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Overseas travel flies to record levels
The Canberra Times He said the domestic market was slowly picking up, especially in Queensland, which was devastated by floods earlier this year. “Anecdotally, Queensland recovered strongly in the second quarter and is performing pretty well right now. ... |
Overseas travel flies to record levels - The Canberra Times
Overseas travel flies to record levels - The Canberra Times: "
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The Business Matrix: Saturday 13 August 2011 - The Independent
The Business Matrix: Saturday 13 August 2011 - The Independent: "
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The Business Matrix: Saturday 13 August 2011
The Independent The sportswear rivals JJB Sports and Sports Direct were given a lift yesterday after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) decided to close its long-running probe into alleged price fixing. The inquiry began in January 2009, when JJB turned whistleblower by ... and more » |
Confusion revealed in Queensland flood report - The Australian
Confusion revealed in Queensland flood report - The Australian: "
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Sydney Morning Herald |
Confusion revealed in Queensland flood report
The Australian The report, in itself, will cause Bligh little political pain, especially when Robertson plans to retire at the next election anyway. The real challenge for the Premier will be in renegotiating a water security policy with councils and revising the ... Parties butt heads over dam managementABC Online Minister deflects flood report criticismSky News Australia Minister asked question but failed to reveal his answerEden Magnet all 986 news articles » |
Newman's pledge to take Queensland backwards - My Sunshine Coast (press release)
Newman's pledge to take Queensland backwards - My Sunshine Coast (press release): "
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Newman's pledge to take Queensland backwards
My Sunshine Coast (press release) The Deputy Premier said this showed Campbell Newman, who wants to take Queensland backwards by de-amalgamating Noosa from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, was out of touch with his own side of politics. "What this proves again is that Campbell ... and more » |
One Nation returns for state election - NEWS.com.au
One Nation returns for state election - NEWS.com.au: "
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NEWS.com.au |
One Nation returns for state election
NEWS.com.au One Nation Queensland was deregistered in November 2009, as its membership had fallen below the 500 required. The party, founded by the controversial Pauline Hanson, shook up state politics in 1988 when 11 candidates were elected to Parliament. and more » |
For Telstra breaking up is hard to do - The Australian
For Telstra breaking up is hard to do - The Australian: "
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For Telstra breaking up is hard to do
The Australian It also didn't satisfy the ACCC because it still wants to hear from both Telstra and the NBN on just why two competitors should be allowed to work together. Telstra argues the structural separation imposed by the NBN provides the answer, but NBN still ... and more » |
Retail trading hours should be extended, says Productivity Commission - Nett Magazine Online
Retail trading hours should be extended, says Productivity Commission - Nett Magazine Online: "
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Retail trading hours should be extended, says Productivity Commission
Nett Magazine Online “The ARA also supports recommendations for a harmonisation of lease information and nationally consistent model legislation as well as voluntary national code of conduct for shopping centre leases that is enforceable by the ACCC,” he added. ... and more » |
Fed agencies accused of cover-up - The Australian
Fed agencies accused of cover-up - The Australian: "
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Fed agencies accused of cover-up
The Australian In the 2009 criminal case R v Martens, the Queensland Court of Appeal criticised the Commonwealth DPP and the AFP for failing to provide documents that could help the defence in a criminal case. In ACCC v Australian and New Zealand Banking Group, ... and more » |
Extortion victim Ian Anderson says life as he knew it ended with click of a ... - Courier Mail
Extortion victim Ian Anderson says life as he knew it ended with click of a ... - Courier Mail: "
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Extortion victim Ian Anderson says life as he knew it ended with click of a ...
Courier Mail He is under investigation by the Queensland police Fraud Squad and Office of Fair Trading over an alleged price manipulation racket on the Gold Coast's "Millionaires Row" at Mermaid Beach. Mr Anderson, meanwhile, is a broken man. ... |
Could the carnival be over? - Sydney Morning Herald
Could the carnival be over? - Sydney Morning Herald: "
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Sydney Morning Herald |
Could the carnival be over?
