Supply charges are costing up to $550 a year – Herald Sun

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

HOUSEHOLDS are paying up to $550 a year for power before flicking on a switch.

Efforts to save money by using less electricity are being thwarted by new price surges of up to 74 per cent for fixed supply charges, a Victorian energy cost investigation reveals.

“Companies are cranking fixed charges to compensate for falling electricity demand to protect revenue and profit margins,” St Vincent de Paul Society energy expert Gavin Dufty said.

“They also need to pass on the cost of distribution, and government programs such as smart meters and green schemes.”

Electricity bills include a set daily service-to-property charge, which does not change no matter how much you use, and consumption rates that alter depending on use.

The St Vincent de Paul Society’s January review tracked basic “standing offer” supply prices for an average household.

But Mr Dufty said the general cost trends also applied to many customers on market contracts.

Simply Energy’s $552 default charge for the SP AusNet region, up 15 per cent compared with last year, was the overall biggest.

Among the steepest changes were Lumo Energy’s charge in the United Energy network, which surged 74 per cent to $429. Click Energy’s in the CitiPower area climbed 62 per cent to $456.

Origin’s rates rose 7 to 23 per cent depending on location, while AGL’s increased 3 to 19 per cent. EnergyAustralia’s increased 4 to 6 per cent.

Lumo marketing and sales general manager Tim Harrington said its standing offer rises were the first in 18 months and remained competitive.

The “vast majority” of customers were on cheaper market offers.

Click Energy chief Dominic Drenen said: “The increase brings us more into line with the major companies.

“However, Click offers discounts on total bills, unlike most retailers, so overall remains one of the most affordable providers”.

The Vinnies report notes supply charges vary significantly between retailers.

“Low consumption households should look for energy offers with a low fixed daily charge,” it advises.

Via: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/supply-charges-are-costing-up-to-550-a-year/story-fni0fit3-1226808985200
Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , | 26 Comments

The Victorian Government continues to disregard the rights and will of tens of thousands Victorians.

Posted on January 18, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Stop Smart Meters Australia has learnt that an amendment has been created to the Victorian Government Gazette Order in Council, Advanced Metering Infrastructure, extending the smart meter mandate beyond 2013.  This new clause, 14AA Continuation of remotely read interval meter rollout, can be found at: http://www.gazette.vic.gov.au/gazette/Gazettes2013/GG2013S439.pdf#page=2

14AA.2 Continuation of Rollout states:

“Subject to clause 14.3 and to the extent practicable, commencing from 1 January 2014 each distributor must use its best endeavours to install a complying remotely read interval meter for all of the metering installations for customers with annual electricity consumption of 160 MWh or less for which it is the responsible person on 31 December 2013 and for which there was not a complying remotely read interval meter as at 31 December 2013.”

Distributors are required to report to the Victorian government on or before 31 March 2014 the number of installations which were outstanding as of 31 December 2013.

Obviously the so-called Liberal Victorian government is keen for power distributors to continue bullying and threatening residents to accept and pay for meters they do not want nor need! 

Stop Smart Meters Australia reminds everyone that people cannot be forced to accept a smart meter against their will and conscience, and that there is no law which stipulates people have to accept a smart meter.  Power distributors only need to use their “best endeavours”.

This means we all need to continue to demand our rights, and, most importantly, those with analogue meters need to continue to defend them!

With the blessing of the Napthine Government, expect power distributors to continue their threats and bullying tactics – and remember, keep your meter box locked!

Enough is enough, it’s time to raise the stakes.  The government should no longer be able to get away with this, and with an Opposition siding completely with the government, it’s time to hit them where it hurts – the ballot box.

Stay tuned – as a response to growing public concern with how the Victorian public are being treated by essential service corporations and government departments, and in particular their disdain towards customer’s rights to cost-effective, safe, and privacy-protected services, a new political force is being created to fight for the human and democratic rights of all Victorians.

