
Issue No 104		27 July 2001

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

Letters to the Editor

How to Bash the Bank

This message has not been organised by any political movement or special interest group but by a private citizen fed up with being driven into poverty because this country and the people's assets are being sent down the drain towards a socialist state owned by multi-nationals and New World Order banking systems - and no one has the "guts" to stand up and fight for their rights. The sender appeals for the help of all patriotic Australians who believe in their country and its sharing of wealth to support this "people power revolution". There should be no poverty in Australia - we have everything - we do not need to import goods into this country. The government, the non-taxed multi-nationals and the banking system are denying Australians their rightful prosperity. It is time to revolt. Let's introduce the French Guillotine to the banking system for not giving justice to ordinary people like you and me by acting on the following message.)

"Stop the Bank Rip-off" Days begin on Wednesday, 1st August 2001

This is an urgent call for action by all concerned Australians

Have you had enough of banks ripping you off with their exorbitant bank fees with their "user pay" schemes to increase their massive profits? ("A Current Affairs" programme (20/07/2001) stated banks made a further profit increase of 6 billion dollars plus from all their service fees.")

Are you sick of queuing up for what seems like hours just to get normal counter service because of staff reductions?

Are you sick of being moved from queue to queue for simple enquiries to find the staff has to ring their head offices for advice?

Ever applied for a loan with the computer being fed all your details and it replies "Yes, you can" or "no, you can't" because of its set formulas - the loans officer just smiles and says sorry?

Are you sick of waiting to be served at the busiest times on normal days because of dramatic staff reductions unable to meet efficiency demands by customers?

Are you sick of being forced onto the street and subjected to weather conditions and possible robbery or injury because you have to "talk" to a machine to get money? (Scenario - what if you were an ordinary person standing on local council property of which footpaths are, doing bank business from that footpath from an ATM facing the footpath and not within a safe area of the bank and you get injured, assaulted or robbed on council property doing that bank business from a bank who does not pay fees like any other business or organization conducting business (stalls displays etc)? Who do you sue? The Council or the Bank? Certainly not the bank - it didn't happen on their property! The ratepayers cop it again! Then what if you were just a normal citizen walking down the street and was obstructed, injured or whatever by one conducting bank business on council controlled land? Think of all the huge lawsuits!!! It's a wonder someone hasn't thought of that angle yet.

Are you sick of having to ring a bank number, follow directions by numbers from a mechanical voice, wait in line because an operator is busy, then get the "shove around" and have to hang up - all at your cost?

Have you noticed that withdrawal and deposit slips are rarely seen on writing desks these days and on asking for them, you are directed to use ATM's or Telephone Banking because it is much easier - and convenient?

Whatever happened to good old personal banking service? "People power" can stop the rip-offs by the banking systems. Have you forgotten that:

1. A bank exists because of YOUR MONEY

2. A bank cannot survive without YOUR MONEY

3. A bank uses YOUR MONEY

4. A bank profits from YOUR MONEY

5. A bank has TO SERVE YOU

6. A bank is not there FOR YOU TO SERVE THEM.

NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT on the big 4!

Note: Every effort will be made from the banks to stop your action from the moment

they become aware of this "people powered revolution".

On Wednesday 1st August, every private customer of the Westpac Bank wherever you are should go in and close down all your private accounts on this day. Take your cash to a Building Society or Credit Union and open up a new account on the same day with people who work for their customers.

On Wednesday 8th August, every private customer of the National Bank should do the same.

On Wednesday 15th August, every private customer of the ANZ Bank should do the same.

On Wednesday 22nd August, every private customer of the Commonwealth Bank should do the same.

By the end of July, we shall see if "the big 4 banks" have sat up, listened, and taken remedial action. If not, the " people power revolution" will advance to the next stage. Without customers - they don't have YOUR MONEY to make their big profits. They will soon come back to serving their customers - or close up from incompetency or greed.

THIS ACTION CAN ONLY WORK IF EVERY CUSTOMER PARTICIPATES.

Please send this message to every person you know on the internet in Australia before the 31st July. Make copies and hand it to friends and relations without internet facilities. WE NEED MAXIMUM ACTION FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT AT MAXIMUM SPEED.

When you receive this from a friend, please do the following:

1. On receiving this message, cut and copy it completely onto a separate file.

2. Give it the same name as the original message.

3. Edit and erase all email addresses and names shown for confidentiality.

4. Then send this message to every person you know with a new list of email addresses.

5. Do not delete any part of this message (including this section).

6. Remember, the only areas that need to be deleted are email addresses listed on the message you receive. This way, sources cannot be traced.

Now it is up to you - Stand up and be counted or do nothing and lose the lot because your government won't do a thing to help you.

View entire issue - print all of the articles!

Issue 104 contents

Interview: A Super Agenda
Labor's federal spokesman on superannuation Kelvin Thompson outlines the challenges a Beazley Government will face in managing the nation's savings.

E-Change: 1.4 The Shifting Sands of Ideology
Peter Lewis and Michael Gadiel conclude the first part of their study of new politics by looking for core Labor values in a post-Cold War environment.

Corporate: Locking Horns
The same names keep cropping up in the business pages as the web of corporate control stays tied to a few big players. Georgina Murray has been looking at the extent and depth of the connections.

Unions: The Workers Bank
With banks on the nose, David Whiteley looks at how unions and super funds have got together to create the real deal � the workers bank.

International: Phil Davey's Amazon Postcard
The CFMEU's Boy Wonder has downed the megaphone for three months in South America. Here's what he's been up to.

History: Faded Vision of The American Bounder
King O'Malley was an American ex-pat who dreamed of a people's bank. Neale Towart looks at what happened to his vision.

Activists: The Big Gee-Up
With the big guns of the anti-corporate movement in town, Mark Hebblewhite goes looking for a definition of globalisation.

Indonesia: Where to the Workers After Gus Dur?
At the end of a turbulent week, Jasper Goss looks at the impact of the overthrow of Wahid on Indonesian workers.

Review: Mixing Pop and Politics
'The Bank' is a new Australian film that takes a contemporary political issue and transforms it into a piece of compelling popular culture.

Satire: Milosevic's Defence: "I Was Just Issuing Orders"
Disgraced former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic has brushed off against charges for war crimes against humanity and mass genocide.

» Community Banks Are No Collectivists

» Labor Vows to Widen Royal Commission

» WorkCover Finally Fesses Up � Premiums the Problem

» Unions Launch 56 Hour Watch

» Call Centre Campaign Bares First Fruit

» Justice at Last for One.Tel Workers

» Entitlements Push Gathers Momentum

» Employer Dirty on Leave Win

» Rights Put In Too Hard Basket

» AMA Move on Doctors� Hours Welcome

» Aussie Post Workers Rally

» Strike by Airport Guards Lawful

» Workers Rejects Brough Deal

» Unions Will March at CHOGM

» Average Response to Robberies

» Coca-Cola Sued for Using Paramilitary Force

» Activists Notebook