Coles stores in the Northern Rivers may not brush off customer concerns so quickly after this ACCC media release

A rather satisfying media release, given the attitude of certain Coles staff when customers' concerns over this advertising pictured below were dismissed with version of; ‘But people will know that the vegetables under the sign are imported. Head office makes us put up these signs – we are doing nothing wrong!’

Graphic from WA Today

Coles pays infringement notices for alleged misleading country of origin claims

1 July 2013

Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd (Coles) has paid six infringement notices totaling $61,200 for alleged misleading representations about the country of origin of fresh produce made in five of its stores between March 2013 and May 2013. The stores were located across Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission took action following a complaint that Coles had displayed some imported navel oranges and kiwi fruit underneath price boards reading ‘Helping Australia Grow’ with the triangular ‘Australian Grown’ symbol. The ACCC surveyed a number of Coles stores and found that the signage was also being used in other stores to advertise imported asparagus and almonds.

The ACCC alleges that this signage gave the overall impression that the imported produce was Australian grown, when it was not. The overseas country of origin was correctly identified either by stickers on the produce itself, on its packaging or under the display bin.  However, the ACCC considered that the relatively small sized stickers or statements were not sufficient to correct the overwhelming impression of the ‘Helping Australia Grow’ campaign imagery that was associated with the sale of the product.

“Consumers should be able to rely on the accuracy of claims about food, particularly when they are prepared to pay a premium for products made in Australia. Misleading country of origin claims can also have a significant impact on the competitive process and hurt the local economy,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.

“While this does not appear to be a case of widespread or systemic conduct, ‘Helping Australia Grow’ is a significant national campaign driven hard by Coles to advertise its fresh produce. This is a lesson to all retailers that they need to take care when undertaking significant advertising campaigns to ensure consumers are not misled by those campaigns,” Mr Sims said.

The ACCC is prioritising its work in relation to credence claims, particularly those in the food industry with the potential to have a significant impact on consumers and competitors.

Coles advised the ACCC that the conduct arose out of the relocation of stock within stores without updating the promotional imagery on the price boards. The ACCC nevertheless considered action was necessary given the importance consumers place on representations of this kind, and the importance of strong compliance processes when choosing to make such claims in the context of a widespread campaign.

The payment of infringement notice penalties is not an admission of a contravention of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. The ACCC can issue an infringement notice where it has reasonable grounds to believe a trader has contravened certain consumer protection laws.

Infringement notices.

Release number: 

148/13

Media enquiries: 

Mr Duncan Harrod - (02) 6243 1108 or 0408 995 408

So how much is the softer, gentler Tony Abbott costing taxpayers?

 The Abbott Family - portrait of a sense of entitlement

Sometime after the 2010 federal election Opposition Leader Tony Abbott began appearing more often in the media accompanied by his wife and sometimes his daughters.

At the end of that year Abbott's family travel costs amounted to $14,191.47.

By 2011 family members were occasionally seen with him as he spread his political message.

This family unity on the propaganda trail is reflected in those family travel costs reimbursed to Mr. Abbott from government coffers.

In 2011 family travel costs totalled $27,688.35.

At the end of June 2012 another $9,694.48 was added to the bill which had now reached $51,574.30.

In October 2012 the Abbott family again ramped up its profile in an effort to present the ‘softer’ and ‘gentler’ Tony and, he was often seen with his wife or one of his daughters by his side.

When the Dept. of Finance and Deregulation published figures for the second half of 2012, the Abbott wife and daughters total travel costs had increased by another $4,578.22.

Taking the Abbott women's faux campaigning costs passed on to Australian taxpayers up to an estimated $56,152.52 up to 31 December 2012.

Heaven knows how much higher the bill will climb before the federal election or how these costs will blow out if the Abbott's gain tenancy at The Lodge.

Update:

Questions have also been raised concerning use of a car in 2011, although to date no specific driver has been identified.

http://www.finance.gov.au/publications/parliamentarians-reporting/docs/T28/ABBOTT_Tony.pdf

Nationals Leader Andrew Stoner wastes space in The Northern Star letters to the editor column

NSW Deputy Premier, Leader of the NSW Nationals, Minister for Trade and Investment, Minister for Regional Infrastructure and Services and Member for Oxley, Andrew Stoner, writing in Lismore’s The Northern Star on 26 June 2013:

Funding for regions

IF regional communities need more proof that the NSW Liberals and Nationals government is committed to improving their infrastructure and services, they need look no further than the NSW Budget 2013-14.

I was recently pleased to announce that more than a billion dollars worth of state funds would be delivered to regional hospitals, schools and roads and to crucial services like transport, education, training and emergency services.

These communities are finally getting the funding they deserve from this government, unlike the 16 long years of neglect under Labor.

For regional mining affected communities in particular, it is important they get a fair return of the riches their local lands produce when their infrastructure needs are put under pressure by extra heavy vehicles and industrial activities, whether directly or indirectly.

That is why the NSW Government's Resources for Regions program was established - to relieve infrastructure constraints and support communities in regional areas affected by mining.

