Christmas Greetings from MRAG

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Millgrove Remembrance Day Service

The Millgrove Remembrance Day Service was held at 11.00am today to honour all those who served and died in the wars of the 20th and 21st Centuries.  Thanks to Andy Bennett of the River Valley Church as well as the local CFA and RSL and, of course, the children of the Milwarra Primary School, Millgrove Campus for making it so successful and memorable.

MRAG's Next Committee Meeting and AGM

The next MRAG Committee meeting has been arranged for 7.00pm on Tuesday 12 November, 2013, at the Baptist Church, Cavanagh Road, Millgrove. 

MRAG's Annual General Meeting has been arranged for Wednesday 20 November at 7.30pm. at the Community Hall behind the Millgrove School.  Yarra Ranges Shire Mayor and local Councillor Jim Child has been invited to speak to the meeting. 
We have flagged the following as issues that could be raised at the meeting.

·        *   Millgrove Fire Refuge

·        *   Process for getting some roads in Millgrove upgraded/sealed (For instance Wonga and Cavanagh Roads)

·        *   VicRoads plan for the former Millgrove Station area

·        *  The proposed Telstra Tower for Millgrove and the new communications tower at the Upper Yarra RSL.

And don't forget the Senior's Coffee morning on Wednesday, 6 November, 2013

Seniors Coffee Morning

 Millgrove Residents’ Action Group together with the River Valley Church invite our older residents to a

Seniors Coffee Morning

10.30am Wednesday 6 November 2013

At the

Meeting Room in the River Valley Church Shop,

Millgrove Shopping Strip

All Senior residents of Millgrove-Wesburn are very welcome

For more information, contact Bob Lillie on 0417 376 043

or Maureen Halit on 5966 5806

MILLGROVE - A PLACE WE’RE PROUD TO CALL HOME

MRAG Working Bee 20 October 2013

Here are some photographs from MRAG's Working Bee held on Sunday 20 October 2011 at Millgrove Station Reserve

 Planting flowers

 learing fallen tree limbs

 A bird enjoying the temporary wetland

Two new flowering gums planted

SP Ausnet - the first responses

The SP Ausnet Issue

We have a response from Brad Battin, MP for Gembrook, advising that his office will look into the issue and will get back to us.

Our Upper House MP, Johan Scheffer has responded requesting further information and has advised us of his actions on our behalf earlier in the yeart when he raised the issue in Parliament.

Johann Scheffer Hansard 28 May 2013

SP AusNet: Millgrove works

Mr SCHEFFER (Eastern Victoria) -- I raise a matter for the Minister for Energy and Resources, Nick Kotsiras, on behalf of a constituent of Eastern Victoria Region relating to the way SP AusNet has apparently mismanaged several interruptions to power supply adversely affecting residents of Millgrove. Early this month Mr Bob Lillie provided me with an email chain of correspondence between him and Mr Daryl Kelly, customer relations, SP AusNet, that go back to 6 May. Mr Lillie advised Mr Kelly that problems had occurred adversely affecting residents during a scheduled electricity interruption at Millgrove.

The problem was that SP AusNet advised residents in a piecemeal way -- firstly, it was two days, and then another day was added -- when it should have indicated the days and times well prior to works commencing and stuck to them so people could plan, and SP AusNet should have given residents an opportunity for more effective consultation. Residents were advised that on 13 May the electricity supply would be interrupted from 8.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m., but at 4.15 p.m. on the day the power was out Mr Lillie, and presumably other residents who had mobile phones, were advised that the interruption would continue until 6.00 p.m. This left residents without heating and meant they could not cook their evening meals. Those who did not have mobile phones -- I presume this would mainly have affected older residents -- would not have had a clue when the power would be back on.

Mr Lillie complained to SP AusNet, and it took two days for him to receive a reply from Mr Kelly, the SF AusNet person, basically saying he would check it out. In the end Mr Kelly advised that SF AusNet has to keep the powerlines in good order, which is fair enough, and that the reason for the 21/2-hour extended interruption was that its equipment failed, and at that point Mr Kelly apologised for the inconvenience to residents.

During all this Mr Lillie was advised there would be a further electricity interruption in a week time, on 21 May. There is not time now to go through all the frustrating details, but it is clear from the emails that SP AusNet does not seem to appreciate the effects this apparent lack of planning and equipment failure had on Millgrove residents. I ask the minister to contact SP AusNet and to seek an assurance that the company will engage in a much more thorough consultation with residents well prior to undertaking work that necessitates electricity interruptions.

I believe SP AusNet should have protocols in place to ensure that residents are advised of all the days when they will be affected by power supply interruptions in order to avoid having to add on days when the company realises things have not gone according to plan and makes changes that then affect hundreds of people.

I cannot see why necessary equipment should not be backed up so that equipment failure does not cause delays that leave hundreds of people without power for more time than they were initially advised. It seems to me that if SP AusNet agrees with the minister that it should have done a better job at Millgrove earlier this month, an apology to residents would be appreciated.

The Minister for Resources and Energy, The Hon. Nicholas Kotsiras, MP, responded via Hansard on 21 August 2013

SP AusNet:     Millgrove works

Raised with: Minister for Energy and Resources

Raised by: Mr Scheffer

Raised on: 28 May 2013

I refer to the matter you raised for my attention during the Adjournment debate on 28 May 2013.

