Nursery Rhyme Shock: "Baa Baa Black Sheep" banned in Queensland

No more Black Sheep in North Queensland as political correctness overtakes commonsense.

BLACK sheep are on the endangered species list as some children in north Queensland learn to sing Baa Baa Rainbow Sheep.

The English nursery rhyme may have survived for 200-plus years but political correctness could finally put it out to pasture.

Some schools in Britain have banned the song for being racist, but Pelicans Innisfail Child Care allows children to sing about black sheep or rainbow sheep.

Director Pam McLaughlin said some teachers sang the changed lyrics, and some children already knew the changes.

"We just go with whatever the children want," Ms McLaughlin said.

"The kids are just singing and having fun. Some sing black sheep, some sing rainbow sheep. It's just a song.

"We don't have anything that says, 'You have to sing it this way'."

The BBC reported in 2000 that Birmingham City Council had banned the song for being racist. It was later overturned after a backlash from parents.

The council said it had obtained the guidelines, which stated: "The history behind the rhyme is very negative and also very offensive to black people, due to the fact that the rhyme originates from slavery".

Six years later in 2006, a nursery in Sutton Courtenay in Britain banned the nursery rhyme.

In other examples, the principal of a school in NSW last year adapted the lyrics from Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree so children would say how happy, rather than gay, his life must be.

In 2009 the Birmingham council took creative licence to change the ending of Humpty Dumpty from couldn't "put Humpty together again" to "made Humpty happy again".

Golliwog dolls have been taken off shelves because of racism concerns and passages have been removed from Enid Blyton books because of perceived homosexual undertones between Noddy and Big Ears.

Australian National University social psychologist Michael Platow said he doubted Baa Baa Black Sheep would teach racism.

"I don't know why a child would associate a black sheep with a black man," he said.

The Office of Early Childhood Education and Care associate director-General Zea Johnston said no direction had been given and centres were responsible for their own education programs.

Pelicans has indigenous and non-indigenous children, and recognises diversity. Children play with white dolls, darker-skinned dolls and dolls of both sexes.

Ms McLaughlin said she thought changing the lyrics was a bit confusing for children. "You can get a black sheep but you can't get a rainbow sheep."

http://www.thesundaymail.com.au/


QUEENSLAND CONSUMER WATCH COMMENT: Once in a while there is actually a black sheep born but nowhere can you get a rainbow-coloured sheep.  Pelicans Innisfail Child Care are acting like clowns in doctoring this 200-year old nursery rhyme.  They are indoctrinating our kids about a physical impossibility.  They might be trying to put a little "colour" into the  centuries-old nursery rhyme but it is a "black" day for the Centre and for the children of Queensland when this form of petty censorship is allowed to happen.

 

Internet Warning: Hacked Facebook page leads to fake “open house” party

by Queensland Police Service

The importance of password security on social media was highlighted this week as more than 4000 people RSVP'd for an open house party in South Brisbane after a teenager's Facebook account was hacked.

Police were alerted via Twitter of the open invitation, and contacted the family who live at the address. They are not having a party this weekend, and were unaware their teenage son's Facebook page had been hacked.

 The boy's father said it was a lesson for all parents and teenagers who use social media.

"He told me that his account had been hacked into by some friends who advertised the party on Facebook.

 "When the numbers of people RSVPing to the party started to climb, he panicked and told us what had happened.

 "The first thing I thought of was, how am I going to be able to control this, because the numbers of people coming just kept climbing, it was crazy.

 "I told my son that he better tell everyone that the party wasn't happening and no-one was coming in the front gate."

 "This is a real eye opener for us. We immediately posted on-line that the party has been cancelled and the account had been hacked," the father said.

 Superintendent District Officer of Wynnum District, Jim Keogh said that police would be on hand to ensure that would-be party goers did not cause a disturbance at the address.

 "We're now seeing hackers promoting a party via social media that could have potentially seen thousands of people arrive at the residence and the occupant of the address being completely unaware until the event.

Anyone planning on attending the party advertised on Facebook at a private residence in South Brisbane should make other arrangements," Superintendent Keogh said.

'Trolling' and 'Spamming' can often arise from unauthorised access of social media accounts with the account holder's knowledge.

 'Trolling' is when individuals are deliberately provocative or offensive in order to provoke a reaction, often using other people's identity, while 'spamming' refers to the sending of bulk unsolicited messages via electronic messaging systems such as email, SMS, or social network messaging.

 

Red tape strangling flood claims from Premier's Disaster Relief fund - Queenslanders waiting weeks for payment

ANNA Bligh has promised to overhaul payments from her disaster fund after accusations it was being strangled by red tape.

Premier Bligh last night announced the overhaul after The Courier-Mail continued investigations into the apparent slow allocation of more than $220 million of funds.

A large team of public servants from the Communities Department will now be deployed to help fast-track cash payments to within 72 hours of claim approval.

Ms Bligh said late last night she made the decision after visiting the Lockyer Valley last Sunday and finding too many people had waited too long for payments.

For case studies of claims to the Premier's Disaster Relief fund see today's print edition of The Courier-Mail.

"I'm not satisfied with the speed in which this is happening so I directed my department to hold talks with Centrelink," she said. "There are now new arrangements in place."

Ms Bligh had not mentioned any restructure in media interviews yesterday as public anger grew about the administration of the fund.

The Communities Department will now verify homes were inundated within 48 hours of receiving the claim.

Centrelink will then pay out the money within 24 hours of that confirmation.

"This should dramatically speed up the payment process," Ms Bligh said.

"Additionally we have put in place new arrangements to speed up claims from the Lockyer Valley."

The change follows accusations only three public servants were dealing with thousands of applications for compensation from flood and cyclone damage.

Numerous Queenslanders seeking compensation from the fund have complained of hitting a bureaucratic brick wall.

Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek yesterday labelled the Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal a bureaucratic disaster.

"It is our understanding there are just three people inside the Department of Premier and Cabinet handling applications," he said. "Ms Bligh has more staff assigned to marketing her media image than to assisting victims of the Queensland flood."

Centrelink, which is the central agency responsible for processing claims, last night said it had paid out more than 5600 out of 18,000 claims worth more than $13.1 million.

A Centrelink spokesman made it clear the hold-up in meeting further claims was from the State Government.

"Of the outstanding claims, the majority require further information from the Queensland Government before they can be finalised to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria set by the Queensland Government," he said.

"We understand that the Queensland Government is working hard to obtain this information quickly."

The estimated $220 million fund swells daily as more money arrives and interest estimated at around 6 per cent per annum pours in.

Frustrated Chelmer resident Kathryn Stafford said she had no one left to turn to after making 64 phone calls chasing her application for cash and being bumped between bureaucracies in two states.

"People have donated a lot of money to this fund and I'm sure they wouldn't like to hear that it's not getting to victims," she said. "There must be thousands of others like us."

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd warned more than a month ago the first problem governments would face in rebuilding Queensland was public frustration with red tape.

Following the Victorian bushfires Mr Rudd helped appoint "case managers" to steer disaster victims through the bureaucratic maze.

By March 13, 2009, just under five weeks after the Victorian bushfires struck, then-Victorian premier John Brumby announced more than $180 million of the Victorian fund which reached around $400 million had been allocated.

David Hamill, who heads the Queensland fund said its reach and responsibilities far exceeded the Victorian bushfires or Cyclone Larry.

