Double Take

Watch out for your 'taxatation' refund.

Geelong Police’s Eyewatch Facebook page posted a new scam alert this week, although the scammers behind this one have managed to create their own alert.
It’s another ATO scam that is trying to collect people’s hard-earned refunds.
But calling it the Australian ‘Taxatation’ Office kind of gave the game away, you would think.
Unless the victims of the scammers are just as bad at spelling.

There’s nothing like a bit of transparency in government.
A media release came through from local member and environment minister Lisa Neville, spouting info about the new boards appointed to our catchment management authority.
There was even a helpful link to where one could find the said appointees.
Clicking the link takes you to the new Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning website, or DELWP, an amalgamation of two former websites, DEPI and DTLPI.
But a notice at the top reminds visitors that some items can still be found on the old websites.
Double Take spent an agonising 15 minutes scrutinising all three websites, with nary an item about new CMA boards to be found.
And that’s nothing like transparency of government.

Some people are never happy.
The Indy gave the Act on Climate Festival huge promotion last week, announcing the inaugural Geelong event with a lead story on page five.
The report also noted that on the same day the festival was announced the CSIRO released survey results showing that only 45.9 per cent of Australians believed climate change was man-made.
“FACT CHECK,” tweeted festival organiser Dan Cowdell in response.
“The CSIRO survey of almost 18,000 people over five years showed 78 per cent of Australians believed in climate change.”
Dan should have continued his fact-checking to add that 38.6 per cent thought the change was natural, explaining why man-made believers are the minority.
But don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story.