If ‘subscribers’ think that politicians will not use what will become another list of suckers, they are sadly naïve. The very fact that politicians and their pollsters will be exempt from the strictures of this silly do-not-call register is just so obvious.

We all know that Gunga Din from Delhi is not going to take any notice of this ‘wonderful’ initiative of Coonan’s; and the local wimps are easily put off by a simple hanging up of the ‘phone. By simply hanging up, without a word, on people I don’t know and don’t want to know, I have reduced calls to a trickle; I go weeks and months without them. Or, I had done so until I recently caught my wife listening to these dogs and politely saying ‘no thankyou’ to them.

Rudeness, if you want to call protecting your privacy from unwanted, inconvenient ‘phone calls that, is the only way to deal with the real rudeness of sellers and beggars imposing on you.

I might now, for a while, have to do a little more hanging up, thanks to my wife’s niceness ( I think she does it to make up for me, bless her) but it works.

Australia is a great country to live in, unless you are a victim of crime, hasslers and other dogs intent on interfering with your life.

The ‘authorities’ don’t want to know. This ratty register is a joke. Hang up on the buggers. They soon get the message, even if they are calling from the sub-Continent.

Fight rude with rude.

Telemarketing is a billion dollar industry in Australia that empoys tens of thousands of people, generally with few qualifications.

Many people rely on this income as their primary income, so i hope people dont forget that when blokes like leigh say 'hang up on the buggers'.

No matter who you are, abuse or rudeness does have an effect on them as individuals.

The indian ones etc are a different kettle of fish, but before everyone goes on bagging them just remember it is a legit industry.

Hell i have bought some good things from unsolicitored phone calls by the way, im glad they called or i would never have had the offer. How is it different from an ad on tv? the only thing is it is more interpersonal.

This list is a farce that will not change much at all. By calling from a private number the customer may be on the do not call list and if they are they cannot trace it.

So in effect, nothing will change at all. What a joke

It's true nobody likes harassment from telemarketers, but that isn't to say they don't have the right to market their goods in that way.

Not many people are keen on television advertisements either. Doesn't mean we should ban em.

I reckon the register's a good way to go.

As for it being used for nefarious political purposes, the way I see it, unless it's a method of grouping a particular demographic it's pretty useless. People who don't like telemarketers are a bit broad. As it stands, how's it different to a phone book? Sure, there's unlisted numbers... but I don't really see practical political uses for that.
So while I don't think it's beyond government to do something like that, I can't help but feel this is just another conspiracy theory. Nothing quite as easy or fun as 'gummint-bashing' is there, but really... sometimes I think you've gotta take stock of what's likely.

Realist, "How is it different from an ad on tv? the only thing is it is more interpersonal."

I can fairly safely make the assumption that I can have my TV (and radio) turned off at any given time with little risk that I will miss anything which I immediately need to know about. If I'm preparing dinner and an ad comes on I don't need to leave my preperations to find out if it's an ad I want to hear.

Ad's don't go blank if I happen to watch them because they are set up to leave a message on a VCR rather than with me.

Telemarketting is very different to ads on the TV or radio. To determine if it is a friend calling or an ad I have to interupt what I'm doing.

I do regular on call for my work and have to be available by phone for that, I have elderly parents and a son who is sometimes with his mum so turning off phones is not such a viable option as turning off the TV.

A Do call regisister would be good. Likewise extended options on the Do not call register. The option to shut out politicians and other groups we don't want calls from.

I've got a no junk mail sign on my mail box which is mostly respected. The bulk of exceptions are from real estate agents and politicians.

R0bert

I see your point to a degree Robert, but advertising is advertising.

Whether direct, indirect, passive or aggressive, advertising makes an offer and we decide what to accept.

We recieve thousands of messages and 'offers' per day. Whats a couple more.

Id rather know that this form of advertising employs more people than most others, so how can it be bad? Its easy to say no thankyou.

At least you can get your questions answered aswell if any arise as you have someone there to answer them.

