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The Enforcer is out to pull the plug ...
By FARAH FAROUQUE
Saturday 5 February 2000

Knock, knock. You better watch out. The (electrical) Enforcer may soon be out to get you.

About 150 electrical inspectors are ready to roam the streets of Victoria to make random checks for compliance with power restrictions.

The inspectors, who are on the payroll of the power companies, were trained last year by the Office of the Chief Electrical Inspector.

The Chief Electrical Inspector, Mr Ian Graham, said: "The Government has given these electrical inspectors considerable power: they can enter property, they can can issue warnings, they can disconnect electricity."

A cold front will pass across much of the state over the weekend, but the Bureau of Meteorology says that by Monday, when the power restrictions return, Melbourne can expect a top of 33 degrees. On Tuesday, the city will swelter in 39 degrees.

As the first restrictions were in place by mid-afternoon yesterday, the inspectors were still waiting to hit the beat.

But they were prepared for action. "They are ready to go out at a moment's notice," Mr Graham said. "The restrictions are in place, but the Government hasn't activated the enforcement yet."

As a last resort, the roving inspectors can call on Mr Graham's office, which has legal powers to prosecute persistent offenders in the Magistrates Court. Individuals could be fined up to $10,000 and companies up to $1 million.

The restrictions - applying from 1pm to 7pm on weekdays until Wednesday - prescribe the maximum use of electricity for cooking, lighting (no more than three rooms and security) washing machines, hot water and security systems. Restricted too is the use of television - only one set on at a time.

Use of air-conditioners, dishwashers, personal computers, swimming pool filters and video recorders is forbidden during the prescribed hours.

"If they (inspectors) suspected equipment was being used which shouldn't be used, then they have the right to enter and check," Mr Graham said.

But can you monitor excessive cooking or unrestrained watching of television?

Mr Graham conceded that might pose a problem, even for this highly trained team of electricity enforcers.

"Normally it will be a verbal warning," he said, "followed by a written warning. Only after then, further action."

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Comment:

Banana Republic compliance officers are not welcome in Australia!!!! The government is going to see more unrest. Almost a certainty really. Knock knock?

Regards from a 3rd world country?

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), February 05, 2000

Answers

Airconditioners and dishwashers I can see...but no personal computers? That's going too far...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), February 05, 2000.

Woe man, in the US the .gov can't even enter a home without a judge allowing due to probable cause", let alone some electric company dude. Man, can't imagine!

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), February 05, 2000.

Hmmm... and our troops took your guns away? Weird.

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), February 05, 2000.

Hokie,

Read up a thread or two to the one starting with "Cops". This article will probably shake you up more afterwards.

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.com), February 05, 2000.

Hokie,

You persist in believing American troops assisted in the Australian gun buy-back. Unless you can provide incontrovertible facts I remain convinced that we are quite capable of shooting ourselves in the proverbial foot. (That's the other foot and not the one stuck in mouth...hehe)

Yours truly
A pro gun lobbyist

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), February 05, 2000.

I bet that this crisis will give some people the incentive to invest in alternative energy systems. I know it would for me.

I can just see the "energy enforcers" trying that here in the US. Lots of luck.

-- Bill (billclo@blazenet.net), February 05, 2000.

It's all over. We're all going to roll over and stick out butts up for a reaming. With Big Brother's technology, no place to run, no place to hide.

In the days of Robin Hood, you could bust up the sheriff (or other government lackey) and then take off for the woods. Now, there will be ten helicopters with infrared sensing and swat teams after your ass.

The only solution would be revolution -- but only temporary, as people are still as stupid as ever (10,000+ years) and will naturally choose a government/leader that will recreate something like this system all over again.

-- (A@AisA.com), February 05, 2000.

Looks like Oz is shaping up quite nicely to becoming the next totalitarian shithole. Nice job folks!

Seems like it's a nice test case for the rest of the world moving forward into the New Millennium! A-Bright-New-Future!

gahdie myte!

-- Ivan (working@therailroadallthelivelong.day), February 05, 2000.