Media Releases

The Victorian Coalition Government has released an issues paper on the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) program to help Victorians have their say on the future of smart meters.

Member for Rodney Paul Weller said the response to the issues paper would inform an independent review of the AMI program currently underway by the Department of Treasury and Finance.

“The former Labor Government did not listen to or consult Victorians about smart meters and failed to implement all the Auditor-General’s recommendations, which means there is significant public concern and a lack of confidence in smart meters,” Mr Weller said.

“The Coalition Government has implemented the recommendation of the Auditor-General and commissioned an independent review to determine whether the program can actually deliver consumers value for money.

“The government wants to hear what Victorians and the industry think about smart meters and what can be done to try to improve this program.

“With the so-called smart meters now being installed in various areas around the state it is very important that anyone with an interest in the issue take the opportunity to make a submission,” he said.

The Issues Paper is available at: www.dtf.vic.gov.au/amireview

Submissions can be made by email: amireview@dtf.vic.gov.au or via post to: Resources and Environment, Department of Treasury and Finance, 1 Macarthur St Melbourne VIC 3000.

Submissions should be received by 21 June 2011.

The promised review of the controversial Smart Meter program is underway, Nationals member for Rodney, Paul Weller, said this week.

Mr Weller said the new Coalition Government was well aware of the level of community concern over the Smart Meters program, put in place by the previous Labor government.

“We are now moving to implement our election commitment to address those concerns, in particular to commission an independent cost-benefit analysis to determine whether and under what circumstances the program can deliver value for money for consumers,” he said.

Mr Weller said the outcome of the analysis would be critical in deciding the future of the Smart Meter program.

“The government is also seeking advice on whether it is practical and desirable to suspend the roll-out of smart meters while the independent cost-benefit analysis is being performed or whether the effects on consumers of a suspension would outweigh any benefits.

“Until then, smart meters will continue to be installed in accordance with legislative requirements put in place by the previous Labor government,” he said.

Mr Weller said the new government would also move to strengthen regulations governing the use of information gathered from smart meters to ensure consumer privacy as well as review the technical specifications and cost recovery regulations of the program to ensure that the cost impact on households is minimised.

It would also seek to release information on the program which had been withheld from public scrutiny by the previous government and would undertake a comprehensive study into the potential impact on consumers should “time of use” pricing be made available.

Mr Weller said that local consumers would be aware that under arrangements entered into by the previous government, since January 1 last year all Victorian households were already paying for smart Meters through their electricity bills whether or not they have a smart meter installed.

“The new government is following through on its commitment to carry out a comprehensive review of smart meters, and I will keep consumers fully informed of its progress,” he said.

A wide range of ongoing concerns was raised by local residents at last week’s meeting of the Cohuna Progress Association.

And present to hear them was Nationals Member for Rodney, Paul Weller.

Mr Weller praised association members for their positive attitude and willingness to identify problems and seek answers.

“Certainly the ongoing issue of lack of funding for local government bodies was high on the list of concerns,” Mr Weller said.

“I can confidently say that under a Coalition Government, cost shifting of recent years will come to an end. Local councils play an absolutely vital role in the growth and development of their regions and they must be resourced to a level which enables them to effectively carry out that role.

“Members of the progress association can see what is happening under Labor, and they are rightly calling out for change. Sadly, at present we have a government which just refuses to listen,” he said.

Mr Weller said that progress association members were also very concerned at the Smart Meters fiasco.

“This is a government scheme which has already blown out in price from $800m to $2.25b, and country people can see that they will be carrying the cost for this through increasing charges.

“Association members can see rapidly rising electricity costs being further boosted by what they will have to pay in the blow out in cost for Smart Meters,” he said.

Mr Weller said the other big concern was the complete lack of progress on the natural gas pipeline.

I share their concerns as the supply of natural gas to towns such as Cohuna is critical for their future growth and development.”

Mr Weller said that one the local issues raised earlier in day was the need for a school crossing at the rear of St Mary’s Primary School.

“This street is the one that most of the students use, and there is a definite need for a crossing there,” he said.

Mr Weller outlined the Coalition’s plan for a $1b Regional Growth Fund, a feature of which would be strong local involvement on preferred outcomes.

“This scheme, announced recently by Nationals leader Peter Ryan, has the capacity to make an enormous difference in country areas, and the involvement and interest of groups such as the Cohuna Progress Association will be vital in its successful implementation,” he said.

Mr Weller thanked progress association president George Drummond  for welcoming him along to the meeting.

“It was great to be part of it and to talk with and listen to such enthusiastic people. I look forward to furthering these discussions into the future,” he said.

Community anger is rising rapidly over the Brumby Government’s bungled smart meter roll-out, according to Nationals Member for Rodney, Paul Weller.

Mr Weller was commenting after a Smart Meters public information session held at the Echuca Workers and Services Club last Wednesday.

“There is no doubt that this project, like many other government plans, is well and truly on the nose,” he said.

“We knew before the information sessions that people were upset with what the government has rammed through, and that was re-enforced at the meeting.

“We had 70 people there, and they were uniform in the rejection of the Smart Meter proposal,” Mr Weller said.

He said people simply could not understand why they were being asked to pay for the meters even before they were installed, as well as being fearful that the benefits in the project would flow to the electricity companies rather than the consumers.

“We had the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition spokesman on Energy and Consumers Affairs, Michael O’Brien, present, and he pointed out quite bluntly the shortcomings of the government’s plan.

“Consumers are being forced to pay up front sight unseen for so-called smart meter which could literally end up with them paying even higher electricity bills.

“The anger is widespread, and obviously it is just not country people who are very nervous about the whole project,” Mr Weller said.

He said that Mr O’Brien had pointed out that the cost of the smart meters project had now blown out from $800 million to $2.25 billion under Labor’s watch.

Mr Weller said he was again calling on the government to immediately halt the roll out of smart meters pending a full and independent cost-benefit analysis.

“Such action would serve to re-assure consumers they are getting a good deal or to serve notice on the government that the project is, as many suspect, a dud,” Mr Weller said.