This power pole is so decayed you can see through it. And it is just metres from the rotted pole that snapped and started one of the St Patrick’s Day bushfires that devastated the region earlier this year.
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As temperatures soar across Australia, The Sisters dairyfarmer Jill Porter says Powercor has left her family at risk, again.
The see-through pole is just two down from the pole on the Sparrow Spur feeder line which snapped and caused The Sisters/Garvoc fire in March, which tore through the Porters’ farm.
Powercor says it's checked all the poles in the district.
Mrs Porter said while Powercor has assured her there has been a complete review of its power infrastructure around The Sisters, she is questioning the effectiveness of those check systems.
"I took the pictures because I don't trust Powercor. They said they had checked everything," she said.
"They have left me, my family and my community at risk and that's not acceptable.
"It's like having a lit match on my backdoor step."
Mrs Porter claimed that it was cheaper for Powercor to run the infrastructure to failure, and pay for the odd bushfire, than to maintain the system.
Mrs Porter said that pole two on the line was see-through and pole 16 was in a similar state of disrepair.
"Profits are coming before the safety of the community. Clearly we have to question the Powercor processes, maintenance and testing regime," she said.
"How do they test? These poles were checked in November 2017 as was pole four. That doesn't give me a lot of confidence.
"My community and I have been assured everything has been checked, repaired and replaced where necessary and is now safe."
Mrs Porter said the Black Saturday Royal Commission made a number of recommendations in relation to electrical assets.
Recommendation 29 was that Energy Safe Victoria require distribution businesses to review and modify their practices for the training and auditing of asset inspectors to ensure that registered training organisations provide adequate theoretical and practical training for asset inspectors.
"Our inspections of the poles around our farm show that the testing regime is simply not working," Mrs Porter said.
"There are new technologies which are more accurate and easier to use but those technologies have not been embraced by Powercor.
"The current system is not picking up when there's a problem."
Mrs Porter said pole two was near her neighbour Jack Kenna's home and pole 16 was across the road from her house, at the corner of Dairy Lane and the Terang- Framlingham Road.
"It's outside my kitchen window," Mrs Porter said.
"It doesn't matter which window I look out, I see a rotted pole. It's not a good feeling after the St Patrick's day fires.
"My community has suffered enough. Powercor needs to manage its assets.
"I have a right to to be safe, my community has a right to be safe, my family and every other regional Victorian has the same right."
The dairy farmer said if pole testing was being done it was not working.
"Are the processes up-to-date and involving best practises and technologies? And are the contractors implementing those processes?" Mrs Porter asked.
"If you look at pole four then you would have to think not.
"It's too late when a pole falls down. It's not just about compensation - dollars and cents. Communities are left devastated. There are many things lost that can never be replaced in a bushfire.
"Powercor should be proactive before they create carnage.
"Powercor says 'we didn't know. We've never had a pole break like that before'. But it's their pole, their responsibility, their check systems are clearly not working and there needs to be a complete maintenance system overhaul.”
On November 7 a power line fell at the Porter's farm after it was hit by an ibis.
Member for Polwarth Richard Riordan wrote to Powercor and received a reply from the general manager of electricity networks Steven Neave.
Mr Neave said: "Following the St Patrick's’ day fires in March we inspected all poles and wires in the regions impacted by the fires and replaced a number of assets throughout the region to ensure we are ready for this bushfire season."
Mrs Porter does not agree.