Better Together - South Coast United Walk

This could be a great way get 'Better Together'

 

Politics can be looked at in funny ways Part 1 Please Explain! - Pauline Hanson's One Nation 'Please Explain' Cartoons

Look, placing politics aside, with all its seriousness, we do have to look at the funny side of politics. I love this series of light-hearted cartoons produced by Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party and I hope that we all see the funny side of it. Watching our major current political figurehead characters in these cartoons provides a bit of humour to be added to our day. I can't wait for more of these to come out!

Click here for the 1st episode of "Schools in Session'

Click here for the 2nd Episode of 'Please Explain Preferences'

Click here for the 3rd Episode of 'Please Explain Donations'

Click here for the 4th Episode of 'Please' Explain Taxes'

Be Aware of a Scam/Phishing email from Mental Health First Aid - Don't accept it!

 Be aware of another scam, being introduced to our wonderful internet and tell others. Also, notify Scamwatch Australia appropriately...

There is a scam/phishing email going around that we want to bring to your attention. MHFA has been impacted by it and we want to make you aware so that you don't fall for it. If you have received this email from us, it is fake and should be deleted. Please ignore this email and do not click on the PDF link. This email was not sent by intention by MHFA. Please delete it to prevent any further emails of this nature from being circulated.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused.   From the team at Mental Health First Aid Australia.

Click here for the previous link

Beach Patrols at Shoalhaven Beaches - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

 

29 November 2021

Professional beach patrols will commence at South Mollymook Beach today with Shoalhaven Heads, Crookhaven Heads, Tilbury Cove, Warrain Beach, Cudmirrah, Narrawallee and North Mollymook to follow from Friday 17 December 2021. The patrols will remain in place throughout the school holidays.  

Shoalhaven City Council City Lifestyles Director Jane Lewis is reminding holidaymakers
and locals to always swim between the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches this summer.  

“We have more than 100 beautiful beaches along our stunning coastline for people to enjoy, but not all beaches have beach patrols. If you are planning to swim, we strongly recommend swimming at a patrolled beach, for your own safety and the safety of others.  

“To make your next trip to the beach safer, make sure you read the safety signs, ask a lifeguard for safety advice and swim with a friend. And please don’t enter the water if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” she said.  

"Rips are the number one hazard on our beaches. If you are caught in a rip, stay calm, conserve your energy and use one of the options recommended by NSW Surf Life Saving NSW; raise an arm to seek help, float with the current until it releases you or swim parallel to the shore or towards breaking waves and use them to help you in," said Ms Lewis. 

“We want everyone to be able to enjoy our glorious beaches, which is why our beach wheelchair service is also available during beach patrol season. Our beach wheelchairs are designed for use on hard and soft sand, as well as low water and grassy areas, providing access to the ocean for all abilities in the community.   

“Make sure you book ahead, there are ten beach wheelchairs available for adults and children free of charge, at seven beaches across the Shoalhaven,” said Ms Lewis.  

Council is reminding the community to follow COVID safe measures whilst enjoying their time on the beach over Summer.  

To book a beach wheelchair.  

For details on professional summer patrols visit Shoalhaven Swim Sport Fitness website: https://shoalhavenssf.com.au/about/beach-patrols. 

For information on Beach conditions or to find a patrolled beach near you, check out the BeachSafe website

 or download the mobile app. 

Click here for the previous post

Free Family Fun: Open Air Cinema Roadshow - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

29 November 2021

Shoalhaven City Council in partnership with Optus is hosting a free Open Air Cinema Roadshow across the Shoalhaven this Summer.  

Starting in December the Open Air Cinema Roadshow will run through to April next year to coincide with 2022 Youth Week and Seniors Festival.  

Shoalhaven City Council Director City Lifestyles Jane Lewis said the free events are a great chance for families and friends to connect over the summertime. 

“After what has been a particularly challenging year for many families within our community to navigate, I’m pleased to announce that Shoalhaven City Council in partnership with Optus is hosting a free family-friendly Open Air Cinema Roadshow ”, Ms Lewis said.  

“Our Open Air Cinema Roadshow is planned across the Shoalhaven including events in the north, central and south of the City – so everyone can join in the fun. These events will no doubt prove popular, and I encourage the community to register early to attend”, Ms Lewis said.  

