Controversy continues over smart meters – ABC News Video

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

The Victorian Government is standing behind the roll out of electricity smart meters despite reports of a growing number of house fires. Watch the video via this link Controversy continues over smart meters – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

Posted in Fire, Safety, Smart Meter, unqualified workers, Videos | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Smart meter safety charge laid | Herald Sun

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Safety concerns: ABC reporter Hamish Fitzsimmons inspects his fuse box, where the fire began. Picture: Chris Scott Herald Sun

AN electrician has been charged after a woman suffered an electric shock from her newly installed smart meter.

Energy Safe Victoria charged electrician Nileshkumar Patel, of Ormond, with installing an unsafe smart meter.

If the offence is proved, he could face a fine of up to $30,000.

Christine McIntosh, of Highett, suffered a shock in January last year as she watered her garden.

Premier Ted Baillieu again defended the smart meters yesterday after an ABC reporter’s Northcote house was damaged by fire early on Sunday morning.

Hamish Fitzsimmons, of Lateline, was away with his two children. His wife put out the fire, which started in the fuse box.

Fitzsimmons said a CitiPower inspector denied responsibility and the smart meter was taken away.

An MFB investigation found the meter did not cause the fire, but Fitzsimmons said more widespread inspections of installed meters were needed.

Quizzed on the ABC, Mr Baillieu said he was confident the meters were safe.

via Smart meter safety charge laid | Herald Sun.

Listen to this interview where the Premier of Victoria Ted Baillieu answers questions from Jon Faine on the safety of Smart Meters http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2012/01/31/3419277.htm?site=melbourne

Man charged over smart meter shock – 3AW

Posted by: 3AW Radio | 31 January, 2012 – 1:20 PM

An electrician has been charged over the installation of a smart meter which caused a woman to receive an electric shock.

The woman from Highett sufferred the shock when she tried to water her garden in March last year.

Energy Safe Victoria Director, Paul Fearon, says the man faces up to $30,000 in fines for the faulty work.

The matter is listed for mention in the Melbourne Magistrates Court in March.

Listen to the interview where Paul Fearon speaks to Neil Mitchell about the case via Man charged over smart meter shock.

Posted in 3AW, Electric Shock, House Fires, Premier Ted Baillieu, Safety, Smart Meter | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Premier defends ‘safe’ smart meters – ABC News

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

By Alison Savage. PHOTO: A fire that damaged a Northcote home on the weekend is being blamed on the smart meter. (ABC: News)

Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu has again defended the roll-out of smart meters, amid concerns they are causing a growing number of house fires.

The meters will be installed in every home and business in Victoria by the end of next year, after the State Government decided to back the program last year after a review.

The smart meters measure electricity consumption on an hourly basis to more accurately reflect the amount used.

So far this month, there have been three fires in fuse boxes with smart meters.

Last year the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) was asked to review those fires.

The review concluded they were not caused the the smart meters themselves, although they could have been caused by issues surrounding installation.

Hamish Fitzsimmons, an ABC reporter for Lateline, raised concerns about the meters after a fire at his Northcote home on the weekend.

Mr Fitzsimmons says the fire, which started behind the smart meter, caused extensive damage to at least one room of the house.

He says City Power, which installed the meter, has denied responsibility.

The Premier has offered to have the home independently inspected.

Mr Baillieu says many of the issues are linked to problems with installation, rather than the meters themselves.

“The smart meter itself has been thoroughly examined and they are, in my view, safe,” he told ABC local radio.

However Mr Baillieu says there are known service use connection issues in older houses affecting the addition of extra electricity loads and heat.

He denies it is similar to the Federal Government home insulation program where incorrectly installed insulation led to a number of fatal fires.

“There is a requirement for training and qualification for anybody installing a smart meter,” he said.

Meanwhile, a smart meter installer is facing a possible fine of $30,000 after being charged with using dodgy equipment.

Energy Save Victoria has charged an Ormond man with installing equipment that is unsafe and not testing it.

