Steve Greenwood is out of his depth in Property Council's bunfight against the Queensland Government

Steve Greenwood - junior
Queensland political prize
fighter who flies like a
butterfly and stings like
a mosquito!

The self-appointed Queensland Opposition Leader Steve Greenwood, Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia, is at it again.

This junior prize fighter of Queensland politics has authorised another round of bare-knuckled, full-page newspaper advertisements attacking the State Government for its plan to restore 60 years of land valuation methodology which was recently overturned by the Land Appeal Court.

The latest advertisement is full of errors, spurious arguments and idiotic claims.

Under Steve Greenwood's stewardship, the Property Council has become nothing but a puppet for the LNP in Queensland.

Anna Bligh is on the right track on this issue with legislation designed to protect ordinary Queenslanders from exorbitant rate rises.

Why should the punters of Goodna or Bellbird Park or Springfield have to pay more rates while businesses pay less!

That's what Steve Greenwood wants.

But the worst part of Steve Greenwood's latest, pugilistic rantings is that he has somehow managed to rope in the Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the UDIA, QHA, REIQ, MTA and the Shopping Centre Council of Australia to help his ill-conceive anti-Labor campaign.

Steve Greenwood has forever politicised the Property Council of Australia and sooner or later his bosses will realise his purely petty, political little campaign has backfired, rendering the Property Council a political neuter in the State of Queensland forever.

Lightweight Steve Greenwood is out for the count on this issue and it's still only Round 2 in this mismatch against the heavyweights of Queensland politics.

He should throw in the towel now so he might one day still be able to make a comeback in his own lightweight division.
Anna Bligh should now ensure this legislation is passed swiftly through the Parliament.

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PAUL TULLY: PaulGTully@gmail.com

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Kmart backs down on move to trade on Anzac Day

Kmart has withdrawn its ill-conceived and idiotic application to trade all day on Anzac Day.

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

Maybe a major donation by Kmart to help needy diggers and their families would be a better gesture than their half-hearted, belated act of contrition to the people of Australia.
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PAUL TULLY: PaulGTully@gmail.com

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

Media Release

Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading

The Honourable Peter Lawlor

02/03/2010

You've got mail...and a scam

JOINT RELEASE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tips to beat the scammers:

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

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

- Regularly scan your computer for viruses and spy ware;

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

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

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

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PAUL TULLY: PaulGTully@gmail.com

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Kmart is a national disgrace to all decent Australians

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

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

What a load of codswallop!

How have we survived in the past?

Anzac Day has always been sacrosanct from this sort of un-Australian commercialism and that's the way it should always remain.
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PAUL TULLY: PaulGTully@gmail.com
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