Auspol Oct: Painting a vivid picture of an example of how broken media has become.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Auspol Oct: Painting a vivid picture of an example of how broken media has become.

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

I think the Christmas retail spending capitalist meltdown was due to the penalty rates for saturday and weeknights after 6pm going from 10% to 25%, not the full time conversion bit. Most stores do 2-4 weeks of 9am-9pm leading up to christmas.

Which is still hilariously stupid, mind.

# ¿ Oct 2, 2018 03:27

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# ¿ May 10, 2024 00:58

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

Maybe they should just put ALAN JONES IS A oval office on the sails of the opera house so he can see it from his lovely apartment across the street and complain about that too.

I mean for someone who seems to hate so much of what they do he sure does like living near the bloody thing.

# ¿ Oct 5, 2018 05:15

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

Axel Ferguson posted:

lol This just makes so much sense now. He's like the old retired guy in your street that complains that you should rake the leaves on your nature strip. Except he has a radio show with national exposure.

he complains about the concerts on the steps, he complains about vivid, and he complains when they will do something similar to vivid, but not to a degree of shamelessness that he sees as suitable.

# ¿ Oct 5, 2018 07:12

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

Caleb bond is in hack

# ¿ Oct 5, 2018 08:55

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/record-fine-for-pokie-club-that-gave-out-free-alcohol-and-cash-advances

A "small" venue by clubsNSW standard makes about 500k on a slow week. No idea how many pokies they have at this venue but that fine is not even a drop in the ocean.

quote:

pokies venue headed by Australia�s top clubs boss used free alcohol and large cash advances disguised as purchases to induce gamblers to spend more, according to damning findings by the independent regulator.

Clubs Australia president Peter Newell, who is also the chairman of influential industry group Clubs NSW, chairs the Illawarra District Rugby League Club, or Steelers, which has been fined $100,000, plus almost $30,000 in costs.

SBS News can also reveal the disciplinary penalty is the largest fine issued to a registered club since the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority was established a decade ago.

Steelers
Steelers in Wollongong, right, has been fined $100,000.
AAP / Supplied
Scott Miles, Steelers� former club secretary and general manager, who it was found directed staff to undertake the offences to "make sure people are coming in the doors", has also been given the industry's first lifetime ban from any officeholder role.

The Authority's found the the conduct by of senior staff, led by Mr Miles, was a "serious" and "systemic" contravention of rules limiting the harms of gambling.

"There are financial benefits and consumer harms posed by unlawfully incentivising gamblers and obscuring credit transactions," it said.

Million dollar theft

The record sanction from NSW�s Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority, published this week, follows what Mr Newell has described as a �tumultuous year� for the venue in Wollongong, a regional city south of Sydney.

In December, Mr Miles was sentenced to up to four years in prison for defrauding the club of more than $1 million over a seven-year period - to feed his own gambling addiction.

Although the Authority accepted there was not evidence the board directors, including Mr Newell, were aware of the breaches involving gambling inducements for punters, it found the club - not just Mr Miles - was culpable for them.

Peter Newell
Clubs Australia president Peter Newell.
Clubs Australia
�While the unlawful conduct was instigated by Mr Miles, it occurred over a substantial period of time and involved large sums of money,� it said.

�It included the cooperation of managerial staff, several of whom clearly knew these practices to be wrong but acquiesced�.

'Asian clientele' targeted

Staff described running through �false EFTPOS transactions disguised as legitimate sales� for amounts ranging up to $40,000 so punters could access more cash to pump through the club�s pokies.

�It started a long, long time ago with some of our Asian clientele,� doorman James Summerrell told inspectors, adding that he was urged on by Mr Miles because �we can�t afford to lose this kind of patron, we need to keep doing what we�re doing�.

READ MORE
Dai Le with her family.
'I sold the family home to pay off mum�s gambling debts'
�Mr Summerrell stated that some patrons would come up and ask for �$5,000 on purchase� between �four or five times a night� with that money being used for �poker machines��, the report said.

Supervisor Simon Reay said the disguised transactions, which breached liquor laws, were intended to circumvent the club�s cash-out policy. �If a customer hit a daily limit on their personal card, it was told upon us to ring it up as a purchase,� he said.