This year, eight local government areas were eligible for assistance under the program; from Muswellbrook, Singleton and Newcastle in the Hunter to Narrabri in the North West, Cobar in the West, Lithgow in the Central West, Wollongong in the Illawarra, and the Mid-Western Regional Council area including towns like Mudgee and Gulgong.

These eight areas were identified as needing funding most urgently and they had the opportunity to share in up to $120 million on offer.

I look forward to announcing the successful infrastructure projects these communities applied for later this year, with around $40 million on offer in the initial round of the fund.

And now I look forward to inviting more applications from these communities in a supplementary round of Resources for Regions, thanks to the additional funds from Restart NSW made available by the proceeds from the long term leases of Port Botany and Port Kembla.

Around $80 million will be available for successful applications received in the supplementary round that will open in September. With this additional funding on offer, I encourage the eight areas eligible under this year's program to put forward an application.

This opportunity shows that the NSW Government will continue to deliver for regional communities by ensuring they receive a fair share of this state's wealth, with a further round under Resources for Regions in 2014-15 providing other eligible local government areas with the chance to apply for funding next year.

Andrew Stoner

NSW Deputy Premier

Unfortunately funding available under the Resources for Regions program in 2013/14 do not apply to the Northern Rivers region – so Mr. Stoner’s letter is a complete waste of space and one wonders why it was published at all.

Japan has admitted to the International Court of Justice that Australia considers whales are "sacred"

In the early hours of 3 June 2013 (Australian Eastern Standard Time) Japan - in its opening argument in Whaling in the Antarctic (Australia v. Japan: New Zealand intervening) before the International Court of Justice - admitted that Australia considers whales are "sacred".

Every Aboriginal community and group who made this fact known to the world can be very proud today that Japan was forced to admit this fact to the Court.

Unfortunately Japan went on to characterize its alleged cultural right to slaughter whales as taking precedence over other peoples cultural rights.

Japan also asserted that Australia had politicized science and is bringing the International Whaling Commission to "the brink of collapse".

Today's court transcripts will be found at Whaling in the Antarctic (Australia v. Japan: New Zealand intervening) Oral Proceedings.

Background:

Indigenous Whale Dreaming in Australia - then and now....*ATSIC readers please note that this post may contain images of persons who are deceased

If you own a suit and tie or a party dress you can't be an alcoholic or an addict?

The faces of alcoholism and gambling addiction are not likely to be those seen smiling behind suits, ties and race dresses. [The Daily Examiner 27 June 2013]

Now there is a breathtaking example of social and cultural bias if ever there was one – apparently this journalist believes that most alcoholics and gambling addicts can be identified by their attire and the events they attend.

On that basis he obviously wants to believe that Grafton’s July Racing Carnival is a substance abuse & addiction-free zone peopled by the smiling and well-dressed.

The fight in the Members Stand at Grafton Race Course in 2011 does not suggest the journalist's view of racegoers is an entirely accurate one.

It is also possible that last year local police were not so sure either; The court heard that Coffs/Clarence Police had liaised with Grafton licensed premises in the lead-up to last year's Grafton Cup week to develop strategies to manage alcohol-related anti-social behaviour…..OLGR director of compliance Paul Newson said the office and police would be active again at this year's Grafton Cup race week.

While this advertisement sets a somewhat dubious tone for this year, when even 'staff' at a private party are invited to imbibe:

Date Listed: 26/06/2013 Last Edited: 26/06/2013 Advertised By: Private Job Type:Temp

Waitressing $$$ FUN GIRLS wanted 5th - 8th of July 

Backpackers welcome for this great event !!!!

Your Accommodation, transportation, Alcohol, food and drinks will ALL be provided and you can party whilst your working/having fun. The event is a road trip up North Coast and to attend Grafton Cup race day. we can provide transportation leaving from Sydney on Friday @ approx 2.30pm great opportunity to see NSW beautiful north coast and get paid to do so.

We require 2 girls to come and party with a bunch of fun loving and respectful guys. You would be required to help out with some small tasks like serving drinks and food at the races for the group of 20 gentlemen. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY HAVE FUN WHILST DOING IT!!! It will more like a wkend away fully catered for with some cash in your pocket!

Please send a photo with you application to waitresesnow@hotmail.com, I look forward to chatting soon

Seems the 'real' Tony Abbott doesn't travel anywhere without his makeup these days

Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott preparing for one of his staged outdoor appearances for the media's benefit on 27 June 2013:

*Photograph from Google Images

Little Georgie Brandis can't so his sums

This was Libs Senator George Brandis on ABC TV Q&A Monday 24th June 2013:

“As everybody - as Graham Richardson and Judith Sloane have pointed out, abortion has not been in issue in this country for more than a decade.” 

More than a decade? No, no, no, Georgie!

Abortion was still a big issue in 2006 when the then Health Minister Tony Abbott fought to keep the drug RU486 from Australian women.

On 9th February that year Georgie told the Senate that he was voting in defence of Abbott's move.

Even using his fingers to count Brandis must be able to reach the number 7 for the years since then.

Photograph from Granny Herald