Inner West snubbed on EV charging station rollout

Tuesday 25 October 2022

The Inner West has missed out on getting even one of the 500 electric vehicle charging stations being rolled out across Sydney and regional New South Wales by the State Government over the next two years.

Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said it was beyond belief that the people of the Inner West had been snubbed by the State Government yet again, noting the number of charging stations earmarked for Coalition or marginal seats.

“How are the people in Artarmon or Longueville more worthy of charging stations than the people in Balmain or Marrickville,” Mr Byrne said.

“This is yet another example of the State Government’s pork barreling and refusal to give the Inner West fair treatment.”

“We were rorted out of millions of dollars due to the Government’s Council grants slush fund in which 95 per cent of grants were funneled to Coalition seats.

“We are the only Council between the CBD and the Blue Mountains to have been prevented from applying for grants from the proceeds of the sale of WestConnex.

“And this year the Government can find $300 million for a stadium in Stuart Ayres’ marginal seat of Penrith but not a cent for Leichhardt Oval.”

“Their petty pork barreling now extends to refusing to allow us any electric charging stations.

“This is a Government desperately trying to hold onto power with the state election just five months away, and they are doing it at the expense of the people of the Inner West.”

The Inner West has led the way by becoming 100% powered by renewable energy and 100 per cent divested from fossil fuels.

“Any fair-minded person can see we are an obvious place for a cluster of electric vehicle charging stations,” he said.

ENDS

For further information please contact Michael Gleeson on 9392 5440.