State MP for Bankstown, Tania Mihailuk, has gone into battle for the group after meeting with William Duong from The Triumph Institute and Ena Hoang from Chinchilla Café, who are yet to be compensated for the significant loss in trade caused by the sudden repair works which left most businesses without power.
The unplanned maintenance works were undertaken by Ausgrid at the Plaza for four days from Thursday, October 27, with nearby businesses receiving no prior notification about the works.
The repair works also resulted in green electricity transformer boxes to be placed in front of some business premises, severely reducing accessibility.
“Local businesses in Bankstown are already reeling from the financial impacts of the pandemic, they should not bear the brunt of trading losses caused by unplanned works,” Ms Mihailuk said.
Businesses including Chinchilla Café, having recently renovated their business, were also concerned about the appearance after the repairs resulted in tiles being removed in front of all the shop fronts.
In a Question on Notice, the Minister for Energy and Environment, Matt Kean, confirmed that affected businesses could seek compensation for the unplanned maintenance repairs. However, business owners have informed Ms Mihailuk they are yet to be compensated.
Ms Mihailuk says it is not the first time these businesses have been neglected by the NSW Government.
In a November 2021 speech to the NSW Parliament, Ms Mihailuk criticised the NSW Government for failing to provide any information to the community regarding plans to reinstate or upgrade the Bankstown City Plaza after a fire destroyed a significant portion of the Plaza.