“Council is proud to provide opportunities, such as the Open Air Cinema Roadshow, for the community to re-connect and have fun with one another after a challenging couple of years. These types of events help to foster a connected and inclusive community”, Ms Lewis stated.  

Optus Territory General Manager, Central NSW, Nick Gibson said "We're so pleased to be partnering with Shoalhaven City Council to bring the Open Air Cinema Roadshow to the community after a challenging year. We hope that everyone enjoys reconnecting with their fellow community members through these movie nights,”.  

"At Optus, we're listening to customers, and committed to connecting customers through technology - and the Open Air Cinema Nights powered by the Optus Truck is just one of the ways we're doing this in Shoalhaven," added Mr Gibson. 

Movies will be family-friendly (G or PG-rated). Please check our website for the details of each movie on show. 

The roadshow schedule is as follows:  

• Friday 10 December 2021:  Bomaderry Sporting Oval - Bolong Road, Bomaderry 
• Friday 14 January 2022: St George Basin Sports Ground - 160 The Wool Road, St Georges Basin 
• Friday 21 January 2022: Ulladulla Civic Centre - Princes Hwy, Ulladulla 
• Friday 28 January 2022: Boongaree Playing Fields 151, North Street Berry 
• Friday 11 February 2022: Lyrebird Park Jervis Street, Nowra 
• Friday 11 March 2022: Thompson Street Reserve, Sporting Complex 29 Thompson Street, Sussex Inlet 
• Friday 1 April 2022: Harry Sawkins Park - Auditorium Graham Street, Nowra 

The community will be encouraged to arrive at 6.00 pm m, for a movie start time of 6.30 pm. COVID safe measures will be in place. 

Registrations are essential and are now open through Eventbrite  https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/shoalhaven-open-air-cinema-roadshow-32969579779

Click here for the previous post

Blacktown City Australia Day Awards Now Open For Nomination?

 

Review of NSW Competitive Neutrality Policies and Processes - NSW IPART

IPART is evaluating the scope and effectiveness of competitive neutrality policies and processes in NSW.

Competitive neutrality policies aim to ensure that government businesses that compete with the private sector should not have a competitive advantage over other businesses solely due to their government ownership.

We have released our draft Terms of Reference and are seeking feedback to ensure that our review has an appropriate focus. Submissions on the draft Terms of Reference will close on 17 December 2021.

We may recommend the Minister make changes to the Terms of Reference as a result of the feedback we receive.

Once the Terms of Reference are finalised, we will have 12 months to prepare a Final Report. We will invite further stakeholder feedback throughout our review as it progresses.

 

Click here for details

Best Regards,
IPART

 

Plenary Post - Catholic Plenary Council - November 2021

 

Welcome to PlenaryPost After the busyness of the lead-up to the first general assembly of the Plenary Council and the intensity of that week, there needed to be something of a "recovery" period, allowing the outcomes of those days to settle and be distilled for the journey to the second assembly in July. That's not to say that work hasn't been taking place to allow the whole Church in Australia to continue to walk together for several more months and continue to seek how the People of God can each live out their mission today. We will soon be able to share the next important document in this Spirit-led process, capturing what has emerged from the first assembly and inviting people to consider how those fruits are carried forward. Keep an eye on the Plenary Council website, follow us on Facebook or subscribe to CathNews -- or all three -- to make sure you find out about the document when it's released. Read on for more updates and news of related Church events. And please continue to pray for the Plenary Council.

FacilitatorFocus: Carrying forward the fruits of the Council's first assembly by Lana Turvey-Collins