Dr Hamill, who is not paid for his role, said potentially fraudulent claims along with the sheer volume of applications which have reached up to 1000 a day in the past fortnight was making the job challenging.

www.CourierMail.com.au

 

Another complaint about CGU, fast-emerging as Australia's worst insurance company

This email has been received by Queensland Consumer Watch:

 

"Thought you might be interested in my experience with CGU Insurance a couple of years ago. It was a relatively minor claim under Strata Title Insurance (lodged for me by a Commercial Body Corporate Manager). When I rang CGU to enquire about making a complaint, I was passed from person to person, all saying they didn't know who handled complaints. I asked for a copy of the Insurance Code of Conduct which their PDS said was available from them. They denied all knowledge of it. I pointed out they were breaching their own Code of Conduct outlined in the PDS. No knowledge of that either.
 
Then I rang the Assessor where I was told that the Assessor (I forget their name) was the same as CGU and had its employees sitting on their board.
 
Finally the Ombudsman resolved it for me.
 
Yes, this would have to be the most unprincipled insurance company I've ever dealt with and I was stuck with it. Thank God the Body Corporate Manager has now changed companies. This of course, brings us to another unprincipled supposedly "self-regulated" industry which is running riot, protected by vested interests. But that's another story."

 

.....................................................................................................................................................................................

CGU is emerging as the most-callous insurance company in Australia. Their treatment of their customers in the
aftermath of the recent Brisbane and Ipswich floods ranks as one of the low points in the Australian insurance
industry.  People buying insurance around Australia should be forever reminded of CGU's disgraceful performance.
 Why buy from CGU when all they say is: "F..U".

Footy fans to see more live games as Federal Government changes the law

 

Footy fans will be able to view games live on free-to-air multi-channels permanently, under legislation to go before parliament.

 

AFL and rugby league followers are often dismayed at having to watch delayed broadcasts of their favourite team.

 

But Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, a Collingwood supporter, said cabinet wanted multi-channels to show Friday night games live.

 

Advertisement: Story continues below "They're often shown at 11 o'clock at night, which is one of the complaints of footy fans in the Sydney and Brisbane markets," Senator Conroy told a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday night.

 

"We're putting in place the mechanism now to allow those matches to be shown on the multi-channels even prior to the legislation."

 

Making this arrangement permanent requires changing the Broadcast Services Act.

 

Legislation is expected to be introduced to parliament during the February and March sittings.

 

The government's updated anti-siphoning list began in January 2011.

 

Under the new rules, commercial networks are required to screen the AFL and NRL grand finals on their main channel.

 

But they do not have to screen as many games in a premiership round.

 

ABC current affairs viewers are also set to see changes in 2011 as the public broadcaster revamps its flagship 7.30 Report.

 

The renamed 7.30 is yet to go to air, as a new set is built.

 

Asked about the delay, ABC managing director Mark Scott said viewers were not left in a current affairs vacuum.

 

Independent senator Nick Xenophon sought an assurance that viewers in Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Hobart would have proper state-based coverage.

 

Mr Scott said that while Stateline would continue on Friday nights, the national 730 program would be mindful of local content.

 

"Certainly at other times during the week, to allow there to be a focus on appropriate state-based issues, we will have a mechanism where we ... measure local content," he said.

 

www.BrisbaneTimes.com.au

 

Anger mounts as NRMA rejects 'sunny day' flood claims as CGU plans to reject all flood claims

ONGOING BATTLE: Vivienne Chavez, wife of Chester Chavez,
is planning a campaign against NRMA insurance after being
knocked back for being victims of "sunny day flooding".

INSURER NRMA has told hundreds of anxious policy holders in southeast Queensland their claims for flood damage will not be honoured because they were victims of "sunny day flooding".

NRMA, which provides cover for riverine flood in NSW but not in Queensland, has been calling flood victims to tell them the bad news after late last week receiving a hydrology report for the whole of the Brisbane and Bremer river catchments.

The report, by engineering company WorleyParsons, has ruled out flash flooding for all but a handful of properties - where NRMA said it would send hydrologists for a closer inspection.

"We've assessed every claim that was made," an NRMA spokeswoman said.

"About 90 per cent have been given a decision. Declines are in the smaller portion."

The spokeswoman said the company had received an "overarching" hydrology report that showed that damage in the two catchments was "as a result of sunny-day flooding ... ie not as a result of stormwater damage".

Flood victim Chester Chavez, of Indooroopilly, received a phone call from NRMA on Friday denying his claim. Mr Chavez said there was about $100,000 worth of damage to his house and possessions caused during the floods. He and his wife earn too much to qualify for the Premier's Disaster Relief payments.

"We got $2340 and that's all we stand to get," he said.

"We haven't fallen through the cracks. I wouldn't call it that. I would say the Grand Canyon."

Mr Chavez now plans to campaign for a boycott of the company and to ask people to consider withdrawing their support for the Brisbane Broncos, who landed a three-year, multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal with NRMA in October.

NRMA received more than 3000 claims as a result of the floods. It refuses to disclose their dollar value or how many it has agreed to pay.

"We are trying to look to pay as many claims as possible under the policies." the spokeswoman said.

Meanwhile, RACQ, NAB and CommInsure have all set aside millions of dollars to make "ex-gratia" payments to policy holders who find themselves with inadequate or no cover after the floods.

NRMA's sister company CGU on Friday was the target of a demonstration by angry flood victims from west of Brisbane, who called for it to make a similar move.

CGU is expected to give its response on Tuesday but in a statement on Monday, it said: "Claims where the cause of damage is found to be flood will be rejected."

More flood news: www.CourierMail.com.au

COMMENT: If NRMA Insurance thinks it can abandon people with legal technicalities
over "Sunny Day" flood claims, maybe we should all give NRMA a bright "cheerio"
out of the insurance industry once and for all!

 

 

QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Flash Flooding, Damaging Winds

QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Flash Flooding, Damaging Winds Source: Bureau of Meteorology For people in the Southeast Coast and parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West, Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett, Maranoa and Warrego and Darling Downs and Granite Belt Forecast Districts. Issued at 1:03 pm Monday, 21 February 2011. Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Warwick, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Brisbane, Dalby, Roma, Charleville, Kingaroy and Stanthorpe. Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should: * Move your car under cover or away from trees. * Secure loose outdoor items. * Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters. * Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees. * Avoid using the telephone during a thunderstorm. * Beware of fallen trees and powerlines. * For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500. BoM Radar | Early Warning Network | Unsubscribe

District Court overturns speeding conviction: Police lose another case

A MOTORIST has had his conviction for speeding set aside after a judge
found there was a real chance the radar operator had recorded another
vehicle.

It was at least the sixth successful appeal by a Queensland motorist
against a speeding conviction involving the operation of radar devices
in the past 12 months.

In the Magistrates Court at Sandgate last year, John Frederick Toomer
was convicted of doing 81kmph in a 60kmph zone at Brighton, in
Brisbane's northeast, on May 1, 2009.

At a District Court hearing, Mr Toomer appealed his conviction on
eight grounds ranging from the magistrate did not give sufficient
weight to his evidence to the fact the policeman wore glasses and was
aged in his sixties.

In a written judgment, which became available today, Judge Nick Samios
upheld the appeal set aside the conviction and found Mr Toomer not
guilty.

Judge Samios found the substantial distance between Mr Toomer's
vehicle and the policeman operating the radar, combined with the
presence of other vehicles, made it possible there had been a mistake.

He said in those circumstances the magistrate should have had a
reasonable doubt that Mr Toomer was exceeding 60kmph.

Judge Samios added that in some other successful appeals against
conviction police had failed to provide proper certification to
operate radar.

He said, however, in this case he was satisfied the police officer was
properly accredited to operate the device.

2011 Flood Sequel: Customers put the boot in CGU - possibly Australia's worst insurance company

CGU policy holder Graham Wyeth from Goodna protests outside the company's
offices at South Bank with other disgruntled policy holders. 

CGU customers have called on the insurance giant to provide emergency assistance to policy holders who lost property in last month's floods.

