In this highly plausible dystopian future, Bowen’s most controversial move is the introduction of mandatory time limiters for all household showers, capping shower times to two minutes per person.

🛑 Why is Bowen Limiting Showers?

• To reduce electricity demand, ensure homes don’t overuse hot water heating at night.
• To cut water usage, helping to meet conservation targets.
• As Bowen believes, many Australians indulge in the “luxury” of long, hot showers to “save Australians from themselves,” an indulgence we can’t trust Australians to act in the national interest for renewables.

Under the new policy, all new and existing homes must install smart shower time limiters, which will automatically shut off hot water after two minutes.

💡 How It Works:

• A digital timer activates when the shower starts.
• After two minutes, the hot water shuts off automatically, and the shower cannot be turned back on for 15 minutes.
• Households will be fined for tampering with the system.

❗ Potential Problems:
Families with multiple members may struggle to access enough hot water, as showers are locked down for 15 minutes between uses. This could lead to conflicts and discomfort within the household.
🚫 Elderly and disabled Australians who require longer showers will be negatively impacted.
🚫 People working night shifts may struggle to heat water outside solar hours.
🚫 Enforcement concerns – Will the government track individual shower times?

This policy has already drawn widespread backlash, with many calling it overly restrictive, intrusive, and impractical.

While this might sound like something out of a Black Mirror episode, it highlights real concerns about how far government intervention could go in the name of sustainability.