Sydney Morning Herald Revellers at this year's Splendour in the Grass festival in Queensland, one of many entries in a bloated music-festival calendar. It did not sell out this year. A recent casualty highlights the vulnerability of Australia's large music festivals. ... and more » |
Bond collapse sends QBE shares south - Sydney Morning Herald
Bond collapse sends QBE shares south - Sydney Morning Herald: "
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Bond collapse sends QBE shares south
Sydney Morning Herald Has there been some massive disaster - or ''insurance event'' in industry parlance - that hadn't been taken into account, beyond the Queensland floods, cyclone Yasi, the Christchurch earthquake, sweeping tornadoes through the US and Japan's flirtation ... and more » |
Book vouchers halve in value - Sydney Morning Herald
Book vouchers halve in value - Sydney Morning Herald: "
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Book vouchers halve in value
Sydney Morning Herald Noting an increase in gift cards being sold in Australia, Mr Zinn said companies needed to give better guarantees to consumers of the gift card's value. At the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs in June, Queensland Deputy Premier and Fair Trading ... and more » |
Carbon crims cop solar scolding - The Daily Telegraph
Carbon crims cop solar scolding - The Daily Telegraph: "
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Carbon crims cop solar scolding
The Daily Telegraph The scam was operating in broad daylight. To an untrained observer, the big factory looked like an innocent business employing hundreds of hard-working, community-minded people. To the expert eye of a trained carbon cop, however, it looked like an ... |
'Pay scam' robs oil rig workers - Perth Now
'Pay scam' robs oil rig workers - Perth Now: "
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'Pay scam' robs oil rig workers
Perth Now It is alleged that Ultra Tune further breached workplace laws by failing to keep proper employment records for 10 Filipino workers it employed through 457 visas to work in WA, Victoria and Queensland. The company faces maximum penalties of up to $33000 ... and more » |
Food court rip-off: One in four underpay - Sydney Morning Herald
Food court rip-off: One in four underpay - Sydney Morning Herald: "
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Food court rip-off: One in four underpay
Sydney Morning Herald More than one quarter of Queensland take-away food outlets in food courts audited last year were underpaying staff and flouting workplace laws, the Fair Work Ombudsman has revealed. Fair Work inspectors recently checked the books of 128 businesses ... and more » |
Consumer Bastardry: Telstra bombards customers over unpaid bills
TELSTRA has been accused of harassing and bullying customers over unpaid bills, with relentless barrages of automatic calls every two hours.
One man too sick to pay his bill said the telecommunications giant called him about seven times a day from 7am, with an automated message demanding he organise payment of his account.
Former Telstra customer Gary Duffy said he was harassed non-stop after medical complications from a heart operation left him struggling to afford basics like rent and food.
"They were just constantly, constantly ringing and it's just an absolute nightmare," he said.
Mr Duffy, who has suffered repeated strokes and seizures since his operation, said the deluge of calls and letters every two or three days pushed him to the verge of a breakdown.
"It's almost like someone knocking on your door every hour saying, 'Hey, you've got to pay this bill'," Mr Duffy said.
"If it was an ex-partner ringing you all the time, you could take them to court and have them stopped, but apparently with Telstra they think they're above everything."
Mr Duffy said he had relied on his phone in case of a medical emergency but had been afraid to turn it on because of the calls.
He had abandoned using a phone at all until a friend bought him a pre-paid phone as a gift on Friday.
Internet users have also expressed outrage over the automated calling tactics, with some worried that scammers could replicate the calls to obtain personal details from unsuspecting customers.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission guidelines recommend companies do not contact a debtor more than three times a week.
Consumer group Choice spokeswoman Ingrid Just said the frequency of Telstra's automated calling seemed "excessive".
"The telco obviously needs to recoup their debt (but) should be using all channels, not just one," Ms Just said.
She said customers who felt harassed as a result of such calls should tell the company involved.
A Telstra spokeswoman confirmed the telco used automated calling for debt recovery but said the system allowed customers to opt to organise payment of their bill or speak to a consultant in order to stop the calls.
She said many customers had given positive feedback on the system.
YOUR RIGHTS
A debt collector should only contact you when it is necessary and reasonable.
Contact should be limited to a maximum of three phone calls or letters a week.
Debt collectors must not frighten, intimidate or embarrass debtors.
They must not talk about your situation to other people, including family.
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