The association has been looking to clarify disputes around ownership of the state’s poles and wires, particularly in rural and regional communities.

Legal advice obtained by the association supports the position that if a landowner bought the pole and wires then it was their responsibility to pay for the maintenance, chief executive Peter Skillern said.

“But the legal advice also supports that if the HEC [Hydro Electric Corporation], or one of the instrumentalities that came after it, then the logical conclusion is that they are responsible,” Mr Skillern said.

“During the 50s, 60s and into the 70s, the HEC actively sought to expand its network for commercial reasons. In doing so, we have many cases where they actually paid for the wires in order to connect people to the network,” he said.

A TasNetworks spokesman said a legal precedent for private ownership of electricity infrastructure was established in 1954.

“The established precedent in those rules is that TasNetworks’ asset ownership and responsibility ends at the point where the powerline extending from TasNetworks’ distribution network is attached to the first pole on private property,” the spokesman said.

This issue becomes more problematic when there is a dispute over who paid for the poles and wires originally.

“In most cases the landowners who own the land today are not the landowners that actually installed the poles and wires – or asked for the poles and wires to be installed – on the property, so you don’t know,” Mr Skillern said.

The association recommends landowners unsure of ownership of poles and wires on their property ask TasNetworks for documentation.

TasNetworks’ spokesman confirmed the organisation worked with landowners on this issue to provide “as much clarity as possible”.