People Power Victoria political party update

Posted on May 29, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Following the announcement of the formation of Victoria’s newest political party ‘People Power Victoria – No Smart Meters’ (PPV) we were inundated with membership applications. Within the first few weeks we were receiving an average of 150 membership applications per week, and thus once we passed the 500 members mark (after only 4 weeks!) we lodged our application to formally register as a party with the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC).

As part of the registration process, PPV members have received a letter this week from the VEC requesting they confirm their party membership. All members will need to tick the appropriate boxes and send the form back in the supplied reply paid envelope.

It is imperative that members respond promptly by mailing back their confirmation as soon as possible. Failure to return confirmation forms to the VEC may result in our party’s registration being unsuccessful.

Once the party is officially registered, applications will open for members interested in running as candidates for PPV in the forthcoming Victorian elections. But firstly, all members will need to promptly send back their completed forms to the VEC.

Our membership drive is proving to be an overwhelming success, and pending confirmation responses from our members, PPV should be registered by the end of June.

We aim to continue to grow the membership base and request that you help in this regard by encouraging you (if you haven’t done so already) and your family and friends to also become members so we become a party with significant membership leading up to the November Victorian elections.

Thank you to all!

peoplepowervictoria.org.au

Related to: https://stopsmartmeters.com.au/2014/03/28/people-power-victoria-no-smart-meters-the-emergence-of-a-new-political-party/
https://stopsmartmeters.com.au/2014/04/10/people-power-victoria-no-smart-meters-party-to-contest-the-next-state-election-herald-sun-leader/

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

Smart meter concerns – La Trobe Valley Express

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Dozens gathered outside of Energy and Resources Minister Russell Northe’s Morwell office on Friday protesting to stop the roll-out of smart meters before a health audit is completed.

Stop Smart Meters Australia rally spokesperson Trevor Bridges said Mr Northe had announced an independent audit of smart metres to determine health risks associated with the devices in January this year.

“We have heard nothing since,” Mr Bridges said.

“At the very least the smart meter roll-out should cease until the health audit is completed.”

Mr Bridges said Mr Northe refused to speak to anyone regarding the issue, despite the continued roll-out of smart meters across the state.

He said there were increasing reports of adverse health effects from the “pulsing, microwave emitting, smart meter transmissions”.

A State Government spokesperson said a new technical study had been commissioned to “confirm” the electro-magnetic fields from smart metres continue to fall well within the national radiation standards set by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.

“The new round of testing will update previous studies and help build community confidence in the safety of smart meters,” the spokesperson said.

“The department is making preparations for the commissioning of this study and details will be released as and when they are available.”

Via: http://www.latrobevalleyexpress.com.au/story/2306514/smart-meter-concerns/?cs=1462

Footage of the Stop Smart Meters Australia (SSMA) Morwell branch rally at Minister Russell Northe’s Office in Morwell: 

Via: Punitive Power and the ‘smart meter’ TYRANNY Part 2

Related to: https://stopsmartmeters.com.au/2014/03/26/sofias-story-punitive-power-and-the-smart-meter-tyranny/

                  https://stopsmartmeters.com.au/2014/05/25/local-smart-meter-rally-at-minister-northe-office-but-where-was-he/

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , , , , | 31 Comments

Local smart meter rally at Minister Northe’s Office. But where was he?

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Stop Smart Meters Australia (SSMA) Morwell branch organised a rally on Friday 23rd May at Minister Russell Northe’s Office in Morwell.

At this rally, SSMA representatives from Morwell and surrounding areas demanded that:

  • People whose health is affected by smart meter radiation immediately have the communication card removed from their smart meter (the wireless component of the smart meter).
  • Minister Northe direct United Energy to reconnect Sofia Telemzouguer’s power. Sofia and her daughter have been living without electricity for three months as United Energy reneged on an agreement to install a manually read digital meter.  In his convenient absence, a copy of a petition was handed to Minister Northe’s Office. See: https://stopsmartmeters.com.au/2014/04/07/petition-to-reconnect-sofias-power/

In January this year, responding to rising concerns by the Victorian community, the former Minister for Energy and Resources announced an independent audit of smart meters to determine health risks associated with these devices.

