Listen now (25th Feb) as Dean Mighell of the ETU calls for a halt to the Smart meter roll out on 696 3AW

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Dean Mighell of the Electrical Trades Union is calling for a halt to the Smart meter roll out. Listen now on 696 3AW aired on February 25th.

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Exploding smart meters are endangering householders and workers: claim | Herald Sun

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

ENERGY Safe Victoria is investigating claims that exploding smart meters are endangering householders and workers.

The watchdog says companies should review testing procedures after power surges amid revelations of seven recent malfunctions in Pascoe Vale.

Another smart meter was damaged in Noble Park in November.

Details emerged today when a whistleblower claimed there were serious safety concerns about meters blowing up, sparking calls for a rollout suspension.

Distributor Jemena’s managing director Paul Adams denied the claims, saying meters had failed and ‘flashed’ due to a high voltage injection, but did not explode.

ESV director Paul Fearon said all types of meters were potentially vulnerable to damage during power surges.

Pascoe Vale grandmother Brenda, 91, was standing inside her front door watching a worker reconnecting power on Tuesday when suddenly she heard a loud “bang and boom”.

“I thought ‘Oh my goodness’, he had his head blown off.

“I could see he got a bit of a shock – I was just happy that I was on the other side of the door.”

Read more of this article via Exploding smart meters are endangering householders and workers: claim | Herald Sun.

Posted in explosions, Fire, Smart Meter | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Smart Meter explosions covered up? 3AW

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

A whistleblower claims power companies know smart meters are exploding and are lying to consumers to cover it up. ‘John’ works for Jemena and claims at least six smart meters have exploded in and around Pascoe Vale, since Christmas. John was installing a meter yesterday which burst into flames in front of him. He’s told Neil Mitchell under strict anonymity power companies are misleading the public and smart meters are dangerous.

Listen to the interviews with Dean Mighell, Energy Safe Victoria, & Jemena who are put under Neil Mitchell’s on-air microscope via Smart Meter explosions covered up?

Posted in 3AW, explosions, Fire, Smart Meter | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Media release 22nd February 2012 – Are Victorians being misled with the smart meter “mandate”?

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Are Victorians being misled with the smart meter “mandate”?

Victorians are continually being informed that it is mandatory to
accept the installation of smart meters; that by refusing installation
one is breaking the law.

Stop Smart Meters Australia members have received written notification
that the alleged mandate for compulsory installation is based on an
Order of Council that does not pertain to electricity consumers – it
is a directive to power distributors. Victorian Government Gazette
S200, dated 28th August 2007, Para 14.1, states; “Each distributor
must use its best endeavours to install a remotely read interval
meter….”

Ms Di Bell, spokesperson for Stop Smart Meters Australia, said “The
Order in Council does not state that a customer has to accept a smart
meter. Therefore, the question arises, if residents have totally
refused to have a smart meter installed, have the power distributors
used their “best endeavours” and that’s the end of it? Or do they
purport to have the right to use bullying tactics to force
installation?”

According to this Order in Council, it is clear that there is no
legislative provision that imposes smart meters on customers.
Therefore, there is no lawful obligation for consumers to accept the
installation of smart meters.

“If this is the case, then any customer who has had a smart meter
installed against their will, and been provided with misleading
information, must surely have the right to demand its removal” says Ms
Bell.

www.stopsmartmeters.com.au has comments from average Australians with
real concerns with the installation of smart meters in Victoria.

Please release this to all Victorians through your media, they deserve to know.

Posted in Media release | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Listen to 3AW now, 91 year olds Smart Meter exploded yesterday!

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Listen via your radio or the internet http://www.3aw.com.au/

Neil Mitchell is interviewing a 91 year old lady who’s Smart meter exploded yesterday.

Posted in Smart Meter | 1 Comment

1000 smart meter customers set to track their energy use | Herald Sun

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

ELECTRICITY smart meter customers are being recruited for a year-long trial that will allow them to monitor and control their energy use.

Up to 1000 volunteers with a home broadband connection in electricity distributor SP AusNet’s network area will be issued with a wireless device, power boards and a display unit to track how much energy individual appliances are using.

