The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) made a draft rule in April that would accelerate the deployment of smart meters in much of Australia.
Stakeholders were encouraged to ‘help shape the solution’ by lodging submissions on the draft rule by 30 May 2024. The AEMC claimed that this would contribute to well-informed, high quality rule changes.
Sadly, this does not appear to be the case.
More than two thirds of the submissions did NOT support an accelerated roll out of smart meters.
Over 100 submissions voiced objections and raised serious safety issues in regard to health and privacy.
Yet, despite this clearly articulated opposition, the AEMC’s Directions paper of 15 August stated that ‘Stakeholders agree that there are benefits from an accelerated rollout, including most importantly benefits to customers from having earlier access to smart meter technology’, citing submissions to the draft determination as being the source for this surprising claim.
As the majority of the submissions objecting to an accelerated roll out of smart meters came from individuals (in other words, the actual stakeholders who will suffer the consequences of the proposed acceleration), does this mean that, yet again, it’s the spin of big business that dwarfs common sense?
Implementation of the Accelerating Smart Meter Deployment draft rule has now been pushed out from the original date slated for early July to 28 November 2024.
This provides a small reprieve for Australians. But for those of us who place safety above profits, it gives cold comfort in the light of the AEMC’s refusal to genuinely engage with members of the community.
The AEMC has not, to-date, made an attempt to publicly address safety concerns that were raised in submissions. Instead, it has elected to only focus on retail tariff issues. Submissions for these were due on 12 September.
Is this a case of the AEMC fiddling whilst Rome burns?
Information on the draft Accelerating Smart Meter Deployment rule change is available at the following link: https://www.aemc.gov.au/rule-changes/accelerating-smart-meter-deployment
Submissions to the April draft rule determination can be accessed by clicking on ‘Draft’ in the ‘Select an option’ box (under Documentation).
Stop Smart Meters Australia’s submission to the April draft rule determination is available here.
SSMA’s previous post on the draft Accelerating Smart Meter Deployment rule can be viewed here.
Stop Smart Meters Australia 
My new smart meter is on the outside of my bedroom wall, about 15 cm from my pillow. Will I develop brain cancer?
Who knows how it will affect you. Everyone’s body is different. A friend who was sleeping in a similar location and didn’t know the meter had been replaced with a smart meter became unwell within days of its installation. Think hair coming out in clumps, urinary incontinence, confusion, nausea etc. Not pretty.
Can’t you move your bed to another room or at least get your head further away? It would be unhealthy to even sleep with your head so close to a non-transmitting meter because of the magnetic fields.
‘Stakeholders agree that there are benefits from an accelerated rollout, including most importantly benefits to customers from having earlier access to smart meter technology’, citing submissions to the draft That is a criminal lie! Distortion of data and essentially fraud!
Quote from a psychology paper,’ People who are heavily invested in a lie will do anything to avoid the lie being exposed’.
Good luck and more power to you trying to stop this bullying but please include damaging health effects from these so-called smart meters.
Too right. It’s a pure lie. Stakeholders did NOT agree.
Maybe the AEMC couldn’t be bothered reading most of the submissions?
The people at the AEMC who are lying should be held accountable.
I hope you have seen the video by Warren Woodward clearly visibly showing how smart meters affect heart rate.
Just in case you haven’t here is a link
Sorry I haven’t got links but I have seen pictures of how smart meters damage plants.
There is zero benefit for the consumer. Installing a smart meter should be an option and not mandatory. As well as the breach in privacy as we are not privy to the myriad of information that is being transmitted, essentially reaching into our homes to monitor appliance usage and control. It is an overreach and should be illegal.