The legislative and regulatory framework that governs the operation of the Victorian electricity distribution network, places a range of rights and obligations on electricity distribution businesses. In particular, the Victorian Electricity Distribution Code (the Code) regulates the distribution, connection and transfer of electricity with a view to ensuring these activities are undertaken in a safe, efficient and reliable manner.

The Code provides rights to distributors to interrupt supply in a number of specified instances, both planned and unplanned. These rights are complemented, however, by a range of network reliability incentives and targets that are overseen by the Australian Energy Regulator, an arm of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Under these arrangements distribution businesses can be financially penalised for poor network reliability performance. In certain circumstances if electricity supply reliability does not meet the relevant standard, distributors are obliged to make a payment to customers, known as a Guaranteed Service Level payment. This framework has achieved sustained reliability of electricity supply whilst keeping distribution costs, which comprise a significant proportion of electricity bills, relatively low in comparison to other jurisdictions.

I am advised that SP Ausnet has provided assurances that they recognise the importance of notifying consumers of power outages in their area. I am also satisfied that in this instance, SP Ausnet has abided by the requirements of the Code to provide at least four business days written notice of the interruption.

    Electricity distribution businesses seek to balance the mitigation of technical and safety risks and the impacts on their  customers of the suspension of supply. SP Ausnet has advised that while they endeavour to minimise inconvenience to their customers, in this instance there were good reasons for the extended outage times. SP Ausnet emphasise  that they took care to contact consumers who had provided their mobile contact details to their retailer.

In relation to the concerns raised regarding customer notification of outages spanning an extended time period, a representative from SP Ausnet has advised that they are unable to send one letter to customers with all outage dates spanning weeks and months, as these dates can change, therefore creating customer confusion.

If an individual consumer has concerns regarding supply reliability, I would encourage them in the first instance to contact their energy distributor regarding their concerns. If they continue to remain dissatisfied, they are able to contact the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria, an industry based external dispute resolution scheme.

More Correspondence with SP Ausnet

Millgrove Residents Action Group discussed the issue of ogoing scheduled power outages to allow SP Ausnet to undertake maintenance works at our last meeting. The following email has been sent to SP Ausnet with copies to locat MPs Brad Battin and Johan Scheffer.

Good Morning Daryl,

Millgrove experienced yet another power cut for your organisation to undertake apparently necessary works on 8 October.

This issue was raised at a recent meeting of the Millgrove Resident’s Action Group.  Residents are very upset that these interruptions to supply are still occurring even though we were assured that the outage in May was the last scheduled.

We would like you to take Millgrove residents into consideration and advise us what ongoing power cuts are planned in the future.  At no time have you advised why this continuing work is necessary and you have never given us an accurate outline of the plans you have for maintaining a power supply to our community that we can rely on.

These continuous power outages are having a considerable negative effect on our community especially for:

·         Local businesses who are compelled to close on such days or arrange alternative supplies, both of which means a loss of revenue.

·         People with chronic conditions which require a maintenance of power access to allow the use of electrical devices of one sort or another

·         Elderly people who cannot make alternative plans for such days and just have to sit at home with no power

·         Parents with young families.

I have raised these issues both with you and our local MPs several times over the course of this year with no meaningful response from people in your organisation who seem quite happy to hide behind the barrier of people such as yourself and who seem to be quite reluctant to actually talk to people who have the misfortune to be the recipients of your services.

Regards,

Bob Lillie

Secreatary

Millgrove Resident’s Action Group Inc

Yarra Rangers Shire Community Group of the Year 2012

0417 376 043

Next MRAG Committee Meeting

The next meeting of MRAG has been arranged for 7.00pm on Tuesday 13 August, 2013 at the Baptist Church, Cavanagh Road, Millgrove.

All interested people are welcome

Further correspondence with SP Ausnet

I expect that all of you will be aware that SP Ausnet have still not finished their works and that we are due another Interruption to our Electricity Supply.

I hyave raised this issue with our State Upper House Member Johan Scheffer and he has raised the issue in State Parliament.

Here is my further Correspondence with SP Ausnet and their responses!

From SP Ausnet

Good afternoon Bob

Thank you for contacting SP AusNet. 

I have been advised that the 21^st of May was the last shutdown in Millgrove that was part of the project to install the new aerial bundled cable.  However, as part of our checks after the works were completed SP AusNet inspection found that the earth readings were higher than expected and this has required further maintenance works on the 17^th of June to bring these readings to an acceptable level. 

SP AusNet apologises for any inconvenience caused and should I be of further assistance, please contact me.

Kind regards

Daryl Kelly
Customer Relations

SP AusNet
Customer Service Centre
Ph: (03) 9238 6313

From: Bob Lillie [mailto:boblillie2@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 12 June 2013 3:43 PM
To: Daryl Kelly
Subject: RE: Interruption to Electricity Supply - Millgrove Vic 3799 6 May 2013

Good Afternoon Daryl,

I note your response below in which you state that there were no more  planned interruptions to the electricity supply in Millgrove.  I have now received the attached notice for a further interruption on Monday 17 June.  It seems that still we cannot rely on the accuracy of the information you have provided.

Again we have a poor communication to the Millgrove Community.  I hope that this time we have some hope that you will keep to the advertised times.

Regards,

Bob Lillie

0417376043