The Victorian government has decided that it will not transition to the new national smart meter rule until 2021. The new rule, which is intended to facilitate a market-led deployment of ‘advanced’ meters and metering competition, commences on 1 December in South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.
Delaying implementation of the new rule means that Victorians continue to lack the opt-out rights accorded to other consumers. Small customers (residential or business customers who consume energy below a specified threshold) in the jurisdictions which have adopted the new rule have the right to opt out of having their working meter replaced with a smart meter. In addition, even if these consumers are receiving a new meter for other reasons, the national rule provides that customers who have communicated their refusal in advance will be given a non-communicating smart meter.
The delay in transitioning to the national arrangements means that Victorians are continuing to be treated as second-class citizens.
Although the Victorian government didn’t technically take the step of making smart meters compulsory when it mandated its rollout of smart meters, it instead foisted on power distributors the obligation to use their ‘best endeavours’ to install smart meters at every residence and small business. This approach led to incidences of appalling abuse of human rights, and consumers being falsely told smart meters were mandatory and they had no choice but to accept them or face large fines or power cut-offs. All complete lies!
Some people were bullied by installers into accepting a smart meter. Other installers ignored and ripped down signs that stipulated that a smart meter was not to be installed. Power distributors blatantly sought to mislead consumers as to how often smart meters emitted microwave transmissions in a bid to lull consumers into accepting a smart meter. A number of Victorians took the drastic measure of staying home all day, too frightened to leave their homes, in case an installer came whilst they were out.
Why doesn’t the Victorian Labor government do the right thing and give all Victorians the right to have a non-communicating meter?
For previous posts on this issue, see:
To view the Financial Review’s story on Victoria’s decision to delay transitioning to the national rule, go to Victoria opts out of national rules on smart meters.
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Why delay until 2021 ? Could it be that the Government has signed a 10 year contract with the power companies???? For me it will be 10 years of Government sanctioned torture!
Here is irrefutable proof that smart meters compromise one’s private behavior patterns in their own home
http://www.onzo.com/
Billions are being invested worldwide to rollout Smart Meters, utilities need to find sustainable ways to get a return on this investment. ONZO can help utilities discover new revenue streams whilst creating better propositions for their customers.
“build levels of trust” my @$$
Can’t seem to get around your site, so I’ll just sent a letter to Origin myself.
Thanks
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Is there anything that we wont do for money? We seem to have lost the idea that money was to make life more livable, not turn us all into machines for someone else’s astronomical profits.
Think again. Non communicating smart meters are still smart meters. Once they manage to install these into every home then the legislation will come that the electricity companies can turn them on so they become communicating smart meters. This is just a trick to get them installed and over their first hurdle – being able to install them with no resistance, locked boxes etc from the public. I read in one of your articles that a woman who was having health issues kept on at the electricity company to have the smart meter removed and after harrassing them for some time they said they would change the frequency? so it wouldn’t affect her so much. If this can be done then this means that the electromagnetic signals that these devices put out can be changed. This is more than a push to help the now privatised electricity companies. I wouldn’t be surprised if the electromagnetic signals that the smart meters transmit can be altered and if you are a trouble maker (politically) you could have a sudden heart attack and die. Electromagnetic weapons have been developed that can interfere with a persons own electromagnetic energy causing death. There is a lot more to this push to have these smart meters installed in every home and this is also why the government (both sides Liberal and Labour) have sold of our power stations to private interests – so they will not be the ones responsible and voter back lash will not affect this plan.
This might be of interest regarding the effects of pulsed electromagnetic and magnetic fields on the human body:
“Nervous system manipulation by electromagnetic fields from monitors” from 1997
https://www.google.com/patents/US6506148