Anyone can ring me at anytime, lets be fair dinkum here, its good that aussie battlers get a wage out of it. (My mother included)

And if everyone hates it so much, why does it continue to work? Why is it one of the most powerful forms of marketing? Why? because people find convenience and value in it, which sets it apart from having to find the time for you to go to the product/service yourself.

The list will make no difference whatsoever. I actually personally hate the charity ones as you feel obligated more than a standard product/service, but thats me.

Interesting views from everyone here.

I generally agree with the writer. I've always thought the "opt-in" approach should also be applied to junk mail - ie, that a "Junk Mail Please" sign be required to allow junk mail, rather than a "no junk mail" sign to disallow it. "No junk mail" signs tend to often be ignored or just go unnoticed (at least in my case). With similar exemptions for non-commercial mail, I think this would provide a substantial reduction in waste paper.

What strikes me as odd about the exemptions for the do not call register is that religious groups are amongst them. I can see that a religious group making calls for a charitable cause should be exempt, but it seems this is already covered by the exemption of "charities or charitable institutions". So, what types of non-charity calls are churches making that we shouldn't have the right to block our number from? (I don't have a home phone, and I only very rarely receive junk calls on my mobile, so I've not got personal experience on this)

As one who earned a living for a few years as a real estate salesman, I must say that I got most of my business out of cold calling as it is known in the trade. The trick is to call at times that are not likely to be inconvemient - not when the lady of the house is getting the kids off to school, never during a well publicised sporting event (eg State of origin football), never later than five o'clock in the afternoon etc.etc., and never allow the phone to ring more than five times. In short, I used my brains and never lost sight of common courtesy- any recipient was immediately told my name, firm, and what I wanted and as a result almost all of my calls were received with good will and were terminated amicably. Part of the problem for a good telemarketer is getting away from some recipients - there are a lot of lonely people out there. Remember that telephone selling is a significant modern day economic factor, and the telemarketer is only trying to make a living in a ruthlessly competitive business environment. A final point to those who see rudeness as the answer - always remember that most telemarketers know your name,number and your address. You however do not know theirs!

I'm frankly staggered that the government sees fit to spend our money in this way.

It is the epitome of the nanny state.

Somebody decides that we should be "protected" from some types of phone call, and spends gazillions of our hard-earned money on putting a system in place that, at best, solves a tenth of the problem.

How much has it already cost to put in place, including the man-years and decades of committees, submissions, feasibility studies, consultants' time and other such wastage?

I'd prefer that they spend more of their time and my money on serious issues such as building dams to store water in, or building hospitals for the sick, or even putting together a decent public transport system.

What's wrong with simply putting the phone down, people?

Or let it through to the answering machine. As soon as the call centres hear it, they are off onto their next call - and if the call is from a real person, you can then pick up.

It is a serious question, by the way.

How much has already been spent on this trivial and pointless exercise in nannyism, and how much will it continue to cost every year?

Does anybody know?

Does anybody else get those private phone calls where when you pick up the phone there is no one there or you are hung up on? My family members tell me that they get a lot of them too. My daughter said it is the tele-marketers computer which has dialled your number but the marketer isnt ready so the computer hangs up.

Sometimes I wonder if you hang up on them if they dont set the computer to ring you back and hang up on you to get revenge.

You get your home phone put on for private family use not to be harrassed by strangers you dont know. They should be compelled by law to list their number on the ID screen of the phone not just have private number come up like they do.
I have an old parent who lives alone who has a private number and so I have to answer it in case he is sick or something. Also if the hospital were to ring for any reason their number also comes up as private

Don't be tough on the callers from India or the Philipines. They are just folk trying to earn an honest buck in an economy much more precarious than our own. The point is that all are employed or contracted by companies with a base in Australia. If you feel strongly enough to be rude to these innocents, why not take the extra effort to find out who the Australian companies are and ring THEM up, ask for their marketing department and give them a piece of your mind. I did it once, ringing up the same manager five times in a day and got my message across.