Mr Trevor Bridges, spokesperson for the Morwell branch of SSMA said “We have heard nothing since”.  At the very least the smart meter roll-out should cease until the health audit is completed.“

“The current Minister for Energy and Resources, the Hon. Russell Northe, refuses to meet and speak to anyone regarding this issue, despite the fact that, as the rollout of smart meters continues around the state, an increasing number of people are reporting adverse health effects from the pulsing, microwave emitting smart meter transmissions. “

Mr Bridges continued “Mr Northe has also refused to meet or acknowledge that a number of people in his electorate have been suffering as a result from the pulsing microwave emitting smart meters.  Such people have a number of medically documented symptoms, including headaches, insomnia, tinnitus, dizziness, blurred vision, and heart palpitations.

News footage of the rally can be found at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=PvCjcdwCWkc

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , , | 38 Comments

SP AusNet Vic smart meter rollout delayed indefinitely

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

AMI systems struggling under load.

The rollout of 714,000 smart meters in Victoria by power distributor SP AusNet has once again been set back after the company hit issues dealing with the increased load on its metering systems.

The Victorian government mandated the installation of smart meters in every household and small business across the state in 2006. Existing meter replacement started in 2009 and was to be completed by the end of 2013.

SP AusNet, alongside the state’s four other electricity distribution providers, is responsible for the rollout.

The company last year indicated its portion of the rollout, which was initially scheduled for completion by the end of 2013, would take six months longer than planned.

In its full year 2014 results released today the power distributor revealed it has been forced to push back its June 2014 deadline as well, as a result of issues with its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) systems.

The AMI system facilitates automated communication between the smart meter and the utility company, in order to provide data to both the company and the customer about energy usage.

SP AusNet has installed 686,000 smart meters so far, but only 390,000 have been converted to run on the AMI systems.

The systems are struggling to deal with the increase in connected smart meters, resulting in periods of “significant instability” across the systems, SP AusNet said in its financial filings.

It told shareholders it was conducting a technical review of the IT to address the problem.

“SP AusNet will now undertake further work to determine options and risks to its program to convert the remaining smart meters and to ensure that its AMI systems will be able to deliver the mandated performance consistently at this scale,” it told investors.

The company indicated that additional investment will be required to fix the issue, the value of which is “currently under review”.

It said it would pursue regulatory avenues to recover the additional expenditure, which would be subject to the approval of the Australian Energy Regulator.

Given the ongoing review of the AMI systems, it was not able to provide a completion date or cost for the rollout.

In addition, SP AusNet is struggling against customer refusals and inaccessible sites as it works to get the remaining 27,000 smart meters installed.

It is “proactively managing” both challenges, the company said.

Via: http://www.itnews.com.au/News/385550,sp-ausnet-vic-smart-meter-rollout-delayed-indefinitely.aspx#ixzz32FqTuTxU

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , | 65 Comments

Victorian Minister Russell Northe moves a bill to enable power distributors to charge consumers an additional fee for NOT having a smart meter.

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources Russell Northe recently moved legislation which will enable power distributors to “recover the costs of manual metering services from customers who refuse the installation of a smart meter.”

See pages 1456-1457 in HANSARD: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/daily-hansard/Assembly_2014/Assembly_Weekly_Feb-Jun_2014_Book_6.pdf

It is clearly unethical that consumers who do not have smart meters should be charged both a fee for a smart meter (as currently occurs), plus an additional fee to read their existing meter.

Why should power consumers be charged twice?

It is also quite nonsensical to be charged for a meter reader to come out four times a year when customers could easily provide readings three times a year. This would result in a requirement for a meter reader to only come out once a year, as currently occurs for some customers.