The charges relate to an installation at Highett in January last year, which is believed to have caused a fire in March.

via Premier defends ‘safe’ smart meters – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

Posted in Fire, Smart Meter | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Socially restricted life because of EMR sensitivities

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Thanks for providing a web site to help educate people on the dangers of EMR (from ‘smart meters’ etc).  I have to live an environmental / social restricted life because of EMR sensitivities – my ‘world’ is only getting smaller.  It seems everyone carries a mobile phone, and the mobile tower network is ever-expanding (we’ve had to sell up once already).  I live in Qld and so far no ‘smart meter’ however ALL schools up here (both Primary and High) have Wi-Fi – parents have no say.  Big business and bad politicians have no right to take our freedom of choice away and gamble on the health of our children.  It’s too late for me and it break my heart to send my children to school and take any risk, no matter how small, of them ending up having to live’ life’ like me (the only choice we have is ‘home schooling’ but socialization will be very difficult but I’m trying to find understanding ‘home schooling’ parents).  We can’t do so many ‘all family member outings’ – mainly bush walking and other ‘low exposure’ places.  If there’s a ‘safer, health risk free’ option please take it – I promise you it’s not worth it.

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Stop Smart Meters Goes National … and International!

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

This is a post from our sister site in the US. We feature along with about 5 other groups. It is great to know that we have international support. People we are not alone in this fight. We are in very good company. Below is the introduction to the post. Click on the link at the bottom of this page to read the rest.

From stopsmartmeters.org: There are websites and groups using “stop smart meters” as their rallying cry all over the US, in Canada and Australia, and now in Britain (see below for a round-up). There is a documentary film brewing with the same name. Is this a great big organized conspiracy, like the one that many feel brought us the meters in the first place?

In Australia: Stop Smart Meters Australia https://stopsmartmeters.com.au/ They say: “Join the Rebellion!” Can’t say better than that. Recent post: Crucial Data Missing from Smart-meter Customers’ Bills. Another: “I Wake Up with Headaches Every Morning.”

Read the rest of the post by clicking here Stop Smart Meters Goes National … and International! | Stop Smart Meters!.

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

Unqualified people installing Smart Meters

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

I have my final notice of an installation of a smart meter. I have contacted the installers with my many concerns. I was told I cannot defer it and I have no choice. I contacted united energy and asked about my contents insurance and how I will stand if a fire results and I have allowed an unqualified person to do electrical work, as my policy states I should only alow an A grade electricians to do any work related to power. United energy have not got back to me as they said they would. I have also contacted primary industries with my concerns yet to hear back from them. I am very distraught about this whole thing the meter will be within 5 metres of my bed, and I live in a 100 yr old house with old wiring.

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Bills from hi-tech devices silent on crucial power readings | Herald Sun

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

Smart meter customers are receiving bills missing the vital information about their power usage.

Herald Sun SMART meter customers are being sent electricity bills missing details of meter readings, making it harder to check and dispute high bills.

But Victorias energy regulator says revised rules will force retailers to publish data from before and after meter readings, across billing periods.

Essential Services Commission chief David Heeps told the Herald Sun the agency had acted on this in the face of some industry resistance.

“Getting a before and after meter read on bills is fundamental. It is done for water and gas, and should be done for electricity,” he said.

Under the new rules, effective from January 1, an “end” read figure must be shown on bills for remotely read smart meters.

“Start” reads will also be compulsory, but not for several months.

“Start” and “end” consumption data is routinely printed on bills for the manually read meters that are being steadily replaced.

Smart meter customers receiving bills with a total consumption figure but no “before” and “after” meter readings told the Herald Sun they were worried about rip-offs and mistakes.

“We are expected to have blind faith and trust that the consumption figure they print is true without being able to check ourselves,” a North Fitzroy customer said.

Some companies advised the ESC that supplying all the information under the smart meter system would be costly and cause customer confusion and complaints.

