Cash for Gold

The current trend in the mass media, at the moment is to advertise to obtain you 'old' gold.
The perception given is that you 'old' gold is 'worthless', and you can cash in on it, since it is at an all time high, i.e. it is to your benefit.

The reality is that according to the Financiers that control the prices of gold, the reality is that the price is low at the moment, and will rise another 50% soon.

See story : Lihir says Gold could reach US$1500.

Gold in Australia is controlled by very few men.

Joseph Gutnick's profits from the Gold mines of Australia, are taken overseas to Israel to built settlements on occupied land.

Joseph Gutnick, in 1999, along with partner Robert Champion de Crespigny, were found to have illegally structured a takeover of a mining company and Gutnick was ordered to return $28.5 million to investors. The court found that their behaviour in jointly bidding $450 million earlier that year, for a company called Great Central Mines, was unlawful and deceptive.

Werribee Police involved in Stolen Car Racket

In the outer south western suburb of Werribee, which is approximately 30 min drive from Melbourne on the way to Geelong (Victoria's second largest city), an organised car stealing syndicate operated.

A local plumbing business in an 'Industrial Park' was where stolen cars were stripped and refitted or rebirthed.

The way the syndicate operated, was that they targeted 'unique' cars, and stole them. They then stripped the vehicles and then abandoned them.

Once the vehicles were found, if insured, the cost of repair would be higher than the value of the car, and the insurance company would then 'write' the car off.

The vehicle would then be auctioned off at a fraction of its price, in which the thieves would purchase from the insurance company.

The would then take the car back to the plumbing supply 'business' in Werribee, to refit the stolen parts.

The vehicle would then be returned to its former state, and LEGITIMATELY owned by the thieves.

This was all done with the help of certain corrupt Police officers from the Werribee Police Complex.

The name of the business and the corrupt Police Officers has not been published in order to protect the guilty.

December rate rise likely after surprise employment numbers

The Reserve Bank is set to raise interest rates next month after a surprise jump in the number of employed Australians.

The overall unemployment rate rose to 5.8 percent in October, after falling in September to 5.7 percent. However, the number of people employed increased by 24,500 to 10.8 million.

Part time employment, meanwhile, also increased with 21,500 people moving to part-time work last month, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

That increase in part time work pushed the total number of hours worked down by 1.9 million in October to 1.5 billion hours.

The overall rise in unemployment came in line with analyst expectations but the increase in actual jobs was a surprise and shows the resilience of Australia’s economic recovery, economists said.

"Australia is truly living up to its mantle as the wonder from down-under," said Savanth Sebastian, economist at CommSec. "Overall 24,500 jobs were created in October – a phenomenal result considering that in September the domestic labour market recorded the best job gains in two years."

The increase in jobs created in October makes a Reserve Bank interest rate rise more likely, he added.

"It appears almost certain that the Reserve Bank will break tradition and raise rates for the third consecutive month in December," Mr Sebastian said.

"The Reserve Bank does have the option of not raising rates, however the data over the last couple of weeks has been surprisingly strong. Keep in mind that the Reserve Bank does not hold its next meeting till February, so it may just be that the central bank raises rates in December and takes a well deserved break over Christmas."

Meanwhile, the ABS also reported that the number of unemployed Australians is at its highest level since January 2002, according to official figures.

The ABS said 670,100 people were unemployed in October, a rise of 11,000 compared to the previous month.

Last month’s fall in unemployment shocked economists, who had expected the number of jobless workers to rise further to 6 percent as cautious employers continued to keep a tight hold on costs.

Earlier this month, the government lowered its forecast for unemployment to peak at 6.75 percent next year.

money.ninemsn.com.au 12 Nov 2009

MORE GOVERNMENT LIES.

Unemployment levels have RISEN and NOT declined as mentioned.

The jobless rate is on a steady increase.

The so called 'rise' in employment is an official excuse so banks can rip customers off for more money.

This is supported by both the governments and the business community as a whole.

Economists use the REAL figure of 50% more than the governments official jobless rate.

The government deliberately lies about the jobless rate.

Police IT 'riddled with dodgy deals'

The Victoria Police IT department was riddled with dodgy multi-million-dollar deals, records were a shambles and staff were cashing in on free hospitality when there was no one in charge, a report shows.

A scathing Ombudsman's investigation has blasted the Victoria Police Business Information and Technology Services Department (BITS) for gross mismanagement of taxpayer funds.

The report, tabled in state parliament on Thursday, found records of IT contracts worth tens of millions of dollars were kept on handwritten notes, while other files were missing or poorly kept.

Contracts were awarded without going to tender or by bypassing proper process.

And at the top no one was in charge, with the former chief information officer Valda Berzins admitting she did not keep tabs on the department's budget, worth almost $200 million.

"Ms Berzins acknowledged that she did not closely monitor the operation of the BITS budget, which in 2008-09 was approximately $191 million," Ombudsman George Brouwer said in the report.

That responsibility was left to group manager of business and planning John Brown "by virtue" of his position, he said.