The two groups are set to meet today after the company stated it would not be paying claims brought forth by flooding.

The meeting comes a day after Suncorp chief executive Patrick Snowball said there was no excuse for insurers not to cover for floods.

Before the meeting a group of more than 20 CGU policy holders staged a protest outside the company's offices at South Bank, angry at the treatment they had received from the company.

Spokeswoman for the group Sally Doyle called on the company to apologise for their "appalling mismanagement of claims".

"A lot of people have had just one phone call, they haven't had an assessor come out, they haven't had any kind of comprehensive look at individual claims," she said

"We ask that happen right now."

Ms Doyle said CGU were hiding behind "technicalities' in the company's insurance policy in not providing coverage for flooding.

CGU's standard home and business insurance policies do not provide flood cover.

"Many of us were sold CGU policies as a comprehensive policy, certainly I was paying for full cover," she said.

"What we are also finding is with things that are covered, like storm water damage, CGU are covering themselves by saying everything is caused by floods – 'too bad so sad, even the stuff you are supposed to be covered for we don't believe it is storm water we believe it is flood'.

"We are going to ask CGU to do what other insurance companies have done and put aside substantial sums of money to help with the rebuilding that clients, who may find themselves outside the parameters of their policy, face."

In a statement this morning CGU Insurance general manager of claims Ben Bessell said he was open to hearing the views of customers.

But he said the company would not pay claims brought about by floods.

"CGU is paying many thousands of claims for Queensland customers for damage caused by the recent storms and Cyclone Yasi," he said.

"While we can't pay flood claims, we will look at what else we can do to support our customers during this challenging time and we are open to hearing suggestions."

The protesters brought "care packages" to give to CGU staff, who they said were not the target of their grievances.

The packages contained chocolate bars and recruitment forms for CGU rivals Suncorp and Westpac.

Ms Doyle's groups said they were more concerned with the corporation as a whole.

"These sorts of people spend tens of millions of dollars a year building a brand and in the space of four weeks CGU's brand is mud in Queensland," she said.

Meanwhile, National Australia Bank has provided $15 million in a flood-victim assistance fund to make ex-gratia payments to NAB customers who are not covered for flood under the NAB's home insurance policies.

The flood and cyclone assistance scheme applies to NAB customers who have NAB-branded home insurance schemes are have missed out on flood insurance after the January floods and Cyclone Yasi. Up to 500 people are believed to be covered by the policies.

However the assistance will help NAB customers who have taken out insurance with Allianz Insurance, the insurance company who underwrites all the NAB's insurance policies.

A NAB spokeswoman clarified this point this morning.

"If you have NAB-branded product, then you are eligible for this ex-gratia payment," the spokeswoman said.

"That is the first qualification, it needs to be a NAB-branded product. That is the first step.

"It is not for all Allianz customers. Some people will have bought an Allianz product, which is not a NAB product and this is not for that purpose."

She said the level of the ex-gratia payments depended on individual claims.

www.BrisbaneTimes.com.au

COMMENT:  Policy holders across Australia should boycott CGU for their attitude to the victims of the 2011 floods.
Suncorp appears to be the ONLY insurance company with an honest and honourable approach to flood victims' claims.

 

Queensland Flood Inquiry Submission: Call for a five-level warning system

 

An aerial view of the flooding in Rockhampton.


www.CourierMail.com.au

by Michael Madigan

ONE of the first submissions to the Queensland Flood Inquiry calls for an Australia-wide flood warning system mirroring the five categories defining tropical cyclones.

The submission, lodged around midday yesterday, suggests floods urgently need a public re-badging to better reflect their danger.

The sliding scale of category one to category five already understood by most Australians best conveys the gravity of an impending flood, says the submission by Ipswich councillor Paul Tully.

Cr Tully, who suffered devastating personal losses in the floods, is one of the first public figures to take the opportunity to deliver a brief to the inquiry.

Cr Tully said his up-river community of Goodna was not fully warned of the impending flood because of the old 20th century reliance on readings from the Port Office gauge in far-off Edward St, Brisbane.

With help from the Bureau of Meteorology, residents were left to guess how the waters would affect their suburb.

"It would be easier for a member of the public to understand Einstein's Theory of Relativity than to decipher Queensland's flood alert system," Cr Tully wrote.

 

Queensland Liquor Licensing Shock: Agency charged with hotel safety revealed as spiteful boys' club - Licensees too scared to comment for fear of retribution

THE agency responsible for ensuring pub and club safety has been labelled a "basket case" after a series of investigations exposed gross mismanagement, unethical practices and constant errors.

Audits within the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, obtained under Right to Information laws, have raised concerns its liquor licensing division was a "boys club" harbouring "vindictive" officers.

The State Government says it is cracking down and yesterday defended dodgy dealings within the division but industry figures say nothing has changed since independent auditors revealed systemic failures in 2009.

In its 2009 report, auditors Knowledge Consulting said: "The OLGR (Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing) operates in a contentious client and stakeholder environment which contains a potentially volatile mix of commercial vested interests, regulatory bodies, community agencies and individuals who from time to time will be working to different agendas and priorities".

One issue involved a licensee being penalised for paper on the floor and flyscreen missing from a door. In stark contrast, The Courier-Mail revealed the department failed to issue the final disciplinary action to a venue where a man was fatally stabbed.

The negative report sparked several reviews in 2010, which revealed:

• Potentially thousands of wrong fines were issued.

• Private details of Queenslanders, including IDs, left unsecured.

• Missing hotel records and investigations.

• Hundreds of risk management plans left unmonitored.

• A chronic lack of staff and resources.

Several current and former liquor licensing officers, who wish to remain anonymous, this week claimed the problem came from the top because senior managers were the only ones able to enforce disciplinary action, and officers' recommendations were often ignored.

For example, not one Fortitude Valley venue was hit with a disciplinary action decision the toughest penalty for liquor licensing breaches in the past two years to November, despite the region being acknowledged as one of the state's three most dangerous party hot spots (along with Surfers Paradise and Townsville).

 Another audit revealed more than one in 10 fines (13 per cent) issued by police were wrong.

Other issues included five boxes of confiscated IDs left unsecured on the Gold Coast and the department's failure to destroy them.

Before his resignation yesterday, former Liquor Licensing Minister Peter Lawlor defended dodgy dealings within the division, but acknowledged reports of "misconduct and suspension of officers".

He took credit for the audits and said many of the issues had been addressed.

"I made it abundantly clear that something needed to be done immediately and that I would not tolerate this continuing," he said this week.

"Significant reform, ongoing change, and restructuring have been, and are being, achieved.

"Liquor Licensing is a different department today to what it was 18 months ago, but there is still more work to be done, and I'm confident it can be further improved over the next 12 months."

But licensees say the department continues to favour the industry's "big powers".

Individuals refused to comment for fear of retribution. The Queensland Hotels Association, Valley Liquor Accord and Brisbane City Licensees Association did not respond to questions.

But Cabarets Queensland chairman Sarosh Mehta acknowledged a "definite need for improvement".

"There has also not been any significant shift in focusing on the individual offenders via stiffer penalties, which I fully support, versus continuing the practice of hammering the licensee," he said.

State Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek said the findings painted a picture of a state government agency that had become "an absolute basket case".

"While drunken violent thugs need to take responsibility for their actions, enforcement also needs to be effective," he said.

"If the law is broken, offenders must be punished not protected."

www.CourierMail.com.au

 

Motorists lose out in fuel war as petrol companies continue to gouge drivers: RACQ report

Justin Collet fills up his car with unleaded petrol at Kangaroo Fuels at One Mile.

 

IPSWICH motorists paid an average of 10 cents a litre more for unleaded petrol in 2010 than they did the previous year, a report by the RACQ has shown.

