Queensland Personalised Number Plates auction falls flat - Buyers wary of so-called bargains

PIC 1:

"Toowong"

Number Plates

bring just $1750

- much less than the

across-the-counter

price from PPQ

PIC 2:

A number plate not

auctioned tonight but

showing on the PPQ

website as available

for purchase for $2295 -

a combination fit for the

bosses of PPQ!

PPQ (Personalised Plates Queensland) officials would not have been happy with the prices brought for the majority of personalised Queensland number plates at tonight's annual auction at the Victoria Park Golf Club.

The halcyon days of personalised number plates in the Sunshine State which saw plates sell for $100,000 only 25 years ago appear to be gone forever - and that was with Russ Hinze as the auctioneer!

Most of tonight's plates brought very poor results with TOOWONG selling for $1750 which is $2000 below the normal PPQ across-the-counter price!

NEW FARM was not much better bringing in just $3500.

350 CHEV was passed in at $2500 when it failed to reach the undisclosed reserve price with a similar fate falling on PAINTER, Q31 and V.

There were a few notable exceptions to the less-than-spectacular auction with Q70 selling for $80,000 with SOLD going for $25,000.

You only have to go onto eBay to see that the bottom has completely fallen out of the personalised plates market in Queensland.

People are seeking crackerjack prices on eBay with most auctions attracting not a single bid.

It seems that PPQ may have almost reached saturation point in Queensland with almost all of the top alphabetical and numerical combinations and sequences gone forever!

Some of PPQ's prices are outrageous, with the cost of simply changing the plate registration from a large trailer to a sedan almost $140.

$137.80 for a junior PPQ officer to tick one box on the computer - a complete and utter consumer ripoff!

If you switch from personalised plates on a sedan to a large trailer, you have to forfeit one of the plates.

What they don't tell you is that you will be slugged almost $140 plus a remake fee to change back.

"Tough luck" is basically what customers are being told who query the ripoff.

How can PPQ justify charging $57.20 for an identical re-make of 2 plates and $195 to re-make 1 plate plus a simple computer change from "large trailer" to sedan.

Same owner in both cases, same plate design, no other changes - just a 10 second computer entry changing from "large trailer" to a sedan - and they want almost $140 for the privilege.

They charge only $76.60 to change the name of the owner of a set of personalised plates but almost double that for a simple computer change - with the SAME owner - from large trailer to sedan.


PPQ are legalised ripoff merchants with their customer skills almost non-existent.

If you are planning to buy personalised number plates in Queensland, expect to be ripped off by PPQ and don't expect your purchase to be a good, long-term investment.

You would be better off buying Penny Black stamps or 1930 pennies than placing your hard earned cash on a couple of bits of metal from PPQ.

The full list of auction results from tonight's auction:

BNE 01 - $3000
COOPER S - $4500
V8S RULE - $3750
CAYENNE - $4500
ANTHONY - $2500
CAMERON - $3000
NEWFARM - $3500
TOOWONG - $1750
SURFERS - $10,500
SOLD - $25,000
BUILDER - $13,000
FINANCE - $6000
PLUMBER - $7000
DENTIST - $9500
Q70 - $80,000
YY - $4750
Q387 - $11,000
Q410 - $10,000
Q425 - $6500
Q625 - $10,500
Q2010 - $4500
Q4011 - $2750
Q4007 - $3750
Q4101 - $3500
Q4006 - $3250
Q8808 - $4500

One Lot:
Q1012
Q1013
Q1014
Q1015 - $16,000 (a real bargain)

Q88880 - $50,000

4 other lots were passed in after failing to reach the reserve price.

Till next year!

Media Release: Gold Coast White Shoe brigade welcome in Ipswich

The white shoes and gold chains of Gold Coast property developers would be welcome in Ipswich with open arms, according to Queensland's longest-serving city councillor.

Gold Coast developers are reported today (Courier-Mail page 11) planning to abandon the Glitter Strip in favour of Ipswich because Gold Coast Council infrastructure charges have doubled, making projects unviable.
Veteran Gold Coast developer Norm Rix described councils such as Ipswich and Logan "welcoming".

Ipswich Planning and Development spokesman Paul Tully said the white shoes and gold chains of the "Gold Coast chardonnay set" would be welcome in Queensland's most-famous blue collar city.

"We already have major developers such as Lang Walker, Maha Sinnathamby and Bob Ell investing in the city.

"Ipswich's land prices and infrastructure charges are quite modest compared with the Gold Coast which seems to be chasing developers away.

"If duty calls and it means donning white shoes and gold chains to attract developers from the Gold Coast to Ipswich, then I am prepared to accept my sartorial responsibility to get these developers to our city," Cr Tully said.