"The extent of Mr Brown's control over knowledge of BITS finances and the general lack of proper records is best illustrated by the fact that Victoria Police's figures relating to the funding of a contract worth in excess of $27 million are largely based on a handwritten note he provided to a BITS manager in a meeting several months after his resignation."

Mr Brouwer described record keeping and file maintenance within the department over the past three years as "largely inadequate".

"My investigation was hampered by gaps in documentation, records that were not dated, not signed or did not include author details, and a general lack of any apparent systematic record-keeping," he said.

"My investigators were often required to go to a number of sources to locate documentation and in some instances had to make requests direct to vendors regarding key documents relating to multi-million dollar contracts that Victoria Police had not retained or could not locate."

Mr Brouwer said the investigation uncovered several examples of managers' apparent disregard for proper procurement and contract management processes.

In one case, documents for a $20.1 million contract were prepared in 24 days when it should normally take 10 to 18 months.

The contract was not put to tender in exchange for a 90 per cent discount that was never scrutinised, the report said.

The department gained approvals to redirect security services from IBM to Fujitsu but the contract blew out to $27.2 million - $15 million more than had been approved.

The ombudsman also identified conflicts of interest, with staff cashing in on free hospitality from IT companies, including tickets to the Australian Open Tennis, the AFL Grand Final and the Melbourne Cup.

In another case, external contractors engaged by the department were involved in a procurement process that they were tendering for.

Mr Brouwer said three external reviews, five internal audits and two criminal investigations had been conducted into the contracts, finances and reporting of the department since 2006.

They revealed a $39 million funding gap as a result of contracts entered into, managers breaching their financial duties, breaches of state procurement guidelines and a culture of staff inappropriately accepting hospitality.

"Despite these earlier findings, Victoria Police has only recently undertaken remedial action to address the concerns raised in these reports," Mr Brouwer said.

Police chief commissioner Simon Overland admitted the behaviour described in the report was "embarrassing".

"It is embarrassing, yes, obviously no one likes to receive criticism of this nature, but I have to say I think the ombudsman has been very thorough and very fair," he told reporters.

"I accept the findings the ombudsman has arrived at and the recommendations he has made in terms of what we do to fix the issues that he has identified."

Mr Overland said the behaviour of accepting gifts and hospitality, such as tickets to the grand final and Melbourne Cup, was unacceptable.

"I would hope that that is understood now, we've certainly taken steps to reinforce that," he said.

"We have new policy drafted and in place, there is a broader government review being conducted by the State Services Authority on this question.

"I don't believe my senior managers are under any misapprehension around what are appropriate gifts, benefits and hospitality."

ninemsn.com.au 12 Nov 2009

World revolts against capitalism, BBC survey shows

World revolts against capitalism, BBC survey shows

9/11/2009 12:00:00 PM

Dissatisfaction with capitalism is widespread around the globe 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall that heralded the demise of European communism, a poll released Monday showed.

Only 11 percent of people surveyed across 27 countries thought free market capitalism is working well, while 51 percent believed its problems can be solved with more regulation and reform, the poll said.

In only the United States (25 percent) and Pakistan (21 percent), did more than one in five people agree that capitalism works well in its current form, the poll conducted for the BBC World Service said.

Comment: Capitalism: The tragic love story that spawned the GFC

The survey of 29,033 adults comes after the worst global financial crisis since the 1930s Great Depression and amid celebrations for the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall which abruptly ended the Cold War.

"It appears that the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 may not have been the crushing victory for free-market capitalism that it seemed at the time -- particularly after the events of the last 12 months," said Doug Miller, chairman of polling firm GlobeScan which co-conducted the survey.

Most people (54 percent across all countries) backed the breakup of the Soviet Union, while 22 percent said it was a "bad thing" and 24 percent did not know.

Support was highest in the US (81 percent) and Western Europe, particularly Germany (79 percent), Britain (76 percent) and France (74 percent).

But support was divided among former Warsaw Pact countries. Most Russians (61 percent) and Ukrainians (54 percent) said the Soviet breakup was a "bad thing".

In contrast, four in five Poles (80 percent) and 63 percent of Czechs felt the disintegration of the USSR was a "good thing".

Conducted between June 19 and October 13, the survey was jointly carried out by the University of Maryland's programme on international policy attitudes.

An average of 23 percent across all nations said capitalism is fatally flawed, and a new economic system is needed -- including 43 percent in France, 38 percent in Mexico, 35 percent in Brazil and 31 percent in Ukraine.

And majorities in 15 out of 27 nations wanted their governments to be more active in owning or directing control of their nation's major industries.

Support was highest in the former Soviet states of Russia (77 percent) and Ukraine (75 percent), but also in Brazil (64 percent), Indonesia (65 percent) and France (57 percent.)

Furthermore, majorities supported governments distributing wealth more evenly in 22 out of 27 countries, particularly in Central and South America. Some 92 percent backed the idea in Mexico, 91 percent in Chile and 89 percent in Brazil, the survey said.

"Some features of socialism, such as government efforts to equalise wealth, continue to appeal to many people around the world," said Steven Kull from the University of Maryland.

After the collapse of financial institutions and huge government bailouts, majorities in 17 countries wanted more government regulation of big business.

