustained heavy rainfall. 'Isolated falls of up to 180mm in 24 hours are possible, and could cause significant flash flooding.' There's no end in sight for the wet weather, Mr Hines said, with rain and dangerous winds and surf conditions expected until Saturday. 'It will be a prolonged period of wet weather for NSW and it's rain expected to fall across the same regions for several days in a row,' he said. 'Having that much rain three or four days in a row can lead to significant flood impacts (and) road closures.' The ongoing rain has already triggered flash flooding, including the Wakehurst Parkway between North Narrabeen and Oxford Falls and The Esplanade in Narrabeen, which have both been closed due to flash flooding. 'Never drive through floodwater, avoid the area, use an alternative route.'
ABC News
18-05-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Severe Weather Warning for Mid North Coast, Hunter, Northern Tablelands and North West Slopes and Plains forecast districts
The State Emergency Service advises that people should: * Don't drive, ride or walk through flood water. * Keep clear of creeks and storm drains. * If you are trapped by flash flooding, seek refuge in the highest available place and ring 000 if you need rescue. * Be aware that run-off from rainfall in fire affected areas may behave differently and be more rapid. It may also contain debris such as ash, soil, trees and rocks. * After bushfires, heavy rain and the loss of foliage can make the ground soft and heavy, leading to a greater chance of landslides. * Move vehicles under cover or away from trees. * Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard and balcony. * Keep at least 8 metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences. * Trees that have been damaged by fire are likely to be more unstable and more likely to fall. * Report fallen power lines to either Ausgrid (131 388), Endeavour Energy (131 003), Essential Energy (132 080) or Evoenergy (131 093) as shown on your power bill. * Stay vigilant and monitor conditions. Note that the landscape may have changed following bushfires. * For emergency help in floods and storms, ring your local SES Unit on 132 500.