Warning on latest email scam to hit Australia

This is the latest email scam to hit Australia overnight:


National Lottery, UK
pg_ap_gmbd@bsnl.co.in

Your email id has won £1,532.720.00GBP in the UK Electronics Award


The Commonwealth Government has forced Internet Service Providers (ISP's) to block porn sites coming into Australia.

ISP's should be forced to stop these fraudulent emails over million of dollars to unsuspecting internet users.

And the sooner the better.

Sizzler staff quick to apologise after human - or animal - hair found in cheesy bread

Anthony - a waiter at Sizzler Annerley - was quick off the mark today after a human, or animal, hair was found in a serve of cheesy bread.

His apology was immediate and genuine and was followed within two minutes by a second apology and no fuss refund of the entire $64.30 bill by Manager Michael.

Michael promised to investigate the problem as far back as the supplier, if necessary.

These food contaminations sometimes occur but how they are handled is the key.

Sizzler, Anthony and Michael deserve top marks for their faultless approach to customer relations.

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Free TV Australia crying wolf over much-needed changes

Free to Air television is currently running advertisements across Australia demanding the right to maintain its monopolistic first option to show sport on Australian television.

This campaign is laughable given the networks' disdain of viewers with all sorts of programming antics over the years including:

• International Rugby Union on Channel 10 on an hour's delay at night in Queensland;

• Major sports events not being shown live in Australia;

• Overseas Olympics on many hours delay in Australia;

• The Australian Open on the 7 Network on delay in Queensland;

• Rugby League fans getting the rough end of the pineapple from the 9 Network in Queensland.

If anything, the free-to-air networks should be stripped immediately of their monopoly for major sports events.

Pay TV would clearly do a better job anyday.

And the sooner the better according to many keen sports' enthusiasts.


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Some Queensland backpackers work under atrocious conditions - Sacked for pleading for water

The Sydney Morning Herald

Date: March 13 2010

Backpackers are victims of rogue operators in the fruitpicking industry, writes Rick Feneley.

The pickers know him only as Max, but their stories are remarkably consistent. ''Pick faster,'' he screams. ''Hurry, pickers. Work with two hands. Faster, workers, or you won't be paid.''

''You feel like a slave,'' says Martin Pflaamenger, 22, a German backpacker.

He was one of several fruitpickers sacked while picking tomatoes on a farm near Bundaberg on February 16. The reason? They had pleaded for water after hours in the intense Queensland sun. Mehmet ''Max'' Tosun sacked them on the spot.

Only three months ago another German backpacker, Jessica Pera, 24, collapsed and died while working on a nearby farm. The coroner is investigating dehydration or heat exhaustion as possible causes of death. By all accounts to the Herald, that farm takes good care of workers. It insists they drink plenty of water.

The same cannot be said for the way Tosun does business. He and his wife, Calie, are a formidable team in Bundaberg. He is 27, she 23. Since October they have been running East Bundy Backpackers - a source of labour for Max's other business. He is a labour hire contractor for farms, which need a constant supply of fruitpickers.

Tosun and his wife, known as ''Kelly'', have refused to answer the Herald's questions concerning allegations it has gathered from seven backpackers over three weeks. But when the local newspaper ran similar claims by other backpackers this week, Calie Tosun, formerly Unwin, was quoted as saying: "I've heard people complain about the work, but if they don't like it they can leave." Her husband disputed many of the claims, but said he had to yell to make pickers work. "They need to be told what to do.''

They have only days to get their ''house in order'', says Queensland's Workplace Rights Ombudsman, Don Brown. He will not discuss individual cases, but he is sending his team to Bundaberg to investigate the industry - yet again. ''We intend to name and shame, and to refer people for prosecution where required,'' Brown told the Herald.

The federal Fair Work Ombudsman has ''serious concerns'' and has begun a separate inquiry.

Bundaberg is familiar with this sort of controversy. The mayor, Lorraine Pyefinch, other hostel operators and farmers are tired of rogue operators. They have been working hard to clean up the industry's image. Adding to their sensitivity is the coming 10th anniversary of a tragedy in nearby Childers in which 15 died in a fire at the Palace Backpackers Hostel.

''This area is entirely dependent on seasonal workers, and particularly backpackers, for our agricultural and horticultural industry,'' Pyefinch says. ''It's the backbone of our economy … In Bundaberg alone, at any one time, there's a thousand registered beds. You can double or triple that in the peak picking season - and they're the unregistered ones.''