The debate on this bill was adjourned until Wednesday 21 May by Opposition Energy Spokesperson Lily D’Ambrosio.

Will the ALP and Independent Member Geoff Shaw oppose this unethical legislation that aims to ‘double charge’ customers who do not have a smart meter? 

No other state in Australia intends to financially punish electricity consumers for not having a smart meter. Why should Victorians be treated any differently? 

The question logically arises, are Victorian Coalition politicians receiving ‘kickbacks’ to facilitate power distributors to extract even more money from hapless electricity consumers? 

Time will tell whether the Australian Labor Party and Geoff Shaw will stand up for electricity consumers in Victoria or follow the path of the Liberal/National Party towards corporate self-indulgence.

 

A copy of the bill can be found at: Bill 2014 amendment
The Explanatory Memorandum can be found at: 571474exi1

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , , | 107 Comments

Nicola’s nightmare continues….

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Having spent $5,500 to have my chronically ill daughter’s smart meter relocated to her boundary, we have been told that United Energy is going to take 3 weeks to send a truck to complete the half hour work. Nicola’s condition has deteriorated so significantly since the installation of the smart meter on 16th April that we thought we were going to lose her last weekend. Yesterday we ran a lead to a neighbour’s place so she could have her essential service (oxygen) supplied to her. I have removed the fuse of the smart meter and her electricity. Today her nausea and dry mouth symptoms stopped, although her headaches and no sleep continues, however she was in chronic pain from her entire body’s burning sensation. I have no idea what this is, but am guessing it is the radiation hopefully leaving her body.

United Energy have no empathy at all. They do not give a damn who suffers, and they will continue to deny that the smart meter is a health risk for some people. They continue to lie. I feel so very angry and frustrated that this is actually happening and that no one, including politicians and jouranlists, are brave enough to do anything about this.

Geri Johnson, Blairgowrie

Related to: Why is there no provision in Victoria’s smart meter roll-out for people who are sensitive to radiofrequency microwaves?

Posted in Share your story., Smart Meter | Tagged , , , | 28 Comments

“There is a movement happening – and it cannot be stopped” ~ Josh del Sol –

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Why are breakthrough energy technologies suppressed? Are smart meters part of a corporate scam and suppression campaign?

Josh del Sol, creator of Take Back Your Power , discusses how you can help quicken the breakthrough energy technology movement, by simply declining a smart meter on your home, and helping others become aware.

http://stopsmartmeters.org.uk/there-is-a-movement-happening-and-it-cannot-be-stopped-josh-del-sol/

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged | 17 Comments

So it looks like SP AusNet are now accepting that people have a right to refuse….

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

I received a call from SP AusNet this morning requesting approval for installation of a smart meter. I explained to the guy at SP AusNet that in 2011 I was notified that they would be installing a smart meter and would also need to install a wireless antenna to the outside of my house, I said to them in 2011 that I’m not having any external antennas installed on my house and the government smart meter mandate does not say they were fitting aerials, they said they would look into this and get back to me.

Well it’s been 3 years now and they start calling to say they are in the area and would like to install the smart meter, I said to the operator that SP AusNet has not once tried to contact me about this issue so I have locked my meter box and no one will be permitted on my property. He then said that’s ok I will remove you from the smart meter install list and I will be left alone and will not be contacted again.

So it looks like SP AusNet are now accepting that people have a right to refuse and are respecting it. So keep holding these companies off and they will give in, Be strong!

Steve

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , | 95 Comments

Beware South Australia, Smart Meters are coming…..

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

 

http://www.todaytonightadelaide.com.au/stories/smart-meters

 

 

http://www.todaytonightadelaide.com.au/stories/smart-meter-problems

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , | 20 Comments

What is the Smart Grid

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

http://vimeo.com/92900029

 

What is the smart grid? from Alex Donnelly on Vimeo.

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , , , | 27 Comments