The peak motoring body's 2010 Annual Fuel Price Report shows Ipswich prices for standard unleaded averaged 128 cents per litre – eclipsing the state average by one cent per litre.

Diesel also came in at 128 cents per litre, but was only 0.4 above the state average and 6.3 cents a litre more than the 2009 average for the city.

Once again there was little the lowly consumer could have done to stop the price rise, with RACQ public policy executive manager Michael Roth pointing to higher world oil prices and the improving world economy as the main cause.

"We are still lucky in Australia though – our dollar moves in line with oil prices so petrol price rises are a lot slower than they are in other countries," he said.

The bad news is that as the global economy continues to recover, the price of oil will also continue its climb.

The one thing Ipswich consumers can do to keep fuel retailers honest is shop around, with Mr Roth noting that competition was a big influence on the disparity in fuel prices across the state.

Toowoomba petrol stations charged 3.4 cents per litre less than Ipswich for unleaded last year because retailers were competing to attract high volumes of freight and visitor traffic.

"People should look at the prices before they buy fuel and give their money to whoever offers the best deal," he said.

"Don't just rely on your shopper dockets because if you use them at the wrong station, you'll end up paying just as much or more than you would have if you had shopped around."

Cheap spots

Unleaded 2010 average price

Toowoomba:

123.6

Bundaberg:

126.2

Townsville:

126.7

Diesel 2010 average price

Caloundra:

126.0

Brisbane:

127.7

More Consumer News: www.QT.com.au

eBay chief praises Australians as Gerry Harvey is left lamenting over his bid for more taxes on online shopping

Australians are voting with their clicks as they embrace online shopping.

 

AUSTRALIANS are embracing online shopping and its our internet retailers who are reaping the benefits.

eBay, the online auction site, says the sector is meeting the needs of the modern, time-poor consumer.

The company's Australia and New Zealand managing director, Deborah Sharkey, has told a conference in Sydney the local sector is looking at double-digit growth in 2011.

She rejected concerns that consumer spending is favouring offshore internet retailers.

"I am thrilled at the thousands of Australian businesses who are already capitalising on this trend and evolving to meet the needs of the modern consumer," she said on Friday.

"I look forward to watching their ranks swell over the next few months.

"The statistics are clear, 10 million Australians are voting with their clicks and they're telling us that the future of retail is online."

In 2010, the turnover of the top 2000 sellers on eBay was more than $120,000.

The top seller generated turnover of more than $12.6 million, Ms Sharkey said.

More Australians are buying online due to the strong Australian dollar exchange rate, which is making offshore purchases cheaper than ever before.

But it's not all roses for Australian retailers.

On Thursday, local booksellers Borders and Angus & Robertson bookstores went into administration.

Book retailers across the globe have been hit in recent years due to the rise of internet-based book sellers such as Amazon and electronic books.

Australian retailers, such as Gerry Harvey, recently called for offshore internet purchases to be subject to GST, like goods sold in traditional stores.

Ms Sharkey said on average Australian spends an hour and 40 minutes shopping online each week.

Australia also had one of the the highest penetration of mobile smartphones in the world, with a quarter of Australians using their phone to shop.

Every 15 seconds an Australian buys something using eBay's mobile phone app, she said.

Ms Sharkeywas speaking at an Online Retail Forum, which is being attended by senators Stephen Conroy and Nick Sherry.

The event was packed with guests having to watch the proceedings via a webcast in an "overflow room" at the Westin Hotel in the CBD.

 www.QT.com.au

Queensland Flood Sequel: Call for a five-level warning system

Cr Paul Tully 

The Courier-Mail, Friday 18 February 2011

By Michael Madigan

ONE of the first submissions to the Queensland Flood Inquiry calls for an Australia- wide flood warning system mirroring the five categories defining tropical cyclones.

The submission, lodged around midday yesterday, suggests floods urgently need a public re-badging to better reflect their danger.

The sliding scale of category one to category five already understood by most Australians best conveys the gravity of an impending flood, says the submission by Ipswich councillor Paul Tully.

Cr Tully, who suffered devastating personal losses in the floods, is one of the first public figures to take the opportunity to deliver a brief to the inquiry.

Cr Tully said his up-river community of Goodna was not fully warned of the impending flood because of the old 20^th century reliance on readings from the Port Office gauge in far-off Edward St, Brisbane.

With help from the Bureau of Meteorology, residents were left to guess how the waters would affect their suburb.

"It would be easier for a member of the public to understand Einstein's Theory of Relativity than to decipher Queensland's flood alert system," Cr Tully wrote.

www.CourierMail.com.au

PPQ still peddling dubious number plates as they put profits before common decency on Queensland Roads

Personalised Plates Queensland (PPQ) is still peddling dubious number plates for a quick buck, irrespective of the poor taste often involved.

As at 8.30pm on 15 February 2011, their website http://www.ppq.com.au/ was showing each of the following combinations available for a whopping $2295 a set:

FARKED

BIG BUM

BIG DIC

ARSOUL

Queensland Consumer Watch has previously raised the unacceptability of some of the plate combinations on offer from PPQ but the almighty dollar seems more important to the clowns running PPQ than a sense of decency regarding the number plates appearing on Queensland vehicles.

Why doesn't the State Government force PPQ to cleanse its data base of unacceptable combinations?

PPQ has a duty to the people of Queensland over this issue.
It's not about being narrow minded or conservative over Queensland's array of perrosnalised number plates - the largest on offer by any Australian state or territory.

It's whether or not the Queensland Government considers these sorts of number plates acceptable on the states' roads.

If not, the BIG DIC running PPQ should be given the Royal Order of the Boot for allowing these sorts of plates to be purchased online.

It is clear that PPQ doesn't care about any sense of decency or decorum on our roads, but just how much cash keeps rolling in for their ripoff plates.

Former Main Roads Minister Russ Hinze - who introduced personalised plates into Queensland - would turn in his grave if he could see the corporate debacle now posing as PPQ.

Consumer Alert: Warning to Ipswich residents over Bayside conman charging exorbitant prices

Ipswich residents should be on the alert over a Bayside conman preying on flood victims in the East Ipswich area.

 

He is distributing flyers in letter boxes offering to repair meter boxes for $1000.

 

One East Ipswich resident who received the flyer said a local contractor had charged him only $500 to do the same work recently and that flood victims were being taken advantage of by unscrupulous operators.

 

Queensland Consumer Watch spokesman Paul Tully described the allegations as "deplorable".

 

"It is absolutely disgraceful there are people who are ripping off flood victims in this way.

 

"Anyone with information on this man should contact the Office of Fair Trading on 13 74 68."

Defence hits brick wall as Gold Coast Judge Clive Wall backs New Zealand man's claim of 'de facto' Australian status

 

FAIR DINKUM: New Zealander Bill Goodhue.


WHEN does a Kiwi become an Aussie? When a judge rules that he's Aussie enough, that's when.

A Gold Coast judge has done just that in a court victory for a New Zealand sailor.

Bill Goodhue, of Napier, is suing the Volunteer Marine Rescue for allegedly causing almost $90,000 in damage to his prized yacht in the Southport Broadwater.

Lawyers for the VMR yesterday sought to have Mr Goodhue pay a security of more than $45,000 to cover legal costs in the event he loses the case.

In Southport District Court, they argued he was a "pecunious" (penniless) New Zealander with no formal ties to Australia and should be ordered to pay the money as a safeguard.

Mr Goodhue, who is representing himself, counter-claimed that he lived on his boat part-time in Australia and the costs challenge was an attempt to intimidate him.

"New Zealand's not China, it's just down the road," he told the court.

And Judge Clive Wall, QC, agreed.