Company spokesman Jonathon Geddes said the technology was designed to help households reduce their power consumption and save on bills.

via 1000 smart meter customers set to track their energy use | Herald Sun.

http://smartmeterfilm.com/

Posted in individual appliances, Smart Meter, smart meter film | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Posters to download

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

We have added a page with a few posters that you can download and print out.

They are large files that have been optimized to print out on A4 paper.  We recommend printing them out on heavyweight photo paper (or take the file to a copy centre and have them do it).

These would be ideal to display on your local community news boards or in shop windows.

Click Here

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County of Santa Cruz: Smart Meter Moratorium

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

From the Public Health Division of the County of Santa Cruz:

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors directed Dr Namkung, the Health Officer and Medical Director for the County of Santa Cruz, to complete an analysis of the research on the health effects of smart meters.  She found:

“Exposure is additive and consumers may have already increased their exposures to radio frequency radiation in the home through the voluntary use of wireless devices such as cell and cordless phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), routers for internet access, home security systems, wireless baby surveillance (baby monitors) and other emerging devices.  It would be impossible to know how close a consumer might be to their limit, making safety an uncertainty with the installation of a mandatory SmartMeter.”

“There are no current, relevant public safety standards for pulsed RF involving chronic exposure of the public, nor of sensitive populations, nor of people with metal and medical implants that can be affected both by localized heating and by electromagnetic interference (EMI) for medical wireless implanted devices.”

”There is no scientific data to determine if there is a safe RF exposure level regarding its non-thermal effects.”

Attachment B, pp. 9-18 http://sccounty01.co.santa-cruz..caus/bds/Govstream/BDSvData/non_legacy/agendas/2012/20120124/PDF/041.pdf

Posted in health risks, Smart Meter | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Electricity billing errors a massive switch-off for customers | Herald Sun

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Gillian Joyce with the $5482 bill. Picture: Mike Keating Herald Sun

SHOCKED electricity customers are being overcharged as much as 1400 per cent due to billing blunders.

Chirnside Park woman Gillian Joyce demanded an investigation after receiving an AGL account for $5482.03 – at least 14 times higher than her typical quarterly bill.

The bungle, blamed on a mistaken meter reading, happened after a smart meter was installed at her new solar-powered home.

Have you fallen victim to a billing blunder? Share your story below

Ms Joyce said that as a single household, it was impossible for her to use so much energy.

“When I opened it I very nearly had a stroke,” Ms Joyce said.

“I didn’t sleep that night and really felt quite ill. A bill of this size would kill me as I have just gone into a mortgage.”

Energy and Water Ombudsman figures released to the Herald Sun show the watchdog has been bombarded with more than 76,000 electricity billing complaints and inquiries in the past five years. These include 11,000 alleged billing errors.

Ms Joyce, a bank worker with an eye for numbers, queried the charge last Wednesday.

She got an apology and confirmation of an error yesterday after the Herald Sun intervened.

An AGL spokeswoman said the bill would be cancelled and the entire amount waived as a goodwill gesture. A network company’s incorrect reading during a meter changeover appeared to be the cause.

Ms Joyce said power companies needed to better monitor their billing processes.

“That charge was clearly ludicrous,” she said. “I don’t live in a McMansion … I don’t even have electric hot water.”

The AGL spokeswoman said customer service issues were taken seriously and “we have been focused on making improvements”.

Complaints against AGL lodged with the industry ombudsman were down last financial year while gripes against other retailers rose, she said.

collierk@heraldsun.com.au

via Electricity billing errors a massive switch-off for customers | Herald Sun.

Herald Sun Comments 

Posted in billing blunders, Bills Soar, Smart Meter | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

A family friendly Information Evening about Smartmeters 21st February

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

A family friendly Information Evening about Smartmeters and how they affect us, will be held on Tuesday 21st February at 7.00pm at Rowan Park House, Kidds Road, Doveton.

There is no charge, and this event is hosted by the Casey & Cardinia Smartmeter Awareness Group.

If you intend to come to this meeting please call 5942 7739 or email info@sparrowsinoz.com

Posted in Casey & Cardinia Smartmeter Awareness Group, Meetings | Tagged | 3 Comments