Brazil led the way on 87 percent, followed by Chile on 84 percent, France 76 percent, Spain 73 percent and China 71 percent.

money.ninemsn.com.au

ATO 'illegally accessed' Hogan documents

The Australian Tax Office (ATO) illegally accessed confidential documents concerning Paul Hogan's tax affairs and only followed official guidelines in retrospect to establish a "veneer of respectability", a court has been told.

The Crocodile Dundee star, his artistic partner John Cornell and their financial adviser Tony Stewart have been accused of hiding tens of millions of dollars from the tax office in offshore companies.

Stewart is being prosecuted for refusing to disclose information about the trio in an interview with the ATO earlier this year.

But Stewart has argued that forcing him to answer questions about the matter is an unlawful breach of his professional privilege, or "accountant's concession", and that private accounting files seized by the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) were protected by this privilege.

He has asked for any documents held by the ATO be destroyed and for any staff who have seen them to be taken off the case.

In the Federal Court on Tuesday, his barrister Michael Abbott QC accused the ATO of illegally or unlawfully using documents provided by the ACC in their case against the men.

He said the ATO had only applied for the documents officially once Stewart had claimed privilege, "to give a veneer of respectability to what was otherwise indefensible material".

"We have acted to our detriment on the basis of the representations made by the tax office," Mr Abbott said.

"Had we known that the tax office's attitude was that the guidelines never applied to this material, then a challenge would have been made much earlier."

But the ATO's barrister Jeffrey Hilton SC said Stewart's allegations were "bizarre and baseless".

"We did not act illegally ... we did not act unlawfully ... and finally we submit that we did not act contrary to the accountant's concession because it did not apply," Mr Hilton said.

Stewart's application could not be granted by the court because it would prevent the ATO's commissioner from being able to do his job, he said.

"Since this case started, what the applicant studiously and deliberately has sought, without demur, has been a permanent injunction and relief restraining us ever from dealing with this material," Mr Hilton said.

"That has been repeated and repeated and repeated ... (but) no court in Australia would ever grant such relief.

"(It) would prevent the commissioner from doing his job for ever."

Justice Nye Perram has adjourned the matter while he considers his judgment.

aap 10 Nov 2009

Where the A.T.O is ABOVE the law.

Illegally obtained evidence is considered null and void (inadmissible).

Harassment from the VERY TOP.

BUT DRUG SYNDICATES ARE LEFT ALONE.

Not the first time NOR the last time a government has done something illegal,

BUT there will be NO punishment against the people concerned, just a cover up.

Teen driver jailed after girlfriend dies

Hobart teenager Alani Moeakiola would visit his girlfriend's grave twice a day, and regularly wash and fold some of her clothes, says the judge who is sending him to jail for killing her in a car crash.

However, despite Moeakiola's remorse, Justice Peter Evans says his case only serves to highlight the very real danger young male drivers pose to others, in particular their friends.

"It cannot be overstated," Justice Evans said in sentencing the 19-year-old on Monday to two years' jail, with a non-parole period of 12 months, and a six-year driving ban.

Intellectually impaired, Moeakiola had been smoking cannabis before he started arguing with his girlfriend Kayla Maher, 17, as they drove through Hobart's suburbs on January 30.

As their row escalated, so did the speed and danger of Moeakiola's driving before he crashed and rolled the vehicle, killing Ms Maher almost instantly, the court was told.

Witnesses told the court Ms Maher had said: "Just drop me off here," before the unlicensed driver in charge of an unregistered and unroadworthy vehicle sped up to 90km/h in a 50km/h zone in a perverse effort to keep her in the car.

Even though Ms Maher suffered fatal head crush injuries, Moeakiola was found at the scene trying to resuscitate her, the court was told.

"His grief is palpable," Justice Evans said in his published judgment on Monday.

"He thinks about her death every day, dreams about her every night.

"Her death is the first thing he thinks about when he wakes.

"He visits her memorial at the cemetery twice a day and regularly, approximately fortnightly, rewashes, dries and folds her clothes.

"He suffers from recurring suicidal ideation and he has real fears about how he will be treated during his impending incarceration."

Justice Evans said that as genuine as his remorse was, "it pales into insignificance when it is remembered that it arises from him causing the death of a 17-year-old".

Moeakiola had earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

The Hobart teenagers had been boyfriend and girlfriend for more than two-and-a-half years.

Moeakiola had never had a proper driving lesson or held a driver's licence and had a string of driving offences and periods.

His IQ was so low that he could not read, write, add or subtract.

He had been caught driving while disqualified four times between May 2005 and January 2007, and had served about two years' jail in total for five crimes involving dishonesty.

"Once again, the court is confronted with a relatively young male inexperienced driver who has caused the death of another by dangerous driving," Justice Evans said.

"The court's sentencing database demonstrates that these characteristics are almost invariably present when this crime is committed and moreover, that the victim is usually a friend of the perpetrator.

"The very real danger that young male drivers pose to others, in particular their friends, cannot be overstated," he said.

9 Nov 2009

In Australia you can kill someone by 'accident' and only receive 2 years prison.

The criminal 'Justice' system in Australia is a (deliberate) joke.