Dear Friends,  It’s the last few days of November, and we are about to begin Advent -- a season of preparing for the birth of Jesus. It is a wonderful time to reflect on how we can best live as "Jesus’ people".   Last month marked four years of being in this role of facilitator and I must say it has been an incredible journey of learning, challenge, courage and creativity. Being a member of the Facilitation Team for this historic process has been (and continues to be) a great privilege and one that I do not take for granted. The stories each person has shared, the prayer and discussion, time and focus which the whole People of God have given to trying to answer "What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?" have helped all of us reach this point.   The Members of the Plenary Council are charged with the responsibility of taking those stories into their ongoing discernment and returning to the Church in Australia "concrete proposals for a more missionary, Christ-centred Church". The first general assembly began their communal discernment in earnest, and now that it has wrapped up and some weeks have passed, we move into the next stages. The Members’ communal discernment is only partially complete. They are mid-process. Much more prayer, conversation and reflection is required to reach the second assembly in July 2022. The raw fruits of their work-in-progress will soon be available for the whole Church to read. It will give us all insight into the directions of their discernment.   During the days and nights of the first assembly, every Member poured their heart and soul and faith into the work of the Council, into the communal discernment process and the small group outputs reflect their commitment, faith and engagement. The next steps include the Drafting Committee (a mix of Members and others), working together with the Steering Committee (a mix of Members and others) to continue the communal discernment that the Members began during the first assembly. Over the December/January period, they will work to draft a few thematic documents, which collate and capture the proposals and propositions from the first assembly and return these drafts to the Members for further individual or small group discernment. After Easter 2022, the drafted, discerned, re-drafted, yet still-not-complete versions of the documents will be made available for the whole People of God to read, reflect on and pray with. Of course, Members will continue to do this also. This will bring us into Pentecost season, and to the final stages of preparation towards the second assembly -- during which the four-and-a-half-year process of the Church in Australia discerning together will be brought to a completion point. Then, of course, comes implementation – the third stage of the Plenary Council.   July 2022 may be just a few months away, yet much is yet to be revealed. The entire process and the whole work of the Plenary Council has been led by the Holy Spirit. I do believe it is a work of the Holy Spirit for our Church and for all people. With faith in God’s Holy Spirit, I look forward to the final weeks of 2021 and the fruits of this journey that will come in 2022.   On behalf of Marion, Peter and Olivia, my colleagues in the Facilitation Team, I wish you a happy and holy Christmas season and a wondrous and blessed beginning to 2022.   Thanks and peace,  Lana

CuriosityCorner

We will address a new question in each e-newsletter. To catch up on previous editions, you can check out the Plenary Council FAQ page. If you have a question, email it to us and we will include it in future editions of PlenaryPost. The question for this edition is… Who attends the Plenary Council assemblies?  Three main groups of people attend the Council’s assemblies: Members; Advisers; and Observers. Members of the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia are those who have been called to participate in the assemblies. Some of the members are people who “must” be called to a plenary council, as outlined in Church law; others are people who “may” be called, who were chosen through a range of processes across the country. The members have, at times, been referred to as “delegates” to the Council. The language of “member” better reflects the canonical status of those called to a Council, as well as the sense that all members are there to represent the People of God in Australia, not just their local Church community. Members are the only people who can vote at the Council assemblies. Advisers to the Council are people with particular expertise across a range of matters, such as theology, Scripture, governance, formation, ecclesiology (study of the Church), who can be called upon by members, individually or collectively, to provide advice on particular matters to assist with their discernment and decision-making. Advisers are sometimes called “experts” or “periti”, a latin term used to describe the experts at the Second Vatican Council and other major Church events. Observers are people who, as the name suggests, observe the proceedings of the Council assemblies because of their particular relationship with the Catholic Church in Australia. Following the tradition of other Church gatherings, the observers include Catholic leaders from other parts of the world, especially New Zealand, the Pacific and Asia; leaders of other Christian denominations; and leaders of other faith traditions. The observers might attend some or all of the assemblies. The Members, Advisers and Observers are supported by staff and volunteers helping with the facilitation of discernment, technology requirements, events management and liturgical needs. Media and communications staff help document the national and local aspects of the Council assemblies.

