By DEAN LAWSON
Outspoken Wimmera anti-Smart Meters campaigner Di Bell believes months of in-depth discussion and debate has failed to unearth any convincing argument that the new household electrical devices are harmless.
Mrs Bell said despite extensive community lobbying, questions regarding the impact of the digital Smart Meters on consumer health, privacy and financial circumstances remained either unanswered or had unconvincing answers.
She said the State Government was pushing ahead with a statewide roll-out of the meters without the benefit of results of substantial long-term research.
Mrs Bell, a member of a national Coalition to Stop Smart Meters, said the Smart Meter introduction program sat somewhere between a contradiction of human and Australian rights and a mandate that was little more than ‘someone’s idea’.
“Through all the toing and froing between consumers, power companies and government departments there remains no satisfactory resolution. Questions being asked more than two years ago simply can’t be answered without long-term research,” she said.
“The impact of electro-magnetic radiation on householders remains unknown and the privacy of individuals also remains an issue. Then there’s the prospect of economic hardship surrounding issues that might emerge when time-of-use tariffs are introduced.
“Of course underpinning it all is the fact that we haven’t been asked. We’ve been told that this is happening regardless of what some of us think.”
Get the full story in the March 22, 2012 edition of The Weekly Advertiser.
via Meter campaigner not convinced by debate | The Weekly Advertiser.
Stop Smart Meters Australia 
O.K.Enough with the S/Meters already! Just who was it that convinced J Brumby to “Blitzkrieg” us into having S/M,s installed? That the democratic way is severely compromised is obvious.The rest of the world,s power behind the scenes dudes are watching us to see if this “do it & to heck with the public,s opinion” form of ENFORCEMENT of OUR POLICY! can be done! NO DUDES,IT CAN NOT! HMMMNN: it did work with the desal plant though,hasn,t it?
I would like to know whether these people i.e. Ted Bailleu, John Brumby, and all the other politicians do they have these smart meters installed in their homes and if not why? If we have had the smart meter installed, what steps can one take to have the smart meter removed and replaced with the old one or the equivalent of the old one. Can anyone advise me on this?
I am in admiration of Di Bell. Had it not been for her ‘heads up’ alerts last year, I may not have had the foresight to contact my power company in writing, advising them I was not granting permission for installation of a Smart Meter.
Thank you Di and keep up the good work!
I was interested in the outcome of the State Election in Victoria because, on promises made by the Coalition, I really thought we would see this brainless and anti-democratic Labor Smart Meter policy binned. How stupid was I! Labor-lite Ted and his team have let Victorians down. Saying the project is too costly to halt is not good enough. What is at stake here is our democratic right to purchase something or not to purchase something. Smart Meters are being forced on us whether we want them or not.
Maintain the rage everyone. I will be!
Of late, there have been reports that most of the Smart Meter explosions have been reported as ‘Sabotage’ by the Power companies concerned. Could this be another way they are still saying they are O/K? Give me your views!
Dear Readers,
I am appalled at both the Victoian Government and the Minister for Power’s cavalier attitude of allowing these so-called Smart Meters still to be allowed to roll out, when so much evidence from Victorian Customers shows a great number of people in Victoria are seriously and adversely medically affected by the Microwave Energy continually broadcast by these Electric Smart Meters.
Any scientific argument needs back-up or proof. This proof of the real dangers or Electric Smart Meters adversely medically affecting both humans and animals is constantly coming in from all over the World. Please see the world’s best and unbiased evidence from the W.H.O or the World Health Organisation, but the Victorian Government and the Victorian Foreign owned Power Companies do not like this Scientific Evidence, so what do they do ? They down-play it and delude themselves. By so doing they insult our intelligence and treat us all as if we are little trusting children. We are not !
When the Victorian Labor John Brumby Government was in power in 2005 the then Shadow Minister Mr Michael O’ Brien M.P for Consumer Affairs, Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources , Shadow Minisiter for Exports and Trade, Shadow Minister for Gaming, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Public Private Parthership, along with the opposition Leader Mr Ted Baillieu kicked up a Terrible Stink. Please see the Internet and Google.
Please see the Liberal Victoria, The NATIONALS Victoria Handbill of the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition Media Realease, Thursday 10th June 2010. ” UPPER HOUSE DEMANDS HALT TO BRUMBY’S SMART METER MESS. ” ( I quote verbatum) It is vitally important to read all of this to appreciate the absolute Hypocrasy of the now Victorian Liberal Government towards the Electric Smart Meters. Whilst in Opposition these Electric Meters were The Very Tools of the Devil Incarnate. But now that the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition is in Power, The Electric Smart Meters have become a figure of respectability to them, or in Modern Parlance…….The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread. I put it to you Gentle Readers ” What Absolute HYPOCRACY ! ”
( I quote verbatum below )
Victorian Lbieral Nationals Coalition Media Realease
Thursday ,10 th June 2010
UPPER HOUSE DEMANDS HALT TO BRUMBY’ S SMART METER MESS
The Legislative Council last night passed a resolution condemning the Brumby Labor Government over its incompetent roll out of smart metrs into every home and small business across Victoria.