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , | 83 Comments

Victorian Government looks at ‘double dipping’

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

The [Victorian] government has signalled its intentions to charge consumers refusing smart meters extra for the privilege of retaining their existing meter. Industry sources predict this will be $120 to $150 per annum. Isn’t this double dipping? We all have been paying for smart meters since the beginning of 2010, whether or not we have one. The Auditor-General’s 2009 report slammed Victoria’s smart meter rollout. Nothing much has changed. Why should consumers be punished for the government’s (past and present) and the power distributors’ poor decisions? We were never consulted. In the meantime, thanks to the special status which Victoria’s privatised power distributors enjoy, it’s the customer who always pays.

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , | 49 Comments

The Chinese Government is now a major player in Victoria’s electricity distribution businesses

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

The Chinese Communist regime, through the government-owned State Grid Corporation of China, recently completed its purchase of a 19.9 per cent interest in Australian-listed SP AusNet and a 60 per cent stake in the privately held Jemena business. This was approved by the Federal Liberal Government.  See:  http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/chinese-firm-acquires-sp-ausnets-stake/story-e6frg9df-1226794608150#

The Chinese Government and its interests are now the major player in Victoria’s electricity distribution businesses.

According to Amnesty International, an estimated 500,000 people are currently enduring punitive detention in China without charge or trial, and millions are unable to access the legal system to seek redress for their grievances. Harassment, surveillance, house arrest, and imprisonment of human rights defenders are on the rise, and censorship of the Internet and other media has grown. Forced killings of unborn babies and repression of minority groups, including Tibetans, Uighurs and Mongolians, Falun Gong practitioners and Christians who practice their religion outside state-sanctioned churches is prevalent. More people are executed in China than in the rest of the world put together.

It is astonishing that our Federal and State Governments have no concerns whatsoever that an essential service such as Victoria’s electricity grid is now majority owned by a foreign government and its interests that have the world’s worse human rights abuses.

See below a breakdown of foreign ownership of Victoria’s power distribution companies, along with the approximate electricity customer base.  United Energy is the only Victorian distributor controlled by Australian interests (Duet Group, its main owner, is managed jointly by AMP Capital investors Limited and Macquarie Funds Group).

Summary of Foreign Ownership

CitiPower 310,000 customers 51% owned by Cheung Kong group of companies
Powercor 700,000 customers 51% owned by Cheung Kong group of companies
Jemena  ‘over’   300,000 customers 60% owned by State Grid Corporation of China (and 40 % owned by Singapore Power)
United Energy   600,000 customers Duet Group, an Australian Stock Exchange listed company, owns 66% (and 34% owned by Jemena).
SP AusNet 641,000 customers 31.1% owned by Singapore Power and 19.9% owned by State Grid Corporation of China.

 
Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , , , , , , | 42 Comments

Victorian smart meter mandate concludes

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

With the commencement of the New Year, the Victorian Government’s mandate for power distributors to forcibly and ruthlessly install smart meters has concluded.

Correspondence from the Office of the Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister Kotsiras, has acknowledged that two electrical metering systems in Victoria will remain – thus divulging that smart meters are in fact NOT compulsory.

However, because approximately 150,000 households/small businesses have yet to have smart meters installed, be assured that power distributors and government authorities will still try to dupe people to believe that smart meters are compulsory.

The fight is not over, but our success is largely due to people like you, members of Stop Smart Meters Australia and our numerous website followers, that have stood up to corporate and government bullying.  Thank you for all your support, and special thanks for those who have used the media to spread our message; that due to financial costs, safety, health and privacy issues, Victorians like residents in every other Australian state should have the freedom to voluntarily ‘opt in’ to the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) program rather than being threatened and sometimes verbally abused for not accepting a device one does no need nor want.