TalkTheology

Synod is moment of 'encounter, listening and reflection' And so, brothers and sisters, let us experience this moment of encounter, listening and reflection as a season of grace that, in the joy of the Gospel, allows us to recognise at least three opportunities. First, that of moving not occasionally but structurally towards a synodal Church, an open square where all can feel at home and participate. The Synod then offers us the opportunity to become a listening Church, to break out of our routine and pause from our pastoral concerns in order to stop and listen. To listen to the Spirit in adoration and prayer. Today how much we miss the prayer of adoration; so many people have lost not only the habit but also the very notion of what it means to worship God! To listen to our brothers and sisters speak of their hopes and of the crises of faith present in different parts of the world, of the need for a renewed pastoral life and of the signals we are receiving from those on the ground.   Finally, it offers us the opportunity to become a Church of closeness. Let us keep going back to God’s own “style”, which is closeness, compassion and tender love. God has always operated that way. If we do not become this Church of closeness with attitudes of compassion and tender love, we will not be the Lord’s Church. Not only with words, but by a presence that can weave greater bonds of friendship with society and the world. A Church that does not stand aloof from life, but immerses herself in today’s problems and needs, bandaging wounds and healing broken hearts with the balm of God. Let us not forget God’s style, which must help us: closeness, compassion and tender love. Dear brothers and sisters, may this Synod be a true season of the Spirit!  For we need the Spirit, the ever new breath of God, who sets us free from every form of self-absorption, revives what is moribund, loosens shackles and spreads joy. The Holy Spirit guides us where God wants us to be, not to where our own ideas and personal tastes would lead us.  -- From Pope Francis' address to mark the global launch of the Synod of Bishops process last month. Click here to read the full address.

News&Notes

Plenary Council, Synod of Bishops 'interweaving' Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge has said the way in which the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia and the Synod of Bishops process are interacting is a great sign of how the local and universal Church can work together. "Here in Brisbane and right across Australia we are very, very much in synodal mode at the moment," he said in a video late last month. "At this time there is a great interweaving of the Plenary Council and the Synod (of Bishops) process. In other words, the local and the universal working together and enriching each other." Archbishop Coleridge said the Plenary Council has been considering the mission of the Church in Australia, while the Synod is seeking to engage the Church globally. In his video, he says the Synod process could be seen as an invitation to each person to tell Pope Francis what they think about the Church worldwide. "This is really a call to enter into a new way of being the Church, and on this journey of the worldwide Synod, the process itself is in many ways the product," he said. Click here to watch Archbishop Coleridge's video.

Local consultation extended for Synod of Bishops The local consultation phase for the 2023 Synod of Bishops has been extended in Australia by more than two months, following the Vatican’s decision to allow more time for dioceses to hear from their people. The Holy See announced in late October that the original request for national syntheses of diocesan consultations to be sent to Rome by April 2022 had been changed, with them now due by August 15, 2022. At the recent plenary meeting of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, a new timeline was outlined and accepted as the national approach. It extends the original timeline for local consultation, with the submission of local responses to the Synod of Bishops’ questions pushed back from December 12, 2021 to February 27, 2022. Click here to read more about the new timeline. Click here to access Synod of Bishops resources.

Bishops endorse Uluru Statement from the Heart A number of Plenary Council Members, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Members, had urged the bishops of Australia to endorse the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Earlier this month, following advice from First Nations Catholics, the bishops backed the statement. In announcing their decision, the bishops said they had been informed by the words of St John Paul II, who in a visit to Alice Springs in 1986 said to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: “Your culture, which shows the lasting genius and dignity of your race, must not be allowed to disappear… Your songs, your stories, your paintings, your dances, your languages, must never be lost.” Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green OSPPE, chair of the Bishops Commission for Relations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, said the bishops were "very grateful for the reflections of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council in helping shape our thinking on this important subject". “That Council recently endorsed the Statement from the Heart, and we have listened carefully to their reasons for doing so," Bishop Macbeth-Green said. “We also heard from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of the Plenary Council at our recent assembly of their desire for the Church in Australia to follow NATSICC’s lead.” The Plenary Council’s agenda called for the Church to “honour and acknowledge the continuing deep spiritual relationship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to this country and commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of reconciliation”. Click here to read more about the endorsement of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Plenary Council member joins Vatican advisory body Madeline Forde, a Member of the Plenary Council for the Archdiocese of Adelaide, has been announced as a member of the international youth advisory body established by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life. Ms Forde, 25, has worked in a number of Church settings, including school, youth and young adult ministries, and is current a pastoral associate at Australian Catholic University's Blacktown campus in western Sydney. “I was surprised when contacted by the Dicastery and humbled by the invitation to be a part of the international youth advisory body,” Ms Forde said. "I am excited to meet with other members from around the world to speak openly about the realities of young people, continuing to deeply listen to their stories and their views of today’s world." Adelaide Archbishop Patrick O'Regan said Ms Forde is "energetic, has a preferential option to stand with the marginalised and is a strong young woman of faith. She will make an invaluable contribution as she takes on this role". Click here to read more about the appointment. Click here to read about Ms Forde's contribution to the first general assembly.