He said there were "about a million" New Zealanders who probably saw themselves as de facto Australians because they spent so much time here.

"I know a lot of New Zealanders and they would describe themselves as residents of both countries," he said. "(They) come and go on a regular basis."

Judge Wall ruled that to impose a costs order on Mr Goodhue would be "oppressive" and could stifle his legal action.

Outside court, Mr Goodhue said the VMR had hired high-priced lawyers to try to defeat him but he was determined to fight on.

Mr Goodhue is suing for negligence after his ocean-going ketch Warlock keeled over and filled with water after it was allegedly moved from its mooring by the VMR in November 2003.

The stoush is seen as a major test case of whether volunteer organisations can face potentially crippling lawsuits.

The case centres on interpretation of the Civil Liability Act, which was introduced by the Beattie government in 2003 in a bid to rein in soaring public liability insurance premiums.

The law exempted volunteers from being sued.

www.CourierMail.com.au

Teenage credit card scam ends in court for Telstra and Optus customers

A "BRILLIANT" Ipswich teen orchestrated a cunning scheme to rip off scores of victims using an unpaid phone bill scam.

The teen, who was aged 14 and 15 at the time, called numerous victims between May and October, 2009, claiming to work for Telstra or Optus and told them their bills were overdue.

He said if they did not pay him over the phone using their credit card, their mobile service would be disconnected.

The teen used the fraudulently obtained credit cards to pay for computer games, movies, pizza and taxis with the total value reaching $4253.54.

When asked, the boy gave the phone number of sim cards he obtained by scamming an Ipswich phone store.

In a daring move, he tried to get a loan of $120 from a finance company by claiming he was a senior constable at Ipswich Police Station.

Ipswich District Court heard the teen, now aged 16, had admitted a string of similar offences in December 2009.

The boy, who cannot be named, claimed he found the names and phone numbers in the White Pages and cold-called people.

But Judge Deborah Richards said she found his explanation dubious as he knew specific details about his victims, including that a woman had recently opened a new account with the same phone company.

Judge Richards said children's criminal offences were usually impulsive and it was surprising how meticulously planned the teen's operation was.

"There were obviously other people involved from time to time – that makes it smack of professionalism," she said.

Crown prosecutor Clayton Wallis said the teen had shown remorse to the individual victims but not the phone companies.

"He indicated the companies should have had better security systems in place to stop the offending occurring," he said.

The teen, who wore a grey pinstripe suit to court, pleaded guilty to nine counts of impersonation, seven of fraud and three of attempted fraud.

He was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and will be on probation for two years.

No convictions were recorded.

Defence barrister Steve Kissick said his client was intelligent and had very impressive computer skills.

http://www.qt.com.au/

SCAMwatch email alert: Valentines Day - Don’t fall head-over-heels for a scammer [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Valentines Day - Don't fall head-over-heels for a scammer

View radar online.

Added: February 2011

If you meet someone special online, be careful: scammers use online dating websites too but they're not genuinely after your love, only your money!

Scammers target victims by creating fake profiles on legitimate internet dating services.

Once you are in contact with a scammer, they will express strong emotions in a relatively short period of time and will suggest you move the relationship away from the website, to phone, email and/or instant messaging. Scammers often claim to be from Australia, but travelling or working overseas.

They will go to great lengths to gain your interest and trust, such as sharing personal information and even sending you gifts. Scammers may take months, to build what seems like the romance of a lifetime. They will then ask you for money, gifts or your banking/credit card details.  They will claim they need these to cover the costs associated with non-existent accidents and illnesses, various fees and charges associated with precious goods such as diamonds, gold bullion and gemstones, or to pretend to book flights to visit you. They will never actually visit and will continue to request more money from you.

Online dating and romance scams cheat Australians out of millions every year, often costing individual victims thousands of dollars – not to mention heartache too.

The money you send to scammers is almost always impossible to recover and in addition, you may feel long-lasting emotional loss and betrayal at the hands of someone who you thought loved you and was trustworthy.

Warning signs

• You meet someone on an internet dating website and their profile picture or photograph looks different to their description or like it's from a magazine.
• After just a few contacts they profess strong feelings for you and suggest moving the conversation away from the website preferring email, instant messaging and/or phone instead.
• After gaining your trust, they tell you an elaborate story and ask for money, gifts or your bank account details. 
• They continue to ask you for money, but never actually visit you.
• If you don't send money straightaway, their emails and calls will often become more desperate, persistent or direct.

Protect yourself

• ALWAYS consider the possibility that the approach may be a scam, particularly if the warning signs listed above appear. Try to remove the emotion from your decision making no matter how caring or persistent they seem.
• Talk to an independent friend, relative or fair trading agency before you send any money. THINK TWICE before sending money to someone you have only recently met online or haven't met in person.
• NEVER give credit card or online account details to anyone by email.
• Be very careful about how much personal information you share on social network sites. Scammers can use your information and pictures to create a fake identity or to target you with a scam.
• If you agree to meet in person, tell family and friends where you are going. If this includes overseas travel, consider carefully the advice on www.smarttraveller.gov.au before making any plans.
• Where possible, avoid any arrangement with a stranger that asks for up-front payment via money order, wire transfer or moneygram. It is rare to recover money sent this way. 
• If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.

Report
You can report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.

More information
Check out our Dating and romance scams page on SCAMwatch for more information. You can also read two romance scam victims' stories - How online romances cost Melba and Paul more than their hearts.

SCAMwatch has issued the following radars on dating and romance scams in the past:

• Be my Valentine
• Beware of the Valentine that steals more than your heart

Stay one step ahead of the scammers. Explore SCAMwatch for more tips on how to recognise and protect yourself from scams.
________________________________

If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please visit the unsubscribe page on SCAMwatch.

Home prices to drop by up to 35% in flood araes of SEQ

    
Flooded areas in Brisbane and Ipswich can expect significant drops in property values.

Property prices in Brisbane's flood affected areas will drop in price by up to 35% in the next 12 months, according to a Queensland University of Technology (QUT) property economics expert.

Professor Chris Eves, from QUT's School of Urban Development, said the worst hit areas would be the ring of suburbs surrounding waterfront homes.

"People who have bought riverfront homes have bought for the amenity, so they will weigh up the risk of flood against the amenity and the amenity will win," he said.

"When it comes down to the numbers, if you take out the time properties have been actually impacted by the floods between 1974 and 2011, for more than 99% of the time these homes have been dry.

"The suburbs that will suffer will be the ones that don't have the river amenity but that are in the low lying areas."

Professor Eves, who has tracked property prices following major floods in Sydney and the UK, said history had shown low-lying areas in low-value suburbs would drop in value by between 17% and 35%.

"The peak price fall will be at about the 12 month mark," he said.

"What we will see in Brisbane, like what we saw post the Sydney and UK floods, is that the first few months will be spent cleaning up from the floods.

"It is after this point that homeowners will need to re-evaluate their situation.

"Those that simply can't afford to rebuild, or are forced to sell, will be the hardest hit, and that is where we will see property prices fall significantly."

Professor Eves said the difficulty for sellers would be that buyers would be extremely cautious about purchasing in flooded areas for some time.

"It will be hard for sellers in flood prone areas to sell," he warned.

"Buyers will stay away and the only way to sell will be to drop the price."

Full story: www.QT.com.au

Is CGU Australia's Worst and Most-heartless Insurer: Five simple questions, zero payout

 

 

COLD COMFORT: Flood victim Jeff Teunissen is ``gutted'' by insurer CGU's short-term thinking.


A FIG Tree Pocket flood victim was "absolutely gutted" after receiving a CGU Insurance email that "settled" his claim for a total of $0.00.