Many backpackers go there to fulfil a requirement for a second-year holiday working visa: 88 days of fruitpicking. But Daniel Stockwell, 27, from England, has gone home, broke, having lasted one day as a picker under Max Tosun.

''I love Australia,'' Stockwell says, ''but this just killed it.''

He was sacked on February 16 with his English friend Oliver Brown, 24, Martin Pflaamenger, another German and an Australian. They woke at 3am, but there was no room on the first bus so they caught the second at 5.30am. They were lured by $17.60 an hour. ''But when we got there we heard that had changed,'' Stockwell says. ''We'd be getting paid $1.80 per bucket … I'd been picking for an hour and I'd hardly got one bucket.''

They moved to another field. After 2½ hours they were ''gagging for water''. After three hours, Brown says, he had picked eight buckets of tomatoes. ''You can do the sums.'' Thus far: $14.40.

Workers are unable to carry their own water bottles while picking. They asked for water but none came. Some sat down, refusing to work. ''How can we work without water?'' Stockwell asked.

Tosun bid them farewell. Back at the hostel they were given one hour to leave. Signs warned that only working fruitpickers could stay at the hostel. The group protested that they had paid $160 in advance for a week's accommodation. They said they called in the police, who told them it was a civil matter and they must leave. They left with no pay and no refund.

Yesterday the owner of the farm, SP Exports, terminated its contract with Tosun. Its investigations had revealed ''considerable substance to the allegations'', said its managing director, Andrew Philip. ''We employ 300 and it is certainly not the way we treat them or how we expect people to be treated.''

A spokesman for the Fair Work Ombudsman said piece rates could only be paid if a worker received at least the federal minimum wage for every hour worked, now $14.31.

John Walker, who runs the Bundaberg Workers and Divers Hostel, estimates the illegal industry in Bundaberg is at least twice as big as the legal one. But he believes the state ombudsman is missing the point attacking hostels and growers. ''He is tarnishing the whole industry while failing to target the real culprits - the labor hire contractors.''

Don Brown, the ombudsman, says: ''The bad name earned for the region through backpackers would definitely be causing Australia, and particularly Queensland, tourist dollars.''

Mayor Pyefinch worries that, with the internet, ''we're responding to a network of opinion that's available all around the world''.

Oliver Brown is part of that network. He checked his bank account this week to discover that he and Daniel Stockwell had finally been paid. ''I got $20.36 for a day's work. Daniel got $9.60 for exactly the same work.''

Telstra passes the buck over phone line fiasco at Goodna

Developer Manos Saradakis
speaks to the media over
the Telstra bungle which
is costing him almost
$40,000 a month

Telstra has excelled again with its "blame game" propaganda.

Telstra Countrywide Manager in Toowoomba has now stepped in to resolve the issue at 12 Queen Street Goodna.

Telstra is now apparently conceding they do not have the 200 cable pairs in Queen Street.

Telstra should stop the blame game and get the problem fixed.

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BREAKING NEWS: Ipswich developer to sue Telstra over 6 month phone delay

Ipswich developer Manos Saridakis is planning to sue Telstra as part of a massive class action against the communications giant.

Mr Saridakis has been waiting six months for Telstra to connect telephones lines to his new commercial development at 12 Queen Street Goodna.

Telstra's spin doctors have gone into overdrive in the past 18 hours with spurious claims they have been unable to connect the lines because the developer had not installed the necessary conduits on the street.

Local Goodna Councillor Paul Tully, whose electorate office is two doors from the development, confirmed the conduit had been installed last August on the day the project commenced.

"I personally witnessed the conduit going into the ground," Cr Tully said.

Mr Saridakis is briefing lawyers this afternoon with plans to sue Telstra as part of a wider class action against the company.

"How much longer do businesses have to put up with this sort of incompetence?

"This is costing me $30,000 a month. I am calling on businesses across Australia who are on the receiving end of Telstra's poor service to join me in my action against Telstra.

He said Telstra has had six months to get the installation sorted out.

"I have three tenants ready to move in but without any phone connections they cannot take up their new tenancies.

"This is costing me a small fortune with my tenants very angry."

He said he should not be out of pocket because of Telstra's failures.

Mr Saridakis said he rang Telstra on Wednesday of this week to find out what was happening but was put through to a call centre in Asia where the operator couldn't understand him and hung up on him.

He said if Telstra was going to use Asian call centres, they should at least ensure the staff understood basic English.
Cr Tully said Ipswich was the fastest-developing city in Australia but Telstra was "behind the eight ball" in keeping up with the pace of development in the city.

"No wonder their shares have dropped almost 25 percent in the past year."

Cr Tully said Telstra was one of the worst companies in Australia when it came to customer relations and they used a "mixture of spin, bravado and lies" to try to get out of embarrassing media publicity.

