From Katherine Smith:
Dear Friends,
Latest updates from www.stopsmartmeters.org.nz
Ongoing access to safe landline phones in many parts of New Zealand is now threatened. Please read this important action alert email and help us save this tried and true technology.
Kia ora and welcome to the latest newsletter from Stop Smart Meters NZ
We have important news to share with you:
1) New legislation could phase out access to safe copper-based landline phones (and phase out inexpensive hardwired internet access) for many New Zealanders.
Submissions are needed NOW.
Our landline phone system allows most people in NZ to choose to have a safe corded landline phone and an inexpensive wired internet connection. This is under threat by new legislation and YOUR help is needed NOW to help keep access to this important, safe, proven technology. Please see this link for details and please share the link with everyone you know.
http://www.stopsmartmeters.org.nz/latest-news/save-nzs-landline-phones-action-needed-now/
We need literally thousands of submissions to be sent within the next few days on this issue as submissions close at 5 PM on Friday 2 February.
Making a submission can take as little as 5 minutes of your time and the link below provides a “how to” guide for making a submission. (There is also more information later in this newsletter.)
http://www.stopsmartmeters.org.nz/latest-news/save-nzs-landline-phones-action-needed-now/
A template submission that you can personalise and send to save time is available at this link: http://www.stopsmartmeters.org.nz/latest-news/template-submission-on/ (Information on making a template submission is also included later in this newsletter.)
Save NZ’s landline phones – your help is needed NOW
Introduction:
It’s the number you dial in an emergency and for most New Zealanders it has been a reliable home phone that they have used if they have ever faced a medical emergency or needed to call the Fire Service or the police. Most New Zealanders cannot remember ever having lived without a basic home phone, thanks to the reliable copper-based infrastructure that has been installed all around New Zealand over the course of many, many decades. Now, a new bill threatens continuing access to a copper-based landline home phone and safe, low cost wired internet access for people living in many parts of New Zealand.
The “Telecommunications (New Regulatory Framework) Amendment Bill” could result in copper landline services being phased out in areas of New Zealand where fibre optic cables have been installed. If the bill is passed in its current form this bill it would deprive people of the basic home phone service and safe wired internet connection. The entire bill may be read at this link:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/BILL_74818/telecommunications-new-regulatory-framework-amendment
The clause of the bill that proposes to deregulate the copper phone line infrastructure in parts of NZ where fibre optic infrastructure has been installed and could result in copper based infrastructure being phased out is below:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2017/0293/latest/DLM7393574.html
The parliamentary website link that details how to make a submission is below:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/make-a-submission/document/52SCED_SCF_BILL_74818/telecommunications-new-regulatory-framework-amendment
Here is a brief guide to how to make a submission on the bill:
Please take five minutes to make a submission before 5 PM on February 2 2018. It is extremely important that as many people as possible express their opinions on the importance of maintaining landline phones.
Open a new document on your computer, or get some writing paper. Start your document with your name, “Telecommunications (New Regulatory Framework) Amendment Bill”, and “I oppose any change to NZ’s telecommunications regulations that could mean that people who live in areas where fibre optic infrastructure has been installed would lose access to a safe and reliable copper cable based landline phone line and internet access service”.
You can then write as little or as much as you want, sharing your views about why it is important for people to be able to have access to a copper phone line.
If you would support 30 year moratorium on the removal of copper landline infrastructure, please state this in your submission.
If you need ideas for your submission many reasons why reasons why copper based phone lines are important for a safe home phone line and inexpensive internet access are listed at this link: http://www.stopsmartmeters.org.nz/latest-news/reasons-oppose-legislation-reduce-access-copper-landline-phone-system/
NB: If you are really pressed for time there is a template submission that you can download and personalise from this LINK of the Stop Smart Meters NZ website.
If you wish to appear before the Committee to speak to your submission, then state that also. (NB: Speaking before the committee is optional).
If you’re emailing your submission, ATTACH your submission document (step 1) to the email, and in the email itself, put the heading: Telecommunications (New Regulatory Framework) Amendment Bill” and your details: Name of Individual / Family / Organisation, Address, Phone, Signature. Don’t put your personal details in the attached submission document as your submission is posted on the government website.