Here are four examples of radio interviews aired over the past few months. They give a very good summary of the issues of why many Victorians will not accept a smart meter.

https://soundcloud.com/3mdr-97-1fm/sonja-rutherford-26th

https://soundcloud.com/3mdr-97-1fm/sonja-rutherford-smart-meters

https://soundcloud.com/3mdr-97-1fm/10th-october-2013-maureen#t=0:29

http://ondemand.rrr.org.au/grid/20131213111959

 

Not satisfied with the abuse already inflicted on the democratic and human rights of many Victorians, it is believed that the Victorian Napthine Government is looking at introducing new regulations to extend the smart meter mandate to after 2013.

Will the Government ever learn?  With an election year coming up, they may be sorry…..

Happy New Year everyone!!

 

 

 

 

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , , , , , , | 79 Comments

Petitions to rollback smart meters

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

You are invited to join Ted’s petition on Change.Org to rollback smart meters:
https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp-and-prime-minister-of-australia-tony-abbott-stop-installing-smart-meters-and-remove-installed-ones

And while you are at it, if you haven’t already signed Fiona’s petition against smart meters, then please do so:
http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/government-power-companies-people-are-being-forced-from-their-homes-give-us-a-choice-to-remove-refuse-the-smart-meter

Posted in health risks, Smart Meter | Tagged , , , | 21 Comments

Farewell Steve and thank you!

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

“Without health life is not life; it is only a state of languor and suffering, an image of death.”    Buddha

This will be a different Christmas for Steve Weller and his family; they won’t be in Melbourne with their family and friends, but will instead be in Queensland, learning to adapt to the hot, humid weather, learning that there is no going back. Steve’s two children will visit Seaworld and other theme parks, something Steve and his wife have promised their young primary school aged son and daughter in an attempt to distract them from the shock and grief of leaving behind all their friends, teachers, school and home – forever. There is only one reason this family has to leave the state and relocate to Queensland: WIRELESS SMART METERS. Since smart meters were rolled out in his street, Steve has developed sleep problems, headaches and other symptoms, which have made his life a misery. Shielding has helped to some degree, but he has effectively become a prisoner in his own home. Our Victorian Government has been informed about Steve’s predicament and has done NOTHING to help him. He and his family have been driven out of this state by an uncaring Government.

Steve and his family’s leaving will mean nothing to Dr Napthine and his ministers – for every family that leaves, another will come to Victoria. But this is not a numbers’ game. Steve and his family are NOT replaceable, they are unique individuals, Victorians that belong here, contributors to our community. His and his family’s forced departure will diminish us all as a society and will condemn this Victorian Government for having ‘mandated’ the dismantling of liberty, compassion and respect for human rights, values which should be an accepted part of Australian society.

After becoming sick from exposure to wireless smart meters, Steve, who has a degree in microbiology and biochemistry, researched wireless smart meters and the biological effects of wireless technologies for more than two years. He has written a number of blogs (see below) and his contributions have been incredibly helpful to our cause and to many individuals who have been similarly affected. His gentle and patient persistence, together with his ability to understand and clearly articulate scientific concepts, have meant that he has been able to be heard by some in the scientific and regulatory departments, such as ARPANSA and ACMA. Thank-you Steve, for all you have done and for being a great Victorian and a good friend to many involved with the Victorian branch of Stop Smart Meters Australia Inc. We all dream of a day when justice will be restored and the entire wireless smart grid will be switched off in this state. Then, maybe, you and your family will return and we will all be allowed to live free from adverse health effects from smart meters, free from worries and concerns about the long term effects on our children and grandchildren and then, perhaps, we’ll all be happy and proud to see Victoria flourish once again.

Steve has recently completed a report titled ‘Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) – A Personal Case study’. Click here to read full report: A personal EHS Case Study – final

Here are the links to Steve’s other blogs:

Letter of the week

Smart meter health issues real or psychosomatic?

Taking a stand part 1– Letter to Powercor

Taking a stand part 2 – Letter to ARPANSA

Taking a stand part 3 – Questions to ARPANSA

Taking a stand part 4 – ARPANSA RF Standards rock solid or a house of cards?

