NSW accused of politicising history scheme as Labor seats miss out on first round of blue plaques

The NSW government has been accused of partisanship over blue plaque scheme as none of the first 17 markers are in Labor-held electorates. Photograph: JP Offord/REX/Shutterstock

The New South Wales government has been accused of politicising history after announcing the first 17 successful public applications for the state’s new blue plaque scheme.

The $5m program – announced last June – has been modelled on a similar scheme in use across the UK for more than a century to remember notable people and places.