"The problem is that Ipswich is managed out of Toowoomba by Telstra bosses 100km away from the city who have probably never heard of the Ipswich or the western corridor."

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Telstra screws Goodna developer

PIC: Manos Saridakis has been waiting 6 months
for Telstra to provide telephone lines to his
new, multi-million dollar
development in Goodna.

Manos Saridakis is a hard-working developer who has contributed a lot to the Ipswich economy.

He has already developed two commercial properties in Queen Street Goodna, a third in William Street and a double child care centre in Alice Street.

He also has plans to redevelop the Redbank Shopping Village in Brisbane Road Redbank.

But his latest multi-million dollar investment is a two-storey office block and commercial premises at 12 Queen Street Goodna.

The development is substantially complete with tenants ready to move in - except, surprise surprise, Telstra has failed to deliver.

This development includes government offices, private suites, financial service providers and the latest up-market Coffee Club.

Six months ago, Telstra was asked to install 200 telephone cable pairs to service the 8 tenants at 12 Queen Street.

In December, they turned up to install 10 pairs - barely enough for one tenant, let alone eight.

Now, tenants cannot move in because at this time there are no telephone connections to the site.

The tenants are very upset and Manos is feeling like the meat in the sandwich.

Telstra is again treating the people of Ipswich and Goodna as second class citizens.

Telstra has had six months to get this right but they have still failed to deliver at every milestone.

They are real shockers.

Telstra's customer service in Ipswich is generously rated as somewhere between Buckley's and none.

The local Telstra Countrywide Manager for Ipswich Nigel Beaman is based in his ivory tower in Toowoomba almost 100km away and has probably never heard of Goodna.

Telstra doesn't care what standard of service it provides.

It treats residential and business customers with utter contempt.

It's surprising Telstra shares are not languishing around the 1 cent mark rather than their inflated $3 figure which is unsustainable in the long-term, given Telstra's anti-customer attitude which is hardening by the day.

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Telstra fiasco at Goodna: They can't supply badly-needed telephone lines to a new building

This is another Telstra fiasco.

With the new building about to open with A1 tenants such as The Coffee Club, Telstra cannot supply telephone lines to the complex in the main street of Goodna.

The owner Manos Saridakis is extremely disappointed at Telstra's un-business-like approach to the community.

Full details later.

New valuation laws a kick in the teeth for Property Council of Australia

Steve Greenwood -
a three time loser
in his stoush with
the State Government

Despite his political posturings and awkward attempts to save face, the Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia Steve Greenwood has suffered three big losses in one day.

The State Government has legislated to maintain existing property valuations as well as the legality of individual Council rates plus it will abandon the current valuation methodology on which the Property Council based its entire ill-fated campaign.

Poor old Steve Greenwood - he couldn't get up one even leg of the Brisbane trifecta.

Moving from un improved capital value to site value in Queensland will ensure a much better and more equitable regime for the calculation of land tax and local government rates.

Meanwhile, Steve Greenwood can chalk up another loss in his expensive, failed campaign to be the king-pin of Queensland politics!

Property Council made to look like dunces thanks to Steve Greenwood

Steve Greenwood - a friend of local
government for many years and now
its arch rival!

The Property Council of Australia continues its political campaign against the Bligh Government in Queensland with another full page advertisement in today's Courier-Mail.

The Property Council under Executive Director Steve Greenwood wants to retain the status quo with property valuations set to drop overnight by up to 35%, as a result of a recent court decision.

The corresponding shortfall in rates would have to be made up by ordinary householders, forced to subsidise big business, if Steve Greenwood had his way.

This guy is really a class act - having worked with the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) and now in his new role with the Property Council attempting to smash local government financially.

If fairness and equity were the test on this issue, Steve Greenwood would fail badly.

Today's Courier-Mail also features a full page advertisement from the Queensland Government which puts this whole issue in perspective:

NO CHANGE for family home valuations

NO CHANGE for mums' and dads' investment properties

NO CHANGE for superannuation funds

NO CHANGE for tourism owners and operators

NO CHANGE for local shopping centres

NO CHANGE for farmers

NO CHANGE for renters

NO CHANGE for retail tenants

NO CHANGE for tradies.

LGAQ President Paul Bell is quoted in the State Government advertisement rightly supporting the proposed legislation.

Paul Bell must be acutely embarrassed that a former LGAQ staffer would spearhead such an anti-local government campaign to stop this legislation.

The ONLY CHANGE really needed is for the Property Council to dump Steve Greenwood for wasting its funds on this ill-conceived political campaign which is doomed to fail abysmally.