Duty manager Graham Crittenden told inspectors he raised the issue with the general manager �numerous times� but was told the club needed to meet its targets. �And if we didn�t the doors were shut and fifty people would be out of a job,� Mr Crittenden said.

Lure of free drinks

The same rationale was cited when offering patrons free drinks to encourage them to gamble.

�The Authority is satisfied that these staff members knew that free liquor was being offered and supplied to gaming room patrons as an inducement to prefer this venue and as an inducement to stay longer on the Premises playing gaming machines, in order to generate more gaming machine revenue for the Club,� it said.

Mr Miles, who blamed the culture of the club for the cash advances, also denied instructing staff to provide free alcohol. He characterised the practice was a goodwill gesture that evolved over time and "kept creeping back" if any efforts were made to stop it.

The club�s then-acting general manager Luke Barker told inspectors: �It just got to the point, look, if they, if they wanted it and they were playing the gaming machines you were to provide it�.

Veronica*
Problem gambler Veronica* say free drinks were used to get customers to keep playing.
SBS News
There are 2,522 poker machines in Wollongong�s 37 registered clubs, where players lost more than $70 million in the six months to May 31 this year.

Wollongong problem gambler Veronica*, who has not gambled in three months, said free food and drink were a typical trick used by venues to get you to stay at a machine.

�It�s all about welcoming,� she said. �Do you want a coffee? They bring it to you at the pokie machine. Snacks [too].�

READ MORE
Rooty Hill RSL
'I tried to join an RSL club ... then I asked a difficult question'
'Asleep at the wheel'

The club, which noted it suffered financial loss and reputational damage as a result of Mr Miles� $1 million fraud, asked the Authority to �exercise clemency� by not imposing a penalty, which would be "extremely detrimental" to its viability.

In its submission to the Authority, Steelers said it relied on Mr Miles to properly run the club, and that all reasonable and appropriate steps had since been taken to avoid a recurrence of the breaches - including a new whistleblower policy.

The Authority, which ordered the club to submit this policy for review, said a substantial penalty was required to act as a deterrence and �reflects the seriousness of the contravention�.

NSW Racing Minister Paul Toole said the government had �zero tolerance for club officials who commit serious offences�.

�People who run clubs must act with the highest integrity and put the interests of their members first,� Mr Toole said.

Alliance for Gambling Reform spokesman Stephen Mayne said called for Mr Newell to resign, saying the longtime Steelers chairman and his fellow board directors had been �asleep at the wheel�.

�This is a staggering report,� Mr Mayne said. �These are extraordinarily bad practices that were going on for many, many years at the Wollongong club where the chairman also happened to be the long term chairman of both Clubs NSW and Clubs Australia � the powerful lobby groups representing pokies clubs across the country.�

�Governance and the oversight and the stewardship was completely absent.�

Steelers said Mr Newell and the club�s current general manager were not available for comment. Clubs NSW declined to comment.

# ¿ Oct 6, 2018 00:56

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

This Everest Opera house poo poo is ridiculous. Alan jones is obviously using this as some kind of wedge to get Louise Herron out of the top position because he is sick of having concerts on the Opera House steps disturbing him. that can be the only explanation for him being so mad about it.

# ¿ Oct 8, 2018 02:03

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

JBP posted:

Dog they still have that walking route where men hang off the side and throw beer on when passing by while yelling show us your pink bits?

I think that's Summernats but wouldn't be surprised if it happened at Bathurst too

# ¿ Oct 8, 2018 03:30

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

Alan Jones literally wants the Opera house all to himself as a piece of untouched landscape in the view from his apartment. he does not give a single blue gently caress about it beyond the fact he wants to see it from his house, with no people near it ever.

# ¿ Oct 9, 2018 03:56

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

NSW now fines $535 + instant 3 month ban for low range BAC. this also includes first time MDT positive test results.

reminder that the MDTs do not test for opiates, benzos, or other prescription drugs that are the majority of drug driving related accidents, just THC, MDMA and Meth (and some cocaine sometimes if they are running the trial)

so you can smoke a doobie on friday evening, not drive all weekend and lose your license on Monday morning on the way to work despite being totally sober.