In an email where CGU also said it was "improving your claims experience", Jeff Teunissen learnt he'd be getting nothing because his Gold Star policy covered only storm water inundation, not flood.

CGU previously asked him five questions and rejected him over the phone - then sent an official rejection letter. There was no assessment.

And it appears the personalised letter he received was a form letter sent to other rejected clients.

"It's very, very disappointing, mind-blowingly so," he said. "I can understand where they are coming from but still, you're talking about families and people. It was very cold."

Mr Teunissen, a furniture consultant and longtime businessman who has paid CGU $4000 in premiums through a broker without a previous claim, said insurers playing hardball would be losing business to competitors in the long term.

"Business is all about ... keeping customers happy. I think there is a lot of really short-term thinking," he said.

In the email, David Urwin, CGU's claims consultant, said CGU had "carefully reviewed" the claim.

"We conclude that the loss for which you have claimed was caused by flood. As a result we are not in a position to pay," he wrote.

Mr Teunissen said he would rebuild using a bank loan, which would impact his family's finances.

www.couriermail.com.au

 

Queensland Flood Crisis: Heartless Foxtel does nothing to help flood victims

Foxtel would have to be the most-cruel and heartless Pay TV company in Australia, if not the world.

Take the case of one southeast Queensland flood victim who lost everything on 11 January including their satellite Foxtel connection and service.

After waiting patiently for two weeks at their temporary accommodation - only to be told their order had been lost - Foxtel connected them to the basic package ($44) and the sports package ($16), a total of $60 a month for the equivalent package they had previously.

But the subscriber - who has been with Foxtel for 8 years - asked what had happened to the UK TV channel which they had been receiving for years as part of their monthly $60 package.

One Foxtel superstar at Telstra lied to the customer and said it was not possible to have had the UK TV Channel as part of their basic $60 package.

Another staffer, Agent D601825 Stacey, did Telstra proud by digging deeper for the customer with Foxtel to find out the customer was right!

Foxtel advised that the customer had been on an "old" package which could not be transferred and if they wanted UK TV, they would have to buy another entertainment package for the princely sum of $16 a month!

This customer has lost everything in the 2011 flood and, through no fault of their own, has been forced to relocate their Foxtel package to new premises.

Despite being a loyal customer for almost a decade, Foxtel wants to gouge them an extra $16 a month - an increase of 27% every 4 weeks.

All the customer wanted was the continuation of the same package they had been on for years.

But the greedy, faceless Foxtel bureaucrats sitting in their ivory towers in downtown Sydney couldn't give two hoots about the people of flood-devastated Queensland.

Foxtel is a disgrace to the people of Australia.

While other companies around the nation are showing compassion and understanding in this time of crisis, Foxtel is excelling as the Pay TV company where the almighty dollar ranks above the Aussie tradition of fair play and common decency.

Foxtel have just elevated themselves to be in line for the Australian National Award for Corporate Bastardry for 2011.

Win for Senator Xenophon: Parliament to investigate Australian milk prices

PARLIAMENT will investigate a milk price war after concerns the major supermarkets are attempting to drive out competition.

Coles and Woolworths are engaged in a milk price war that has driven down the price of the daily necessity to $1 a litre.

Coalition MPs today called for the competition watchdog to step in and save dairy farmers who face bankruptcy.

Independent senator Nick Xenophon heard their concerns and hours later announced an upper house inquiry.

"I understand that consumers want cheap milk," Senator Xenophon said in a statement.

"But if cheap milk in the short term means the destruction of our dairy industry in the long term, ultimately consumers will suffer."

Opposition agriculture spokesman John Cobb warned action needed to be taken immediately.

He said executives at Coles were "quite happy to get their bonuses over the dead bodies of farmers".

Senator Xenophon says the inquiry is likely to start in the second week of March.

Australian Greens Deputy Leader Christine Milne said the inquiry was a positive thing, but she warned it was not without risks.

The Senate needed to run a fulsome inquiry or risk the integrity of parliament.

"The time for talk is over," Senator Milne said in a statement.

"It's time Australia's dairy farmers saw something being done to protect their livelihoods."

 

www.couriermail.com.au

Former partner in Crouch and Lyndon, Anthony Scott Wood, jailed for 10 years but will be out in 3: Is this fair to consumers?

A FORMER partner in one of Queensland's oldest law firms has been jailed for 10 years for misappropriating up to $8 million over a five-year period.

Anthony "Tony" Scott Wood, 50, formerly of Crouch and Lyndon Lawyers, today pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court to two counts of fraud and one of forgery between May 2003 and September 6, 2008.

Prosecutor Glen Cash said it was impossible to establish how much money Wood had actually misappropriated, but the figure was estimated to be anywhere between $2 million to $8 million.

Mr Cash said Wood first misappropriated $200,000 from a deceased estate for his own "unknown" personal use and that over the following five years made "dozens of transactions" taking money from clients to pay money taken from others.

"(Wood's undertook) a roundabout of money taking from one client to pay (others over numerous years)," he said.

"It is not only difficult, it is impossible to be precise about the amounts involved (and sum misappropriated by Wood)."

The court was told the Queensland Law Society had received claims from disaffected clients for in excess of $8 million, but had as yet accepted about $2 million missing monies as proven.

Mr Cash said Wood also forged documents to make up to 13 fraudulent loans, on behalf of clients, that attracted incredibly high interest rates and re-payments.

He said Woods misappropriation of clients' funds increased to service payments for the spiralling interest rates on those fraudulent loans.

The court was told Wood's fraudulent activity was uncovered during a routine audit of the firm's accounts.

Both Mr Cash and barrister James Godbolt, for Woods, said the former solicitor's offending behaviour fell into the worst category and a jail sentence of 10 years was warranted.

Mr Godbolt said Wood's "personal yield' from his fraudulent activity was somewhere between $120,000 and $150,000.

The court was told Wood's 24-year legal career and long-time marriage ended in the wake of his criminal activity and that he has since been declared bankrupt.

Judge Michael Noud, in sentencing Wood, said: "The facts (of this case) are complex."

"You were (in essence) taking (money) from one client and then taking money to pay another client and (then) there was this snowballing (effect).

"I do not overlook the suffering you have caused to others ... (but accept this) is not a case of (personal) greed."

However, Judge Noud said this was a case worthy of the maximum penalty and jailed Wood for 10 years.

"I think is in the worst category of this (type of offence)," he said.

He recommended Wood be eligible from parole after serving three years in custody.

In December 2008, the QLS announced Woods had been had been struck off the solicitors register after an audit of accounts at his firm revealed discrepancies of at least $5 million.

www.couriermail.com.au

Queensland Flood Royal Commission: Inquiry to examine 'nature at its extreme'

                                   
An inquiry into the devastating Queensland floods is hoping to provide important lessons for the future in a state affected by "nature at its extreme".

The head of the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry, Justice Cate Holmes, today said the task was "enormous" and those involved have been in a state of "frantic busyness" since the commission was created last month.

The commissioner called for submissions from those who wanted their observations and stories relating to the weather event to be heard by the inquiry.

 "What occurred this summer was the product of nature at its extreme," she told Brisbane Magistrates Court during a brief directions hearing this morning.

"Our aim is to identify those areas where things can be managed better in the future. We hope that those in a position to contribute will do so."

Justice Holmes said the inquiry will work in "as open a way as possible" with an initial focus being on what can be done to improve safety for next summer.

Hearings would be held in flood-affected areas of the state to ensure anyone who wanted to contribute was able to have their say.

Addressing media and several members of the public, counsel assisting the inquiry, Peter Callaghan SC, said Queensland would learn from the 2010-2011 floods.

"Those who lived through the worst of 1974 provided lessons that were never to be forgotten," he said.