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Kmart backs down on move to trade on Anzac Day

Kmart has withdrawn its ill-conceived and idiotic application to trade all day on Anzac Day.

How a major company could display such insensitivity in honour of the almighty dollar on this important national day beggars belief.

Maybe a major donation by Kmart to help needy diggers and their families would be a better gesture than their half-hearted, belated act of contrition to the people of Australia.
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Apple iPad lauch may be delayed

iPad a laughing stock?

Why are so many people ready to poke fun at Apple's latest creation, the iPad?

Apple may delay or limit the size of the launch of its anticipated iPad tablet computer because of an "unspecified production problem", Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek wrote in a research note this week.

Misek said Apple's Taiwan-based supplier Hon Hai Precision could be facing a production bottleneck or a shortage of components.

"An unspecified production problem at the iPad's manufacturer, Hon Hai Precision, will likely limit the launch region to the U.S. and the number of units available to roughly 300,000 in the month of March, far lower than the company's initial estimate of 1 million units. The delay in production ramp will likely impact Apple's April unit estimate of 800,000 as well," Misek wrote.

Apple has not publicly stated an official release date or how many models it is expecting to put on sale. It has said that Wi-Fi models will ship in "late March," while 3G models will ship in April in the U.S. and selected countries, including Australia.

Canaccord still expects Apple to sell 550,000 iPads in the third quarter ending in June, and 1.2 million iPads in the 2010 fiscal year.

"The only material impact from the iPad delay could come in the form of frustrated consumers and some modest loss of luster for the company's product launch," Misek said.

Messages left for Apple were not immediately returned.

However, in a statement to Wired, Apple said "the iPad will be available in late March".
 
It did not comment on the claimed production issues or Misek's claims that they may lead to the launch region initially being limited to the US.

P&O Cruises scratchie lottery for travellers

Fresh from their recent on-board scandals, P&O Cruises has descended into the realms of commercialised gambling with scratch lotteries being distributed through local Australian newspapers.

The average punter is being induced to get hundreds and even thousands of dollars off the cost of their expensive cruises.

P&O is even offering a $15,000 prize on the Pacific Jewel for one lucky punter.

And who pays for this? - All the mugs who have to pay top dollar to subsidise these get-rich-quick inducements to travel with P&O.

More importantly, let's hope P&O has now got its act together and can give travellers an iron-clad guarantee that it' cruises are drug free and that they are not at risk of dying on-board from the effects of unlawful stupefying drugs.

Australian warning: You've got mail...and a scam

Media Release

Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading

The Honourable Peter Lawlor

02/03/2010

You've got mail...and a scam

JOINT RELEASE

High-tech fraudsters are disguising themselves online and targeting inboxes with a new wave of 'e-scams', say Fair Trading Minister Peter Lawlor and Police Minister Neil Roberts.

Mr Lawlor said the Office of Fair Trading warned people about an increasing number of scams being received electronically via email and text message.

"The National Consumer Fraud Week (1-7 March) awareness campaign is underway and this is a good reminder to people to get up to date on different types of cyber threats," he said.

"While many of us understand that spam involves unwanted emails being sent out to a multitude of email addresses, some of the newer scams such as phishing and smishing may not be understood."

The warning follows an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission report released yesterday showing that Australians lost almost $70 million through scams in 2009.

Mr Roberts said the impact of fraud on the community was often underestimated.

"Advances in technology have provided more opportunities for offenders to prey on the most vulnerable members of our community," Mr Roberts said.

"While the Internet is a powerful communication tool, offenders have adapted to it quickly and are now using it en masse to target victims via text message and email.

"We see victims suffer not only embarrassment and humiliation but too many are losing their home and life savings.

"The Queensland Police Service's expert Fraud and Corporate Crime Group has a number of initiatives aimed at preventing this crime and educating the public on how to avoid becoming a cyber crime victim."

Mr Lawlor said phishing referred to emails that tricked people into giving out their personal and banking information.

"The term smishing is used when people are targeted by text messages to their mobile phones," he said.

"These messages appear to come from legitimate business, often banks or telecommunication companies, and have an authentic feel about them.

"Emails will often link to websites that look identical to a real company's page, with similar logos and headings; the key is to look carefully at the web address.

"If a real bank's webpage was www.realbank.com, a fake address might be www.realbank.com.log107.biz

"The scammers are trying to obtain personal information allowing them to withdraw money from bank accounts.

"Even clicking onto a fake website can allow scammers to load spy ware onto your computer which gives them access to any information you have saved.

"It's a good idea to rest your mouse icon over the top of any link your unfamiliar with before clicking through, as this reveals the full web address at the bottom left of your screen.