Energy Retailers Association of Australia chief Cameron OReilly said the rollout involved complex, time-consuming updates to IT systems for millions of people. “They are operating in an environment where some customers have smart meters and others dont … its not always easy,” he said.

Mr Heeps said companies were given time to adapt after the issue was identified last April.

“When we consulted on this, industry were telling us there were all sorts of problems, given they would need to aggregate data passed on from distributors,” he said.

“Some argued the meter reads were not valid information, but we see this as pretty fundamental.”

via Bills from hi-tech devices silent on crucial power readings | Herald Sun.

Herald Sun Comments on this story

  • Roger of Korumburra Posted at 7:11 AM Today

    “Starting” and “Ending” meter readings are required to enable the correctness of an account to be verified. If any account is unable to be verified then it cannot be proven and has no legal standing. It does not have to be paid.

Posted in Bills Soar, Cost Blowout, Essential Services Commission, Smart Meter | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

I wake up with headaches every morning.

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

We had a smart meter forced on us 18months ago and since then my husband has contracted Bowens disease and I wake up with headaches every morning. The meter is on the outside wall about half a meter away from our bed where our heads are. We do not have a brick house, the walls are very thin. My husband has subsequently been under a skin specialist for treatment. He is the breadwinner in the house and cannot afford to suffer with this type of cancer! I have had to have titanium coils put in my head due to fistulas and this acts as a conductor to the radiation emitted by this meter. If I do sleep in my bedroom, my head aches in the morning. As you can imagine the smart meter is a meter away from my head, hence the headache! I want this dangerous meter removed and have contacted Michael O’brien the minister of Energy and resources. Hopefully something can be done about this and other people can be protected from these harmful radiation levels. Whatever will happen when these smart meters are activated and the EMR (electro magnetic radiation) is a thousand times worse! It will mean that even the neighbours meter will affect us, the levels will be so high! Somebody didn’t do their homework properly!

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Posted in electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), Energy Minister Michael OBrien, headaches, Share your story. | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Many people are being exposed to radiation through these smart solar devices

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

I came to Australia after a smart metre was fitted 2 metres below my bedroom window in NZ. I was not informed of the radiation danger. I subsequently experience severe health problems and was at a loss to explain this. One of my students wrote a report about her own experiences with smart metres and I had to mark it. I began to put two and two together. The report probably saved me serious health problems. I tried to have the so called “Advanced” metre removed and even complained to the government body about the lack of informed consent. All to no avail.

When I arrived in Australia – I was surprised by the huge campaign pushed by the Queensland government to have SMART technology solar power metre devices installed. I believed these are basically the same as smart metres. All the same scare tactics are used. The metres are sealed, have warning signs about tampering, the inner part can’t be accessed easily … and people are told that they will save on energy bills. My parents had this device installed and when we sat down and worked it out, they were saving $1.00 a day. Ironically, they were paying to be exposed to radiation. My parents have switched theirs off.

Many people are being exposed to radiation through these smart solar devices. Unfortunately, Queenslanders are totally unaware that they are being softened up by allowing SMART solar devices in. Even those installing them are exposed to high levels of radiation and since they are not SMART technology specialists. The average sparky is totally unaware. Just from observation – I would say there is a serious danger for those with not only “sensitivity” or who are children, but for those who are immune compromised, elderly or prone to depression. The WHO made a serious mistake in failing to strongly recommend caution. I would say all humans have electromagnetic radiation sensitivity.

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Problems with my ears

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Stop Smart Meters Australia

I had a smart meter fitted 7 days ago. I was apprehensive but thought that most people were overreacting to new technology. In 7 days my ears feel blocked and I have constant ringing in them. Also our door bell keeps ringing on its own accord. The meter is mandatory so there’s little I can do. I’m looking at installing shields to stop the frequencies as with my wireless I only have it on for short bursts as that also effects my head and ears. The government needs to listen. I have never had problems with my ears until now.

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Posted in Ringing in my ears | Tagged | 11 Comments