Speaking up for people with a disability  Perth Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, the Bishop Delegate for Disability Issues, has used a message for the International Day of People with Disability to share the hopes he expressed during the first general assembly of the Plenary Council. "During the [assembly], I felt inspired to urge the Church to lead the way in our society with regard to all people with disabilities, who with their families, often find themselves on the margins," he wrote. "I called for the Church to recognise and reach out to those with disabilities as they are our sisters and brothers, loved by God, and rightly have a place in our communities." Bishop Sproxton's message for the International Day of People with Disability, which is celebrated December 3, took its title from comments Pope Francis made for the day last year. Pope Francis had said the presence of a brother or sister with a disability will help the community “to develop attitudes and acts of solidarity, and service towards them and their families. Our aim should be to speak no longer about ‘them’, but rather about ‘us’”. Click here to read Bishop Sproxton's message for the International Day of People with Disability, titled "‘Us’ not ‘Them’ – encouraging active participation"

Click here for the last post

Service NSW in Sanctuary Point - 15th December 2021

Service NSW will be returning to Sanctuary Point on Wednesday, 15^th December 2021 to offer Digital Services only.

 

Please find attached our most recent updated poster for you to display at your business to advise those in your community that we are coming. If possible, could you please include our next visit on your local Facebook page, local newsletter and/or community notice boards.

 

Our Digital Services include but are not limited to the following:

 

• Dine & Discover Voucher applications
• Regional Seniors Travel Card applications
• Renew a NSW Vehicle Registration
• Change of Address on a NSW Driver Licence
• Apply for a NSW Seniors or Seniors Savers Card
• Submit a Notice of Disposal
• Check a NSW Vehicle Registration.

 

Our Support Vehicle is a cashless facility accepting MasterCard, Visa or American Express cards.

 

Please check the Service NSW website for the latest information on service locations and our up-to-date trading hours at www.service.nsw.gov.au/msc.

 

Please contact 13 77 88 or email MobileServiceCentres@service.nsw.gov.au for any further information or to answer any questions you may have.

 

Escabags now available at Council facilities - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

Escabags now available at Council facilities 

23 November 2021

Shoalhaven City Council are supporting people escaping domestic violence situations in their first steps to freedom by providing Escabags that are now available at Council facilities.  

The ‘Escabags’ are free, tote bags kindly made with love by volunteers. They are filled with the necessities that survivors of abuse and their children may need when initially leaving a dangerous or abusive situation. 

There are two types of Escabags available. One for a single adult and one for a parent and child. Each Escabag contains high-quality products, including toiletries, comfort items, tea bags, books, sanitary items, nappies, dummies and other essentials.  Having lived through escaping unsafe home situations, the team at Escabags understand the importance of feeling comforted and worthy in a crisis. The high-quality products in these bags were chosen as essentials needed for those who have had to leave their belongings behind to look for refuge. Escabags are not gender-specific and, by providing two variations, single adult and parent and child, they cater for all. 

Leaving an unsafe situation can be hard and incredibly stressful. These bags aim to take some of the pressure off and let the person know there is help available to them.  

We hope to help our community to feel supported so they can find a way to safety and set out on the road to healing and recovery. To receive a bag, and be connected with organisations who can support you and get you to a safe place, simply walk into any Council facility (listed below) and find a member of staff who will be happy to provide you with an Escabag and help you find a safe place.  

Council staff are equipped with information on local services to assist you to find a safe refuge and help you to make contact with the right people. You are not alone, there is always help out there for anyone who needs it; we encourage you to  ask.  

Available Facilities: 

Nowra Administration Building and Ulladulla Branch Office 

Shoalhaven Family Day Care Offices 

Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre 

 Swim Sport and Fitness Centres, including: 

Nowra Aquatic Centre 

Shoalhaven Indoor Sports Centre (Bomaderry)  

Bay and Basin Leisure Centre 

Ulladulla Leisure Centre  

Shoalhaven Libraries – Ulladulla, Sanctuary Point and Nowra  

Shoalhaven Regional Gallery.  

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing domestic violence, or would like to escape from an unsafe home environment, call the free 24/7 NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63. 