"This will give you a strong indication of whether the website is legitimate or not."

Mr Lawlor said the key message to consumers was to be aware that there are scams out there and to carefully guard their personal information.

"Personal details and financial and banking information should be closely protected and not passed on without careful consideration."

Tips to beat the scammers:

- When surfing the web, check the address of any links you're unfamiliar with by holding your mouse icon over the link.
The address will show up on the bottom left on your page;

- Use different passwords for your online banking, email, social networking and shopping accounts;

- Regularly scan your computer for viruses and spy ware;

- Don't open emails or attachments from unknown sources - the best thing to do is to delete them;

- Never provide your credit card and personal details to an unsecured website. A secure website can be identified by a padlock at the bottom right hand corner of your screen.

For more information on protecting yourself from scams, visit www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au or www.scamwatch.gov.au

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Kmart is a national disgrace to all decent Australians

Kmart's attempt to open before 1.00pm on Anzac Day is nothing short of a national disgrace.

Kmart is peddling spurious claims they want to open to provide an outlet for essential consumer items saying their New South Wales customers would be "severely inconvenienced by our closure".

What a load of codswallop!

How have we survived in the past?

Anzac Day has always been sacrosanct from this sort of un-Australian commercialism and that's the way it should always remain.
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Fraud Week Warning on Scams

Media Release

Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading

The Honourable Peter Lawlor

01/03/2010

Fraud Week warning on scams

JOINT RELEASE

Minister for Fair Trading Peter Lawlor and Police Minister Neil Roberts have urged Queenslanders to take care when disclosing their personal and financial details for the launch of National Consumer Fraud Week which starts today.

Fraud Week, which will run from 1 - 7 March, aims to raise awareness about the serious threat to personal identity and financial security caused by scams and the increase of attacks being carried out online.

Mr Lawlor said thousands of Australians fell victim to scams each year.

"The Office of Fair Trading received 2173 complaints relating to scams in 2009," Mr Lawlor said.

"This is an increase of more than 800 compared to 2008.

"1 in 20 Australians will be scammed this year, with consumers set to lose more than $1 billion."

Mr Roberts said the impact of fraud on the community was often underestimated.

"Advances in technology have provided more opportunities for offenders to prey on the most vulnerable members of our community," Mr Roberts said.

"While the Internet is a powerful communication tool, offenders have adapted to it quickly and are now using it en masse to target victims via text message and email.

"We see victims suffer not only embarrassment and humiliation but too many are losing their home and life savings.

"The Queensland Police Service's expert Fraud and Corporate Crime Group has a number of initiatives aimed at preventing this crime and educating the public on how to avoid becoming a cyber crime victim."

Mr Lawlor said scams could target anyone and were increasingly reaching people's homes from multiple sources - including through the post, email, door-to-door and over the phone.

"Unfortunately many scam victims don't report their experience because they feel humiliated when they realise they have been duped, and they'd rather bear the amount of money they have lost out of fear of embarrassment.

"I encourage all Queenslanders to be wary of offers they receive that are in the 'too good to be true category'.

"Victims come from all walks of life and a range of ages. Younger people aren't immune to being tricked.

"The best thing people can do with something they think might be a scam is to throw it in the bin.

"Scammers are manipulative and make a living from lying to consumers by promising easy money, great prizes and offering a way out of financial hardship.

"They promote professional looking websites, letters, brochures, emails and leaflets to dupe consumers into providing their personal details like their credit card number or password.

"The best way to protect yourself from scams is to know the warning signs and be able to identify when a product or offer doesn't seem quite right.

"Always be wary of high pressure sales tactics, unsolicited offers, and promises that seem too good to be true."

Mr Lawlor said the Fraud Week campaign was an important national initiative.

"The Office of Fair Trading, as a member of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce, is committed to bringing about a greater knowledge and understanding of scams among consumers."

For more information on protecting yourself from scams, visit www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au or www.scamwatch.gov.au

Class action over Storm Financial still brewing

From The Courier-Mail

THE Commonwealth Bank may yet face a costly class action in the Federal Court by disgruntled Storm investors, despite a resolution scheme tipped to cost up to $300 million.

In a landmark deal, the CBA this week revealed it would offer cash refunds and home loan cuts to up to 2000 former investors in Storm Financial who lost homes and life savings in the corporate collapse just over a year ago.

Slater & Gordon lawyer Damien Scattini, who brokered the settlement on behalf of 1250 clients, said it was a fair outcome and avoided "litigation Armageddon".

