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Friday 4th October 1996
Friday 4th October 1996
The headline reads: Party-girl Pauline tops Viviers's (sic) invitation list.
When a party guest makes headline news and those words are associated with the story you have got to wonder the moves afoot behind the scenes in the media.
Pauline Hanson was the guest of a National Party MP, Mick Viviers, the Member for Southport and Minister for Emergency Services and Sport.
Apparently Viviers phoned up Pauline and told her that he wanted her at the party. Enquiries by the Courier Mail suggest that the National Party state director Ken Crookes said that the party heirarchy had nothing to do with the invitation.
Liberal Party director Jim Barron, again on enquiry by the Courier Mail, was stated as saying that any invitation by the Liberal Party to Pauline Hanson was "inappropriate".
This same paper did an expose on the private life of Pauline Hanson last weekend with some very damaging, but unsubstantiated, allegations by her ex-husband being aired in the newspaper. It is reported that Mrs Hanson is now suing her ex-husband for defamation.
As I said before a strange way for a paper to support the democratically elected member for Oxley... or should we say controversial?
Opposition leader Kim Beazley (the titanic man) yesterday said Costello's arrogance and attempts to emulate Paul Keating had caused the interest rate gaffe which sent world financial markets into a flurry.
Beazley called on Howard to sack Costello saying that he harmed Australia's standing in world affairs. He said that Costello was not a "patch" on Paul Keating.... "But in his parliamentary style, in the way he trips the light fantastic... he is desperately trying to achieve what a bloke about 20 points more Australian and about 20 IQ points more intelligent was able to achieve."
Victorian (and Liberal Premier) Jeff Kennett said he felt sorry for Costello saying:
"It happened early in the period of government and I can assure you Peter will never be in that position again.
"And... the world now knows Peter Costello is the Treasurer of Australia."
Some investors reportedly made a financial killing when they bought up the options in the days before the deal was announced. The value of options to buy TNT stock at Au$1.50 soared when the share price of TNT jumped from Au$1.63 to Au$2.45 after the deal was announced.
We reported on the plight of "Cocky" the cockatoo a few days ago. Seems like the court have given him a reprieve and he can now go home to his owner. Unlike our very tame, but wild "Cockys" that come and visit the global office this poor fellow is terminally ill, bald... and bites!Apparently Cocky (the pet) has been with his owner for thirty years. A friend is quoted as saying that the owner, Mr Boschard, had suffered stress, depression, had trouble sleeping at night and feared he would never see Cocky alive again after the RSPCA took him away.
About sixteen months ago, after enquiring from the builders of our home (Ownit Homes) who they used for their carpeting, we went to see South Pacific Carpets and Ceramics to look after our requirements. We were happy with the service given and never thought twice about the carpets recommended as they were laid in many of Ownit's homes, according to Mr Steve Truscott, sales consultant of South Pacific Carpets and Ceramics.
We paid approximately Au$135 per metre for the Tasman "Woolblend" Kurl Twist carpet. - A bill which amounted to Au$4,796.
By January this year the carpets had, in our opinion, reached such a poor state after only six months of service that we complained, and after much coersion were able to get Mr Truscott, who now represented another company, Oz Top Building Suppliers, in which he was the Sales Manager, to come out and attend to our complaint.
We were unhappy with the manner in which this was done so we called in a carpet arbitrator at great expense who presented us with a report highly critical of the carpets in our home.
We presented the report to Mr Truscott who showed no interest in our problem and as South Pacific Carpets and Ceramics (the company we paid for the carpeting) had ceased to operate he stated that it was not his problem.
We took Tasman (the carpet manufacturers) and Oz Top (the company Mr Truscott now worked for) to the small claims court in August and were unable to proceed because Mr Truscott was able to demonstrate that he was not the owner of South pacific Carpets and Ceramics so had no liability.
I phoned a director of Ownit Homes directly after the hearing who was stunned to hear that after a 20 year business relationship with Mr Truscott that he did not own the business.
The magistrate adjourned the case which was re-scheduled for the 3rd October. Mr Truscott came with his son, and director of Oz Top. Mt Steve Truscott representing South Pacific Carpets and Ceramics on the basis of a letter of authority from the owner "who was unable to attend because of contract work", and Truscott junior to confirm that Oz Top had no libility in this action.
After a three hour hearing, in which I presented a carpet which was used for about 9 months in the old global office, evidence was given by the arbitrator and carpet expert Frank Ross that in his opinion, "the carpet did not serve the purpose for which it was provided".
The carpet was 80% polypropylene and 20% wool. (Thus the "WOOLBLEND" statement in the invoice). It now appears that polypropylene has absolutely "no memory" and is about as cheap as you can go when it comes to carpeting. With retrospect I would hate to think what the "profit margin" was in this deal.
The magistrate ruled in my favour ordering that South Pacific Carpets and Ceramics repay the full amount paid for the carpet plus court costs... just a little over Au$4,800.
Now I must make it clear that the builders, Ownit Homes, did nothing more than suggest that I speak to the business that they used for their carpeting at that time. They have been very supportive and we would have no hesitation in recommending their excellent building service.
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