All political parties other than Labor in the Upper House joined forces to vote for the motion proposed by the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition, the text of which is attached.
The motion supported the Victorian Coalition’s policy which “calls on the Brumby Government to immediately freeze the roll out of the smart meter program until a full and independent cost-benefit analysis can be underaken to ensure that consumers wil not be worse off as a result. ”
” Every non-government party in the Victorian Parliament has united to condemn John Brumby ‘ s smart meter disaster,” Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources Michael O ‘ Brien said today.
This project has become the Mykie of metering. It is outrageous that families are being asked to pay higher electricity bills for a cost blow out on smart meters they do not have and do not work as the Govenment has claimed they would,” Mr O ‘ Brien said.
The Auditor- General has condemned the Brumby Govenment ‘ s mismanagement of the smart meter program and said there is a real risk that it will unfaily transfer economic benifits from consumers to industry.”
The Minister for Energy and Resourses Peter Batchelor recently conceded that the current cost of the smart meter project to be paid for by electricity users had blown out to at least $1.6 billion, despie the Auditor-Genearal noting that the Government had commenced the programm on the basis off an $800 million costing.
The Legislative Council has now demanded that the Brumby Government freeze its smart meter roll out until an independent cost-benefit analysis can determine if Victorian families are asked to throw good money after bad by continuing this program under its current regime,” Mr O ‘ Brien said.
” Labor ‘s so called smart meters are late,dumb and expensive. John Brumby should listen to the Legislative Council and call an immediate halt to this folly until all the facts can be put on the table.”
Media: Michael O ‘ Brien (03) 9576 1850 or 0417 206 972
Dear Readers,
Please tell me……How is it that when the Victorian Labor Party was in Power in 2005 under Mr. John Brumby that his Smart Meter Policy was a truly Wicked Idea according to the then Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition Government ? Now that the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition Government is now in power under the Premier of Victoria Mr Ted Baillieu and the present Minister for Power Mr. Michael O ‘ Brien it seems that everything about Smart Meters according to these two men and of course the Foreign Owned Victorian Power Companies is Perfect In Every Way, except for the vast majority of Victorian Electricity Customers ?
Methinks that both Mr Michael O ‘ Brien and his Boss Mr Ted Baillieu SPEAK WITH FORKED TONGUE !
Yours faithfully,
Richard Leschen. ( World-wide Researcher on Smart Meters, Mobile Phones, Wi-Fi. )
Exactly Richard, when I was doing a search on Michael O Brian i thought I must be going nuts, I here was he condemning the smart meter rollout of course that was before and now here he is singing its praises, its typical of these false people, no wonder he had to hide under the desk when we wanted to confront him.
Dear Ryan,
You are ” Right on the Money here Pal.” As I said at the end of my letter above…….
Methinks that both Mr Michael O ‘ Brien and his Boss Mr Ted Baillieu SPEAK WITH FORKED TONGUE !
The only way we can win, without being violent ( as that will get us nowhere ) is to educate the people to Lock up their Electricity Meter Boxes and post the Legal No Trespass Signs by order of the Australian Constitution (1900-1901 and still in force ) on their front fences and on their Meter Boxes warning all trespassers that they will be liable for a $167,000 . 00 fine should they be so unwise as to trespass on our property without our written permission. This applies of course to the Smart Meter Installer Men. Please photograph these signs on your front fences and affixed to your Electric Meter Boxes for Legal Purposes = Your possibly having to go to Court.
The Victorian Government and the Electric Power Companies are trying to bully you all into being duped by them to take a so-called Smart Meter against your will and better judgement. I have warned them all Mr Ted Baillieu and Mr Michael O ‘ Brien and The C.E.O. of PowerCor Mr. Shane Breheny with a proper legal registered letters to the following….
If in the future I find a smart Meter has been installed at my property against my will and bettter judgemnt, I will then join the pending class action to SUE ! Remember that we still live in a democracy where no one is allowed to dictate to us.
If any of your friends have not taken the same action as I have, then please get them to do so. I lived through the bombing of London……Second World War and that was truly terrifying. Don’t let these Evil People bamboozle you, please follow my instructions !
Yes I know about Mr Michael O ‘ Brien hiding from our group when they tried to confront him. Actually the facts are that when our group went to meet him at his Electoral Office as pre-arranged, he was nowhere to be found……….How Very Brave !
Well Done Di, you are doing a fanatstic job, thanks on behalf of all of us.