But hundreds of unhappy Storm victims are holding out for a bigger compensation payout ahead of an Australian Securities and Investment Commission investigation due to be released next month.

Lawyer Stewart Levitt, who represents 70 Storm victims, said his firm was likely to file a class action in the Federal Court by Easter.

He cited a legal precedent in the Goodridge vs Macquarie Bank case in the Federal Court two weeks ago to have a client's entire portfolio reinstated in full.

Any court damages payout from a class action could be much higher.

"It is unclear how the (CBA) system will work for people whose homes were over-valued," Mr Levitt said. "It is also unclear when hardship provisions will cut in.

"The destitution of the elderly superannuees through the operation of the CBA/Storm scheme has not been fairly or adequately addressed."

Storm was Queensland's biggest corporate collapse and had about 14,000 clients – with about 3000 retirees who invested their life savings and re-mortgaged their homes. Investors lost about $3 billion.

Storm Investors Consumer Action Group yesterday said it would now "redouble" efforts to go after the other banks, including Macquarie Bank, Westpac, ANZ and Bank of Queensland.

"Some banks have been recalcitrant and are trying to buy time to see the outcome by ASIC," said SICAG co-chairman Noel O'Brien.

"If ASIC comes in with a better offer, it trumps what is on the table."

MP Bernie Ripoll, who headed an inquiry into financial services in the aftermath of the Storm fiasco, urged other banks to follow the CBA.

An ANZ spokesman said the bank would have a customer resolution scheme for 200 to 300 clients in a few weeks.

Macquarie Bank refused to comment on the matter.

Property Council suffers under Steve Greenwood's delusional claims

Steve Greenwood -
Queensland's new
unofficial State
Opposition Leader


Media Release from Ipswich City Councillor Paul Tully

The Property Council of Australia has been slammed for its "war of attrition" against the state government and councils over new valuation laws in Queensland.

The Property Council has been running full page newspaper advertisements condemning new laws which reinstated decades of land valuation methodology in Queensland.

The Land Appeal Court upheld an appeal by Pacific Fair Shopping Centre on the Gold Coast reducing the centre's land valuation from $255 million to $47.5 million.

Long-serving Ipswich Councillor Paul Tully has singled out the Property Council Executive Director Steve Greenwood for his "malicious and unfounded claims" over the issue.

"He is falsely claiming rates for business properties across Queensland will skyrocket as a result of the new legislation.

"The new law simply restores the valuation methodology which has been in place for over 60 years.

"It's business as usual for property valuations across the state.

"This new law will protect ordinary property owners and councils.

"Mr Greenwood has set himself up as the unofficial opposition leader in Queensland wasting the Property Council funds by spuriously attacking the state government.

"The Property Council is frittering away its members funds with outrageous claims which have no legal or factual basis.

"Steve Greenwood owes the people of Queensland a massive apology for his unacceptable scare tactics," Cr Tully said.


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PAUL TULLY: PaulGTully@gmail.com

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New bogus Tax Office scam hits Australia

A new email scam has hit Australia today with scammers asking for personal information aimed at stripping funds out of the accounts of unsuspecting email recipients.

They are promising a non-existent refund of $650.90.

The amazing thing is that the bogus email address being used by the scammers includes ".gov.au" as part of the domain.

How can they get such an address which is limited to official government departments and agencies?

This is the scam email:

From: refund@ato.gov.au

Dear Taxpayer,

After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have
determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $650.90.

Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 6-9 days in order
to process it.

A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons.

For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline.

To access your tax refund, use the form attached to this email.


Regards,
Australian Taxation Office


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PAUL TULLY: PaulGTully@gmail.com

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Sunrise is not "Live" in Queensland despite claims by 7

Sunrise - Not "live"
in sunny Queensland!


Channel 7 unveiled its new Sunrise livery for 2010 and Channel 9 should take a close look at its rival's fresh image.

But the new look has omitted one very important detail which has separated 7 from 9 in the past.

Despite the fact that it is now in breach of section 52 of the Commonwealth Trade Practices Act, Seven has dropped the acronym "AEDST" from its "live" logo.

Previously, viewers in NSW, ACT, Victoria and Tasmania knew their program was live and those in Queensland were aware it was on an hour's delay.

All of this becomes important with on-site weather updates, especially so-called "live" cyclone reports from Michelle Tapper in Cairns which are an hour out-of-date!

Up until today, Sunrise has been absolutely scrupulous in ensuring that its reports were tagged as "live" only where Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time applies.

It's all twice as galling for Queensland viewers who have to put up with the Australian Tennis Open on an hour's delay every night on Seven.

Some tired viewers are beating the clock by listening to the final result live on ABC Radio and getting to bed an hour earlier - saving the hour which they lost at the start of the tennis each night.


