NEWS DESK
Tax scammers hit the phones Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au
Rising to challenge: Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson gives the thumb up to Edithvale Primary School pupil Airlie Smith’s muffin making efforts during Homelessness Week. Picture: Supplied
Raising muffins and money AN Edithvale girl is baking up muffins to raise money for the needy during Homelessness Week (6-12 August). Edithvale Primary School pupil Airlie Smith is aiming to bake hundreds of muffins in a hired industrial kitchen to raise funds for Chelsea Care Works. Mordialloc Labor MP Tim Richardson visited the school last month to
congratulate the year 6 pupil on the fundraiser. “This is a really great example of a positive community focused initiative being run by a young, kind-hearted local student,” he said. Airlie’s mother, Holly Smith, thanked 4 Cousins, Coles in Patterson Lakes, Woolworths in Chelsea and Mordialloc, IGA Aspendale Gardens
and The Cove Hotel in Patterson Lakes for donating cooking ingredients. Homelessness Week is an annual week coordinated by Homelessness Australia to raise awareness of people experiencing homelessness, the challenges they face and the action needed to find solutions. See “The desperate are struggling”, page 6.
TAX time is also scam time for thieves trying to intimidate people into handing over bank or credit card details to pay a fictitious tax debt. Scammers have been calling people throughout the Kingston, Frankston and Mornington Peninsula areas this month claiming to represent the Australian Taxation Office. The pre-recorded call falsely claims the recipient of the call owes money to the ATO and a warrant will be issued for the person’s arrest if they do not call the scammer back on a phone number provided. Some people may also receive an email making the same threat. Frankston CIU Senior Sergeant Steve Fyfe confirmed the calls are a scam. “People shouldn’t hand over their financial details to any unsolicited callers,” he said. The ATO says the “fake tax debt” phone scam is the most common way scammers try to con people to hand over money. “The ATO regularly sends emails and SMS messages and we make lots of calls each week but you should be wary if you weren’t expecting to be contacted by us,” ATO assistant commissioner Kath Anderson said.
The ATO will never threaten anyone with arrest, jail or deportation in a call and will not request payment of “a debt” via iTunes, prepaid Visa cards or cryptocurrency. A fee is never charged to release a tax refund. Any emails sent from the ATO will not ask to click on a link to provide login and personal details. See scamwatch.gov.au online to keep up to date with common scams and alerts.
Names swap PEOPLE asked for their name and address by a police officer or protective services officers are entitled to ask for the officer’s or PSO’s name, rank and station. Commander Stuart Bateson said new contact cards being distributed last week would give members of the public the name of the officer they spoke to in case they needed to follow up later.
Labor comes to Baxter line party Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au THE electrification of the extension of the Frankston line to Baxter now has bipartisan support from both the Liberal and Labor parties. Federal Labor shadow transport spokesman Anthony Albanese visited Langwarrin’s McClelland Gallery last Tuesday (31 July) for a Committee for Greater Frankston “roundtable lunch” and used the occasion to announce a Shorten government will “move quickly to deliver the muchneeded Frankston to Baxter rail upgrade”. The federal opposition’s pledge to
back the rail duplication and electrification from Frankston to Baxter comes two weeks after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the Liberal National Coalition federal government’s promise to provide $225 million to build the rail extension. Liberal state opposition leader Matthew Guy also promised that the state Liberal National Coalition, if elected in November, will direct $225 million to the project. Mr Albanese’s announcement last week leaves the Labor state government as the sole hold outs in not yet committing to build the rail extension. The state government is conduct-
ing a business case study into the project’s feasibility, paid for by $3 million in federal funding. “Labor has advocated for the electrification and duplication of the Stony Point Line to Baxter to improve train services for commuters across Dunkley and on the peninsula,” Mr Albanese said at last week’s roundtable meeting. “And that’s because we know the benefits of this project speak for themselves — better services, greater accessibility to public transport, reduced travel times, and more parking but most important of all, ensuring commuters get home earlier so they can spend more time with their families.” Continued page 8
Rail pledge: Federal shadow transport spokesman Anthony Albanese and Labor candidate for Dunkley Peta Murphy at Langwarrin’s McClelland Gallery. Pic: Gary Sissons
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