Caseworkers on the Domestic Violence Line can help you: 

get hospital care, counselling and family support services 

understand what an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) is and how to get one 

develop a safety plan for you and your children 

find emergency accommodation for you and your children 

help you with transport for you and your children 

talk to the police, courts and lawyers. 

For more information, visit the NSW Government website.  

Full stock lists of Escabags can be found Escabags Stockists - Escabags | Free Escape Bags for Domestic Violence Survivors.  

 Click here for the previous post

Watch out for fake online deals and avoid scammers this sales season - ACCC SCAMwatch

Australians have already lost about $12.9 million to online shopping including classifieds scams so far this year, and the ACCC is urging consumers to watch out for dodgy deals as pre-holiday sales approach. Scamwatch has received over 26,000 reports of online shopping scams, more than the total reported through all of 2020. This is consistent with global trends from 2020 as more people shop online during the pandemic. “This is a very busy time of year, and scammers often try to take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers rushing to organise gifts,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said. “People are often searching for the best deals online, especially in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, so it’s easy to be caught off guard and fall for a scam.” In an online shopping scam, scammers create realistic looking fake online stores selling items at heavily discounted prices, however the items are fake, or never delivered to buyers. Scammers have also created fake stores on social media platforms or post fake ads on legitimate classifieds websites. They may request payment or offer discounts for payments made through direct bank transfers or cryptocurrency.  “Before you buy, it’s important to be aware of the possibility of scams. While some scammers try to make online stores look legitimate by requesting payment via PayPal or credit card, always double check that the real PayPal platform is being used. Be suspicious of too good to be true offers and any sellers that ask you to pay by bank transfer, gift cards or cryptocurrency,” Ms Rickard said. “Research the seller and make sure you know who you are buying from. Search online for the product or company name, plus “complaint” or “scam” to see what other people are saying. If you are buying from a social networking site, check the seller’s history and read reviews from other people who have dealt with them.” “When you’re paying, avoid arrangements that ask for up-front payment via bank transfer, or payment through digital currency, like Bitcoin. Always try to use a secure payment service such as PayPal or credit card transaction,” Ms Rickard said. If you’re waiting for your parcel, remember that scammers also take advantage of people expecting deliveries. “Australia Post and other parcel delivery companies will never email, call or text you asking for personal or financial information or a payment. Many delivery companies have apps where you can track your parcels rather than clicking on links in messages or emails,” Ms Rickard said. Losses to online shopping scams are spread across most age groups, but people aged 25-34 lost the most money, at $2.4 million. The number of reports involving a financial loss has decreased this year, indicating that more people are able to recognise and avoid online shopping scams, however those that are losing money are losing more, with an average loss of more than $1,450, compared to $1,190 last year. Some of the more significant losses reported to Scamwatch during the year relate to high value purchases: Pet scams were the most reported when it came to online shopping scams and were also the most financially damaging. Scamwatch received over 2,800 reports and almost $3.5 million in losses so far, a 78 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. Vehicle sale scams resulted in big losses at more than $1.9 million, while other common products included caravans, shipping containers and electronics such as laptops, phones, and gaming consoles. Shipping container scams were a new trend this year, fleecing consumers of over $676,000. They were popular on marketplaces and classified sites, but scammers also created fake websites and pretended to have real ABNs. Scamwatch has taken action to get some fake websites removed. People who think they have been scammed should contact their bank or financial institution immediately. If the scam occurred on a social media platform, contact the platform and inform them of the circumstances surrounding the scam.  They can also make a report to Scamwatch and find more information on where to get help on our website. Know your consumer rights The ACCC is also urging people to be aware of their consumer rights if something goes wrong, even if the item was purchased during the sales season. “Remember that you are entitled to consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law, so if you’ve received a gift or purchased something in the sales and the product stops working or isn’t as it was described, you are entitled to a remedy depending on the nature of the problem,” Ms Rickard said. “If you’re having an issue with your product, you should first contact the retailer. They cannot refuse to help by sending you to the manufacturer. Your local state and territory consumer protection agency can provide more information about your rights, and may also be able to help negotiate resolutions between you and the seller.” More information about consumer guarantees is available on the ACCC’s website. Read more in the media release.

@scamwatch_gov Follow us on Twitter    Report a scam