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PAUL TULLY: PaulGTully@gmail.com

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Illegal matchmaking still pulls big bucks

Many introduction agencies have morals lower than a snake's duodenum when it comes to ethical behaviour.

The Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading Peter Lawlor has issued this warning against a Gold Coast-based agency:


Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading

The Honourable Peter Lawlor

29/12/2009

No love from these introduction agents

The operator of a Gold Coast introduction agency has been ordered back to court following allegations that she is defying an earlier ban which restrained her from providing introduction services to Queensland residents.

Minister for Fair Trading Peter Lawlor said Helen Dimitrijevski, the alleged operator of Love Network Queensland Pty Ltd, was today (27 December 2009) served with court documents in relation to action commenced by both Queensland and New South Wales Fair Trading agencies.

The Queensland proceedings allege contempt of court.

In 2003 Helen Dimitrijevski, her husband Zivko Dimitrijevski and TLC Consulting Services Pty Ltd were ordered to cease providing introduction services to Queensland residents by the Queensland Supreme Court.

The New South Wales Office of Fair Trading has also filed proceedings in the New South Wales Supreme Court against Helen Dimitrijevski, Zivko Dimitrijevski and Hollie Veall in relation to TLC Consulting Services Pty Ltd which had been operating as an introduction agency in Tweed Heads, NSW since being banned from providing introduction services in Queensland.

Irish Gypsies back in Queensland with old consumer ripoff

The Irish Gypsies are back ripping off individuals and businesses with their well-practised bitumen scam.

They have targeted Ipswich in the past and were last reported on Brisbane's southside.

Ipswich residents - particularly those in the eastern suburbs - should be on the lookout for these swindlers.

Last time, one businessman at Lower Cross Street Goodna was swindled out of thousands of dollars over a dodgy bitumen job.

The Irish Gypsies laid white sand over the top of their sub-standard work, telling the small business owner the sand was needed to "cure" the bitumen.

Only when the sand washed away a few days later, did the extent of the wafer thin coating of bitumen become obvious.

The Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading has issued the following warning against these dodgy characters:

Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading
The Honourable Peter Lawlor
13/12/2009

Dodgy bitumen trader alert for Brisbane southside area

Fair Trading Minister Peter Lawlor today warned residents around Eight Mile Plains and Acacia Ridge to beware of dodgy bitumen traders targeting the area.

Mr Lawlor said the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) had received information of residents being approached by a group of men offering to lay hot mix driveways.

"The group consists of a male with a strong Irish accent and four or five males who are the labourers," Mr Lawlor said.

"They have approached people saying they have left over bitumen from their last job.

"They do the driveway job and give a price on completion. The work is sub-standard and cash is usually always demanded."

Mr Lawlor said one Acacia Ridge resident who agreed to the work was sprung with a $5,000 bill.

"No upfront quote was given so the resident was alarmed at the cost and also intimidated by the group of men, who demanded their money," he said.

"Another resident in Eight Mile Plains paid $9,000."

Mr Lawlor said anyone approached by the men should try and get their vehicle registration details and advise the OFT immediately on 13 13 04.

He said these particular traders had been previously spotted in the Bayside area and that they may be operating in surrounding suburbs or regions now.

Under the Fair Trading Act 1989, door-to-door sales of any goods or service of more than $75 must come with a 10 day cooling off period and payment cannot be made until after then.

Buyers should get two forms - one explaining the cooling off period and one which can be used to cancel the contract if so desired.

"Door-to-door traders must produce an identity card with the dealer's full name and address," Mr Lawlor said.

"They are only allowed to contact customers between 9am and 6pm from Monday to Friday, and 9am and 5pm on Saturdays.

"Fines of up to $54,000 apply to individuals and $270,000 to companies for breaches of the Fair Trading Act."

Report any scams or suspicious offers to the Office of Fair Trading at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au or call 13 13 04

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New internet scam hits Australia

With millions of dollars being ripped from the pockets of Australian internet users every year, the email scams are becoming simpler but still deadly effective.

The scams seem innocent enough with the simple advice in the latest scam that the recipient has won 750,000 Great Britain Pounds.

I then asks only for the person's Name, Age and Country.

All pretty innocent until the final sting when they ask for your bank account details supposedly to deposit the winnings into.
Within minutes, your bank account is stripped of all its funds.

This can happen to hundreds of internet users at a time as the result of just one worldwide email.

Be warned and warn your friends, especially those new to the internet.

This is the full text of the latest scam email:


From: Irish News Centre

You won 750,000 GBP.

Send: Name, Age, Country


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