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Thursday, February 21, 2008

Run-In With The Australian Taxation Office


I had a run-in with the Australian Taxation Office last week.

I do all our farm accounts and GST, etc. I finally finished the last quarter's GST and posted it. The very next morning I discovered that I'd made a huge mistake and overpaid them to the tune of about $6000. Yikes! Some mistake.

I had to go to Albury (where our nearest Tax Office is) that day, so I took the cheque book with me in the hope that I could cancel the previous cheque and write a new one for the correct amount before they processed my GST.

Well... Silly me. That was too logical, wasn't it.

The people over the desk at Albury were less than helpful. They wouldn't even consider any alternate action. They wouldn't even look to see if the mail from Wangaratta had actually come in. All they did was put me on the telephone to Head Office - wherever that may be.

I explained - again - about my mistake and what I wanted to do to correct it. The person on the telephone informed me that if I did cancel the cheque I would be up for defrauding the taxation system. They said I had to wait 14 days after my GST was processed. Apply for a form to fill out to request a revue of my GST, and then, IF they deemed that I had made a mistake, I could get my money back in about 49 days.

As you can imagine, I was very upset and left.

The next morning I went straight to my accountant and told him what had happened. He said he couldn't understand why they wouldn't just accept the cheque over the counter and replace the cancelled cheque with it. He lodged my GST online, I paid immediately at the Post Office, cancelled the cheque with the wrong amount on it, and all was well. It cost me $17 to cancel the cheque. Although I object to such extortion by the bank, I consider this $17 to be money well spent.

What's wrong with our ATO that a person cannot even correct a mistake BEFORE their GST is processed? Why should they have been able to hold my $6000 and get interest off it for more than 49 days when it wasn't their money to begin with? And why should they accuse me of trying to defraud the tax system when all I was trying to do was to fix a mistake.

I'm certain that, had I underpaid them by $6000, they would have been on my doorstep that very day!

Cheers for now.


Brittany Kingston


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Gypsy Stone Dukkering

Casting the Stones

Long before the Tarot became synonymous with fortune telling, Gypsies used the natural world around them to help them see into the troubled hearts of those who came seeking knowledge and guidance.
River stones, gems, crystals, sticks, needles and bones were often used by the dunkerer [dukkerer] or palm reader.
I love using my own set of river stones that I personally hand picked and charged with healing energy.
When I read, I'm not so much telling a fortune, as looking into the heart of the energy surrounding the person I'm reading for. I believe this gives a more accurate insight into what is at the heart of a problem or situation and can provide real, down to earth ways of helping people deal with what life sometimes throws at them.
Casting the stones is something I love and I hope to continue with my readings for as long as life will allow.

Láshi Baxt Me Zhav Tute

(May Good Luck from me go with you)

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