Senator Bushby launches YouTube video channel

SENATOR DAVID BUSHBY
Liberal Senator for Tasmania
Chair of the Senate Economics Reference Committee
Advancing Tasmania’s Interests…

Tuesday, 2 November 2010

Senator Bushby launches YouTube video channel

Chair of the Senate Economics Reference Committee, Liberal Senator for Tasmania, David Bushby, today launched his YouTube video channel.

“Along with other forms of interactive communication I believe this will enable me to communicate with Australians allowing them to interact with their elected representatives in a far more immediate fashion,” Senator Bushby said.

Senator Bushby has been using other forms of interactive media since being appointed to the Senate in 2007 and hopes his videos will make access to the process of government even more accessible.

“With the speed and interaction of today’s technology I hope my internet video channel will increase access to the legislative and governmental process for all Australians,” Senator Bushby said.

Senator Bushby officially launched his YouTube video channel today and intends to post regular updates. YouTube users can opt to subscribe and receive notifications when new videos are uploaded.

Senator Bushby’s YouTube channel can be found by searching for ‘SenatorBushby’ within YouTube, or by following the URL:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SenatorBushby

And,

SENATOR DAVID BUSHBY
Liberal Senator for Tasmania
Chair of the Senate Economics Reference Committee
Advancing Tasmania’s Interests…

Tuesday, 2 November 2010
4 Corners exposes ‘Telco-Scam’ failure after estimates questions 5 months ago

Liberal Senator for Tasmania, Senator David Bushby, said 4 Corners’ “Bad Call” episode last night highlighted the urgent need for the ACCC and the Government to take immediate action to address the disastrous impact on many small businesses as a result of the various ‘telco scam’ schemes rampant across Australia in recent years.

“Despite this matter having been consistently raised by affected small businesses over the past 18 months, the Government has failed to curtail these dubious telco bundling deals which have imposed huge and unfair financial burdens on unsuspecting businesses,” Senator Bushby said.

“Indeed, at Senate estimates in June of this year, some 5 months ago, I asked the ACCC and the Minister sitting at the table, what was being done to address these very concerning telco scams. It appears the ACCC is taking action on some fronts for those already caught by the scams, but what has the Government done since to protect those who might fall foul of them?

“The fact remains that victims of unscrupulous sales efforts are being talked into packages which secretly tie them into private financing deals with separate and additional obligations over and above their telecommunications deal”.

The ‘telco scams’ are being pushed onto unsuspecting small businesses and individuals by hard-sell telecommunications sales agents. Victims are often told they will receive free equipment, like flat screen TV’s, to sweeten the deal when the deal in fact involves a financing agreement at inflated prices for that equipment and financial obligations that extend way beyond those in the phone deal.

Many victims find they fall below the usage rates of contracts or the telco company they signed up to ceases operating and then find themselves holding an expensive finance contract for equipment previously thought to be supplied as free.

“With the “Bad Call” report going to air highlighting the impact of these schemes on consumers, it is high time the Government ensured small businesses owners tricked into these schemes have no obligation to comply with the terms of agreements they didn’t know they were entering,” Senator Bushby said.

Please see below a QON extract from June Budget Estimates.

Senate Standing Committee on Economics
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON NOTICE
Treasury Portfolio
Budget Estimates
1 June – 3 June 2010
2/08/2010 3:21 PM – 1 –
Question: BET 81
Topic: Telecommunications Scams
Hansard Page: E107 (02/06/2010)
Senator BUSHBY asked:
Senator BUSHBY—I have some questions about so-called telecommunications
scams. Can you indicate how many complaints the commission has received from
small businesses in relation to telco finance scams, where cheap calls are offered and
so-called free plasma TVs or similar equipment are offered as part of the deal?
Mr Gregson—The ACCC has a matter before the courts involving allegations similar
to that which you have raised. We have received a large number of complaints not
only in relation to those matters before the court but also in relation to perhaps similar
conduct.
Senator BUSHBY—Can you indicate the scale? What does ‘a large number’ mean?
Mr Gregson—I might have to take that on notice, Senator.
Senator BUSHBY—Are we talking tens, hundreds, thousands?
Mr Gregson—I think we will take it on notice, Senator—but certainly more than
tens.
Senator BUSHBY—Obviously you have investigated those to some extent because
you have a matter before the court. I presume that there are other cases or other
allegations that have been raised that you are currently looking into as well?
Mr Gregson—Certainly; we look at a number of those complaints. We also look at
other ways of ensuring compliance outcomes not only by education but also by
working with others in the industry to try to address some of our concerns.
Answer:
In the period between 10 February 2010 (the date of the ACCC’s Additional
Estimates 2009–10 hearing) and 30 June 2010 the ACCC received 130 contacts in
relation to a particular type of telecommunications-finance scams pertaining to small
businesses. The small businesses allege that they have been induced by various
telecommunication service providers to purchase telecommunication services on the
basis of various misleading representations made by that telecommunications service
provider.
These representations included an entitlement to ‘free’ goods, namely a plasma
television and telephone equipment when in fact the business was required to pay for
the goods under a finance agreement with a third party finance company.
Senator David Bushby