Taking a stand part 5 – ACMA making money at the expense of public health

Taking a stand part 6 – When health issues are not the responsibility of a health department – how bizarre!

Taking a stand part 7 – Reciprocal Buck Passing – No Care, No Accountability and No Responsibility

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , , , , , , , | 72 Comments

Smart water meter “trials” have commenced!

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

While technology for water smart meters has been around for a number of years, its seems that the number of “trials” is dramatically increasing around Australia.

This Fact Sheet from the Australian Water Association provides a good summary of smart water meters: Smart Water Meters

Sydney Water needs to be commended for requesting signed permission to install water smart meters for their trial.  See: dd_052935.

Yet South East Water doesn’t request such permission, and conveniently fails to use the word “smart” or “wireless” in describing it new digital water meter.  A phone call to South East Water has confirmed that their digital meters are in fact wireless digital smart meters.   Clearly, with the Victorian community’s backlash against electricity smart meters, South East Water has chosen to avoid the word “smart” or “wireless” to make their new digital meters more palatable to their customers.

See: FAQs for digital water meters

Perhaps is is about time essential services companies operating in Victoria take a leaf from their interstate colleagues and show more respect for their customers’ rights.  The aggressiveness and stealth by which many essential services companies in Victoria are installing smart meters is beyond comprehension, and borders on deception and bullying, and in many cases, crosses such borders.

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , , , , , | 26 Comments

Victoria’s electricity prices rise more than NSW and South Australia – Herald Sun

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

VICTORIA faces higher electricity price rises than New South Wales and South Australia, despite the state being touted as the world’s most competitive retail market.

And the average householder is being slugged almost $250 a year to cover the cost of environmental policies.

Federal and state “green schemes” such as the carbon tax, renewable energy and energy efficiency targets and solar subsidies now account for about one-fifth of Victorians’ electricity bills.

An Australian Energy Market Commission report reveals residential “market offer” power prices are expected to climb an average 4.3 per cent a year between now and 2014-15 before dropping an average 4.9 per cent in 2015-16.

The AEMC mainly blames previously approved electricity distribution charges for the delay in cost relief in Victoria.

The state’s overall price trend, averaged across the three years, is for prices to rise less than inflation at 1.3 per cent annually.

In NSW and SA, prices are expected to decline an average 0.7 and 0.9 per cent.

Energy Minister Nicholas Kotsiras said the typical $1285 annual bill for Victorian families was still less than the $1810 in NSW and South Australia’s $1564.

Consumers who shopped around could save significantly.

The report says retailers have different wholesale energy purchase costs depending on contracts with suppliers.

It also notes Victoria’s retailers have additional costs due to the smart meter rollout and higher customer switching rates.

The AEMC report is based on current policies, which means it doesn’t include the effect of removing the carbon tax.

It does, however, factor in moving to a floating carbon price.

Via: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/money/cost-of-living/victorias-electricity-prices-rise-more-than-nsw-and-south-australia/story-fni0cp8i-1226782888212

 

Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , | 25 Comments

Watch out Western Australia – Western Power Proposes Smart Meters!!

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Stop Smart Meters Australia
Excerpt from their Smart Grid Proposal for Western Australia “ELECTRICITY NETWORKS CORPORATION” (“WESTERN POWER”) online document:
http://www.erawa.com.au/cproot/9955/2/20111007%20-%20D76321%20-%20Access%20Arrangement%20Information%20-%20Appendix%20R%20-%20Smart%20Grid%20Proposal.PDF
 

“We have a unique opportunity to minimise the costs and maximise the benefits of rolling out smart meter technology because of the need to replace the “non-compliant  meters”. This program will result in around one third of our meter population being ‘smart’ by the end of the AA3 period.”

Is this another ploy calling our old analogue meters “non compliant”? Compliant to what standards?

Here we go again….
Posted in Smart Meter | Tagged , , , | 35 Comments