"But for others, 1974 became a short-hand term which was understood to relate to flooding but which, with the passage of time, gradually lost meaning and failed to convey the true sense of loss and destruction associated with events of this nature."

He said there was no comparable commission or inquiry into the events of 37 years ago.

"This commission affords an opportunity to ensure that the lessons that must be learned on this occasion are recorded for the purposes of the future," he said.

"In this way it might be hoped that Queensland is not condemned to the fate of Queenslanders who cannot remember the past, nor left vulnerable at the hands of those who might choose to forget."

While much of the public attention had focused on Brisbane, the inquiry would represent the public interest of all Queenslanders.

"An opportunity to contribute is not restricted ... it is open to all individuals who feel the inquiry should hear something that they have to say," he said.

If a submission relates to safety improvements for next summer, material needs to be received by March 11.

Other submissions are required by April 4.

The public hearings will be held across the state in coming months, subject to the needs of those suffering grief and loss.

"Any concerns about political interference can be laid to rest," he said. "There will be an unprecedented opportunity for the public ... to monitor the process as it unfolds."

He said the commission received guidance from the Office of the State Coroner and assistance from those involved in the 2009 Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission.

But, he said, it was clear the Queensland Flood Inquiry would be "different from any previously undertaken".

Mr Callaghan and fellow counsel assisting the inquiry, Elizabeth Wilson, had travelled to Grantham and Murphys Creek and plan to return. They had also visited Toowoomba.

"In a short period much has already has been achieved," Mr Callaghan said.

He said it was too early to outline what evidence the inquiry would hear.

Ms Wilson said the commission of inquiry would rely on both written and in-person submissions.

The hearings would be streamed to the commission's website and transcripts would be taken and published online, she said.

The hearings would be held on dates yet to be fixed.

 

www.BrisbaneTimes.com.au

 

SCAMwatch email alert: Don’t let scalpers spoil your sporting events and festivals [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Don't let scalpers spoil your sporting events and festivals

View radar online.

Added: January 2011

SCAMwatch is warning consumers to be vigilant when buying 2011 Rugby World Cup tickets and festival tickets online.

Tickets sold by official event organisers and authorised sellers often carry conditions that restrict their resale or transfer above face value. While official event organisers and their authorised ticket sellers have a strong online presence, so too do ticket 'scalpers', engaging in unauthorised reselling of tickets at higher prices.

If you arrive at an event with a ticket bought from a scalper, be warned. Not only do you risk being turned away at the venue, you may not get the seats you've ordered, or you may not even get your ticket.

The ACCC recommends you check if a website is an authorised seller before making any online ticket purchases. Be alert to scalpers who use official looking logos and trademarks to lure you into thinking that they are authorised ticket sellers.

Major sports events may also attract scam operators seeking to take advantage of the strong demand for tickets. Fans should also be on the lookout for fake ticketing websites or email scams that falsely claim to be part of a Rugby World Cup 2011 lottery, prize draw or competition. Victims of a ticketing scam may find their ticket never arrives, or they receive a counterfeit ticket. Scammers pocket the victim's money and could also use the victim's personal details to commit identity fraud.

SCAMwatch issued similar warnings about online ticket scams for the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, as well as a warning about online flight ticket scams in November 2010.

Warning signs:

• Look closely at websites, many scalpers use official looking logos and trademarks to mislead you into believing they are authorised ticket sellers.
• Be on the lookout for fake ticketing websites or email scams that make false claims about being part of an official event ticket lottery, prize draw or competition. These scams will often request additional payments or personal information to secure tickets.

Protect yourself:

• Before you buy tickets, check whether the seller is authorised by the organiser to resell tickets.  Contact the event organiser or promoter, or visit the official event website to find authorised sellers and whether tickets are still available.
• Read all the terms and conditions online before purchasing tickets. Tickets often carry conditions that restrict their resale.  If you buy these tickets from an unauthorised website you may be refused entry to the event. Some websites will mention this in their terms and conditions of sale.  
• Never enter your personal, credit card or online account information on a website that you are not certain is genuine or secure. 
• If you are unsure about the legitimacy of a website, check if the ABN quoted on the website is genuinely registered to the trader named on the website. You can look up an ABN on the Australian Government's business.gov.au website. 
• If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.

Report
You can report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.

More information
The ACCC has issued a media release warning consumers to be vigilant when buying tickets online.

The NSW Office of Fair Trading also published a fact sheet for consumers in January 2011 titled Buying Tickets and Ticket Scalping available on their website.

For more information on shopping safely online check out our Auction and shopping scams page. You can also view other SCAMwatch radars on online ticket scams:

• Don't be grounded by flight booking scams
• Looking for 2010 FIFA World Cup tickets?
• Beijing Olympic Games tickets scams

Stay one step ahead of the scammers. Explore SCAMwatch for more tips on how to recognise and protect yourself from scams.
________________________________

If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please visit the unsubscribe page on SCAMwatch.

Redback spiders warning for commuters

Signs warn of redback spiders
at a Brisbane train station.

Brisbane commuters have been warned about possible redback spider infestations in the wake of last month's floods.

Warning signs have been erected at Morningside station alerting passengers of the threat after staff noticed an increase in the number of the venomous spiders late last week.

A Queensland Rail spokeswoman said several stations have had to be sprayed.

"All Queensland Rail stations are regularly sprayed for pest control. However, following the floods, station staff at Morningside noticed an increase in redback spiders at the station," she said.

"The station was sprayed immediately, followed by a second spray last week. Signs were erected to alert customers of the presence of spiders."

Robert Raven, the senior curator of arachnids at the Queensland Museum, said the spiders had been at railway stations for some time, however the rise in active cars during the floods could be a possible reason for the increase.

"[Redbacks] tend to be very happy in close association with human beings, so we move them around," Dr Raven said.

"I suspect that this is a collateral effect because during the floods people were driving their cars around a lot more, cars that were normally not moving were actually active ...

"We have got to be more aware of what we do, what the public does in terms of moving these things around."

Dr Raven said spider infestations required professional treatment and while QR had been managing the situation effectively, the sprays needed to be frequently repeated.

"The issue is the spraying usually has to be repeated with in a six week period because the eggs are impervious to the spray and any young hatched from that will need to be treated again," he said.

The QR spokeswoman said, to their knowledge, the spray had appeared to be effective, but they would continue to monitor the situation.

"Our policy is if there is anything after they have been sprayed, they will be resprayed within 24 hours," they said.

"Additionally, Queensland Rail is continuing to re-spray stations on the Ipswich and Ferny Grove lines as a precaution following the floods."

Dr Raven said while redbacks were dangerous, the majority of bites were not fatal.

"Most of the hospitals and doctors have a very good handle on how to deal with [redback bites] and some of the bites are quite minor and localised, passing very quickly," he said.

"Some of them can be quite severe and when they are severe there is usually someone on hand [at the hospital] who knows what is going on who can administer anti-venom or watch the person until the situation is resolved."

Dr Raven said medical attention should always be sought after a redback bite.

Queensland Health last month warned that wild animals, snakes and spiders may have been trapped in buildings as the flood waters entered and could be a potential hazard to unsuspecting residents.

www.BrisbaneTimes.com.au

 

Consumer safety alert - warning on popular strollers

Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading

The Honourable Peter Lawlor

08/02/2011

Consumer safety alert - warning on popular strollers

Fair Trading has serious concerns about two models of Phil & Teds strollers based on their stability when fitted with an additional seat.

Fair Trading Minister Peter Lawlor said the department became concerned about the Sports v2 and Vibe models after conducting independent testing, which found the strollers failed safety requirements.

"Unfortunately with both models there is a risk of injury to children when the extra seat is attached. If the child in the front is removed before the child in the back seat, the stroller may become unstable and tip over," he said.