# ¿ Oct 10, 2018 03:55

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

JBP posted:

I thought those tests worked in a way that THC was a window of 24 hours but maybe that's a different test?

if you smoke regularly the 'active thc' that it detects in saliva can be there in an above-threshold amount for up to a week.

I believe the tests can detect as low as 50mcg/L, and that amount is in your saliva for an irregular smoking for up to a day afterwards.

# ¿ Oct 10, 2018 04:13

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

JBP posted:

That's dumb as gently caress, I thought someone already challenged one of those tests in court and got off.

yes. its a test for presence of a substance, not a test for impairment due to said substance, and it is wrong as gently caress.

you should definitely not be high and driving, and I am not advocating that you should be allowed to, however these tests only show for the presence of a substance, often in a non-active level.

its hosed and it will be a definite roadblock to any kind of legalisation of cannabis.

# ¿ Oct 10, 2018 04:23

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

JBP posted:

I must have been under the false assumption that the police tests were different to or more accurate to impairment than ones in a workplace. When I organised warehouses I had so many good workers (many delegates because you randomly test them more often, it's random though!) get shafted by drug tests that revealed they enjoyed some weed on Saturday night. Super Cheap Auto's warehouse used drug tests to bone 4 out of 7 delegates at once after learning they had all been at a party together and that it was likely they'd nab someone in the zero tolerance of your personal life test.

its super cool and good that people who are high as a loving kite on Endone or Valium will have zero issue passing a MDT.

I take Dexamphetamine for ADHD and I am very paranoid that this is going to get my license suspended when I cant produce a valid script.

also I smoke weed but I dont drive when I am partaking.

# ¿ Oct 10, 2018 04:41

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

hambeet posted:

I thought dexies don't show up?

some people say it has, some people say it doesnt. my doctor advised to carry an empty bottle in my car with my script/name on it (empty because you dont want to store the medication in a hot car)

# ¿ Oct 10, 2018 05:12

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

JBP posted:

Is there no way the doctor can just give you a note to keep in the car? That's ridiculous.

yeah, they can, im not seeing him for a month though.

I mean theres also reports of people punching cones while driving and being tested minutes later who test negative. so who knows if they are even effective.

for me at least, when I am stoned my mouth is so dry Id be lucky to dampen the swab at all.

# ¿ Oct 10, 2018 05:18

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

there was lots of people posting on the FB news articles RE: postal votes about the nursing home voters being coached saying they had seen that kind of poo poo happen at their parents/relatives homes frequently. some saying dementia patients also being told how to vote.

surely thats something the AEC should be aware of and trying to stop?

# ¿ Oct 22, 2018 03:23

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

Solemn Sloth posted:

lol, a state agency comes out with proposal for councils to introduce a weekly food waste and organics collection and move to fortnightly for residual garbage, Dan Andrews comes out swinging aligning himself with the IPA and Herald Sun, saying �not under a labor government� despite identical systems already running smoothly in multiple councils for a couple of years now

this would be awesome because my recycling bin is full every week and due to composting and Not Being A Moron our waste bin has like 1 bag in it.

so of course it wont happen.

# ¿ Oct 25, 2018 01:02

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

JBP posted:

Metal is the music of the CHUD and always has been.

it depends how you got into metal mostly. people from the punk/rock side are generally pretty left leaning and inclusive, whereas the troglodytes that got into it via pantera/slayer tend to be racist/homophobic fuckwits.

I go to a lot of stoner/doom metal gigs and most people there are pretty chill. its the black/death/grindcore scene where you get the most bigots, and usually under the premise of 'its supposed to be offensive'

# ¿ Oct 25, 2018 05:03

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

Frogfingers posted:

I've had a VPN for 3 years now. Anyone else bothered by it does too. It's an issue put to bed already.

or just change your DNS to 8.8.8.8.

# ¿ Oct 29, 2018 03:08

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

the remarkable thing is that people are reading Cartoons posts imo.

# ¿ Nov 1, 2018 02:50

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# ¿ May 10, 2024 00:58

Laserface: Dec 24, 2004

Gender is the new burqa

# ¿ Nov 1, 2018 05:45

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Auspol Oct: Painting a vivid picture of an example of how broken media has become.