Send your submission to: [email protected]
If you are emailing your submission, please send an email through the Stop Smart Meters NZ contact form to let us know that you have sent a submission.
If you’re posting your submission, once you have completed step 1, do a covering letter (separate piece of paper) with the heading “Telecommunications (New Regulatory Framework) Amendment Bill”, and your details: Name of Individual / Family / Organisation, Address, Phone, Signature. Don’t put your personal details on your actual submission (step 1) as your submission is posted on the government website (but not the covering letter)
7. Post to: Matt Lamb, Committee Secretariat, Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160.
Thank you in advance for making a submission!
The closing date for submissions is 5 PM February 2.
SOURCE: http://www.stopsmartmeters.org.nz/latest-news/save-nzs-landline-phones-action-needed-now/
Template submission
NB: Ideally it is better to write a submission from scratch rather than use a template as non template submissions generally carry more weight with government select committees than template submissions. However numbers also count so if you do not have time to write a submission from scratch please do personalised the template submission below and send it.
Below is a template submission that you can use. Please note that the text in bold italics is designed to edited out when you add your own details to personalise the submission.
Template submission
Your name here
“Telecommunications (New Regulatory Framework) Amendment Bill”
I oppose any change to telecommunications legislation or regulations that could make copper landline phones and/or internet access via the copper landline system unavailable to New Zealanders.
The copper landline system is a proven and safe technology that is better for people’s health than wireless systems.
[Please add a personal comment here]
For example:
* Is it important to you to keep access to a landline home phone in case of a medical emergency?
* Do you have a friend or relative whose life was saved by being able to make a 111 call from their home phone?
* Are you on a low income and could not afford to replace perfectly good corded home phones and install fibre optic cabling in your home in order to have a corded VOIP phone if the copper landline service were no longer available in your area?
* Are you planning to start a family and want to ensure that you maintain access to a reliable copper landline service so that you can have a safe corded landline phone in your home for use in pregnancy
* Do you have children and want to ensure that you maintain access to a reliable copper landline service so that you can have a safe corded landline phone in your home for their use?
* Are you a business owner who wants to help meet your obligations to workers to provide a safe working environment by having safe copper corded phones available for their use on your premises?
The government needs to ensure that regulations are in place to protect access to copper landline phones in New Zealand and ensure that the infrastructure for this service remains well maintained and available at an affordable price.
There should be a thirty year moratorium on the removal of copper landline infrastructure,
Contractors installing fibre optic cabling in existing homes or buildings should be prohibited from removing internal copper phone wiring so that a dual system remains available for the use of the current (or future) house/building owner or tenants.
Installation of the copper landline system should be mandated to be installed in new housing areas and new commercial developments.
To reduce the burden of illness on individuals, families and taxpayers, the use of copper landline based phones and safe hard wired internet should be encouraged by the government to minimise the avoidable health risks from unnecessary use of cellular phones. Likewise, the government should encourage the use of hardwired computers for internet access.
I would/would not (please delete one of these options depending upon your preference) like to speak to this submission.
Yours sincerely,
You can attach your submission to an email that includes your name, (and organisation name or family name if you are making a submission on behalf of an organisation or family members who do not have internet access) and contact details.
Email your submission to: [email protected]
Please also email through the Contact Form to let Stop Smart Meters NZ to let us know that you have sent a submission, http://www.stopsmartmeters.org.nz/contact-us/
if you feel you need more information about making a submission, this is the link: http://www.stopsmartmeters.org.nz/latest-news/save-nzs-landline-phones-action-needed-now/
Thank you for reading this email.
Your support on the smart meter issue and your help to retain the safe and reliable copper based landline system is most appreciated.
There are now Facebook pages for Stop Smart Meters NZ and Save Our Landlines NZ. If you are on FB, please like and follow these pages.
https://www.facebook.com/Stop-Smart-Meters-NZ-1211462805538548/
https://www.facebook.com/Save-Our-Landlines-NZ-1626155717464225/
Wishing you all the best for a safe and healthy 2018,
Katherine Smith and The Stop Smart Meters NZ Team
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