"People should strictly follow manufacturer's instructions which state parents should never place a single child in the rear seat, and in the case of two children, always unload the child in the back seat first."

Mr Lawlor also warned parents to be cautious of the Phil & Teds Sports v2 and Classic v1 model's hinge after a number of serious finger injuries had been reported to Fair Trading.

"Fair Trading contacted Phil & Teds about injuries parents had sustained when opening or closing the Sports v2 stroller," he said.

"As a result, Phil & Teds issued an international safety recall on both its Sports v2 and Classic v1 strollers due to the risk of finger injury, and will supply a free hinge guard to help prevent any further injuries."

Anyone who purchased one of these models with a serial number between 0308/0001 and 0510/0906 should contact the retailer to obtain a free safety kit.

People can contact Phil & Teds for further information on

1800 888 586.

When buying a pram you should:

• ensure the stroller frame locking system is fully engaged before placing a child in the stroller

• always keep fingers away from any hinge when opening or closing the stroller

• know how to apply the brake - this is very important, especially with three-wheeled strollers that can roll away quickly if the brake is not applied

• ensure the pram or stroller has no gaps that could trap your baby's head, limbs or fingers

• always use the tether strap as an added safety measure.

If you have suffered a finger injury with a Phil & Teds pram please call 13 QGOV (13 74 68) and ask to be put through to the Product Safety Unit or email safety@deedi.qld.gov.au

More details on the recall can be obtained from: www.recalls.gov.au

For a copy of the safety warning notice visit the consumer alert page on www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au

Australian NRL bet scam spread to New Zealand

Canterbury Bulldogs NRL player Ryan Tandy leaves City Central Police Station
in Sydney after being charged with providing false evidence to a law enforcement
agency during an investigation into suspicious betting activity during the Canterbury
Bulldogs v North Queensland Cowboys round 24 game at Dairy Farmers Stadium on 21/08/2010.


A WOMAN who tried to lay an unusually large bet on the NRL match being investigated by police raised suspicions of New Zealand's TAB to a possible scam.

The attempted bet  - "well in the thousands'' of dollars - was for a North Queensland penalty goal to be the first score in North Queensland's match against Canterbury last August.
The Bulldogs last week stood down forward Ryan Tandy, who faces court on March 3, to answer charges of providing false evidence to a law enforcement agency.

NSW detectives are investigating suspicious betting activity in relation to the match after a betting plunge on a penalty to be the first score.

That activity extended to New Zealand, with the TAB saying that it refused a large bet on that option, restricting it instead to $50.

TAB bookmaker Mark Stafford said today that bets on the first score were usually in the range of $10 to $20.

Putting money on a penalty was also a rare, given that teams seldom had a shot at goal early in a match, preferring to maintain possession and field position.

After accepting the $50 wager, the agency suspended betting on the option and contacted agencies in Australia.

"We made some telephone calls,'' Stafford said. "We found the same thing was happening overseas and we just closed that option.''

Stafford said he could not confirm a media report that the bet in question was placed in a south Auckland TAB branch.

However, he said the TAB had sent material such as pictures and video footage to Australian authorities.

In the match, Tandy was penalised two minutes into the game for impeding North Queensland's Grant Rovelli in front of the posts, leading to suspicions about his actions.

www.heraldsun.com.au

 

Queensland takes action in High Court to support school chaplains

Joint Statement: Minister for Education and Training

The Honourable Geoff Wilson

Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations

The Honourable Cameron Dick

07/02/2011

Queensland takes action to support school chaplains

The Queensland Government will intervene in a High Court matter to support school chaplains.

Attorney-General Cameron Dick said the constitutional validity of Queensland's school chaplaincy services was being challenged in the High Court (Williams v Commonwealth of Australia and Others).

Under the Commonwealth Judiciary Act 1903, State Attorneys-General with an interest in a particular High Court case can intervene with the State making representations to the High Court on the matter.

Mr Dick said the Queensland Government supported the provision of chaplaincy services in State schools.

"School chaplains provide an important service - as friends, mentors and positive role models for thousands of young people," he said.

Minister for Education and Training Geoff Wilson said the constitutional challenge threatened the good work of school chaplains.

"Chaplains have been working positively with students in our State schools for two decades," Mr Wilson said.

"School chaplains are the Salvos of the school yard. Just like the Salvation Army representatives who work in the wider community, school chaplains provide a vital and valuable service within our schools.

"Chaplains are a friend to those in need, and touch the lives of thousands of students every year.

"Often the driving force behind introducing chaplains into State schools is the P&C or members of the wider school community.

"Chaplains are only ever adopted into schools after the principal has consulted with the school's P&C and the school community."

More than 500 chaplains operate in more than 698 Queensland State schools.

The High Court case involves action by Mr Ronald Williams, who issued a writ on 21 December 2010 challenging the constitutional validity of chaplaincy services provided in a Toowoomba State school.

Mr Williams, a Toowoomba resident, asserts that the Federal Government is not authorised to fund the school chaplaincy program, and that the program breaches the Constitution.

Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine said he supported the government's intervention.

"School chaplaincy programs, which are optional in State schools, provide personal support to students, teachers and the broader school community," Mr Shine said.

"These non-discriminatory programs show respect for everyone, regardless of one's faith, and provide a valuable service that students really appreciate.

"I appreciate that not everyone agrees with the programs, but my impression is that they have overwhelming support in Toowoomba North State school communities."

Water tank ripoff hits Queensland and New South Wales

Tank customers left high and dry

IPSWICH people are among more than 100 customers across the country to
have been duped by a water tank company under investigation by the
Fair Trading watchdog.

Based in Sydney, Aqua Conscious Pty Ltd took out a full-page
advertisement in The Queensland Times – along with several other
regional newspapers – last October, offering tanks in a range of
sizes, free delivery within 50km of Brisbane and bonus home
entertainment equipment.

Ebenezer resident Tom Bales was one of scores of water-wise
Australians to respond to the offer, ordering a 24,000-litre tank for
$2199.

He paid a $499 deposit for his tank on November 2 last year and was
told it would be delivered in a matter of weeks.

"Several weeks passed and nothing happened, so I rang a bloke called
Gary, who told me there had been an accident at the plant; one of
their trucks had reversed into some machinery and they'd been held
up," Mr Bales said.

"The next time I rang, they blamed the rain down in NSW."

Mr Bales' story is not dissimilar to that of another Ipswich resident,
Paula Morris, who is still waiting for her 3000-litre tank.

Mrs Morris has been unable to make meaningful contact with the
companies since placing her order last November.

The Aqua Conscious website has been shut down, with a message advising
people to deal with the company at their own risk.

An influx of complaints from residents across most states has prompted
an investigation from Fair Trading NSW which, along with the
Queensland Office of Fair Trading, is now warning people not to deal
with Aqua Conscious, Columbus Sales or an individual by the name of
Christopher Bruce Smith.

Christopher Bruce Smith was sentenced in December 2000 in the
Southport District Court to two years jail, suspended after six
months, after pleading guilty to defrauding a pensioner of $119,433.

Queensland Fair Trading's Brian Bauer said the Queensland and NSW
Office of Fair Trading received more than 130 complaints from
consumers who bought water tanks or paid deposits without receiving
the product.

"The companies and Mr Smith have not been able to demonstrate to NSW
Fair Trading that they have the capacity to fulfil orders, so
consumers need to be aware so no one else runs the risk of losing
money," Mr Bauer said.

Those who have paid by credit card should contact their financial
institution to see if they are eligible for a charge back.

Anyone affected has been urged to notify NSW Fair Trading by calling
13 32 20 or visiting www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au

www.QT.com.au