While I do understand some are in the only job they can get I refuse to put up with it.
A reminder my phone is for private calls and that I am offended by the use of it by such comes always.
Then do not ring again and the hang up.
Once a return call came just after I hung up informing me I was rude, after that yes I got ruder!
Twice more the twit rang back and may have forever until I thanked him for both wasting money and saving others from his calls.
Our minister is not impressive in any way.

seems obvious to me: buy a phone that puts the callers number into a computer screening application. list the numbers you want to hear from with the app. for the rest, the app 'picks up' and says "no, thanks" with whatever level of cordiality you wish to display.

no such phone? there soon will be.

Hello Bluey, My name is Dozer and I'm calling from the National Australia Bank (go ahead NAB sue me, I hate you.) I'm conducting a survey on the service you have received at the Rockhampton Branch. Would you have five minutes to answer some questions?

Bluey: Oh, the Rocky branch. They’re great girls down there, Love’em. I go down there every Friday morning at 10:30 and have a good chat. They say “G’day Bluey, how you doing mate? Great bunch of girls.

Dozer: Excellent, so would you have five minutes to answer some questions about the service at the Rockhampton Branch?

Bluey: Yes of course. Great bunch of girls down there. Do everything they can to help me out. You’re not going to close them down are you? That bl00dy Frank what’s-is-name up there on the 30th floor in the big smoke doesn’t give a to$$ about us. You’re not going to…

Dozer, (cutting in): No sir we’re just trying to improve service. So can you tell me, when was the last time you went to the Rockhampton branch?

Bluey: Like I said, I go down there every Friday morning to do my banking. Weren’t you listening or something?

Dozer [select “within the last two weeks” from my list of options]: And how would you rate, on a scale of 0-10, where 0 is very poor and 10 is excellent, the overall level of service you received on that last visit to the Rockhampton branch?

Bluey: Oh they were great. Couldn’t have done more for me. Wonderful girls. I had to ask a few things about my overdraft and they sorted it all out for me. Couldn’t have done anything more.

cont...

Dozer: That sounds great sir, would you just be able to rate the service on that scale from 0-10.

Bluey: What scale? I don’t know what 0 or 10 mean, you haven’t told me what bl00dy 0 or 10 mean. (Muttering) Young people these days, think they know it all, probably goes to university…

Dozer: I gave the scale before, 0 is very poor and 10 is excellent.

Bluey: And what’s the question again?

Dozer: How would you rate, on a scale of 0-10, where 0 is very poor and 10 is excellent, the overall level of service you received on your last visit to the Rockhampton branch?

Bluey: I’ve already told you, they were great! Weren’t you listening or something?

Dozer: I just need an answer on that scale from 0 to 10, sir.

Bluey: Oh, I don’t know…. (long pause)

Dozer: Ah, sir?

Bluey: Yes I’m thinking!..... oh bl00dy hell, I don’t know, give them an 11.

Dozer: Ah,… sir,.. I need an answer on that scale between 0 and 10. (I had got in trouble before for recording an 11 as a 10….)

Bluey: Oh jeez mate this is bl00dy stupid. How long is this thing going to take anyway. You said it was only going to take 5 minutes, I’ve been here ten minutes already and I’ve got to get back to work.

If I was lucky, the customer would hang up. We weren’t allowed to hang up on customers. We had a quota of 5 calls an hour, which I was regularly called up on for not meeting. Stupid.

Shut the call centres down. Shut them all down. We’re better off shovelling s--- for shillings.

I get all those calls from India and unsolicited faxes from Sydney which, if I responded the way they want, would cost up to $60 a call.

I feel overwhelmed by a tsunami of advertising - on TV, radio, mail, email spam, strangers phoning your home, and even your fax isn't safe. It is an unwanted tidal wave of junk advertising!

I was working in Melbourne a couple of years ago. At 7.30 am I got off the train at Parliament Station and went up the escalators. Two people, dressed as coffee beans, were coming down the other way. They loudly yelled slogans at me as they passed.

When closely analysed, the Federal Government's 'Do not call' initiative allows most of the organisations who have made our lives such a misery over recent years to continue unabated. I'm a Westpac and NAB custommer, but I don't want them ringing afterhours from India hasselling me with unwanted 'offers'.

Years ago, my wife bought Christmas cards from Yooralla (a worthy enough Victorian charity). But years later, we are still getting unwanted calls from those folks, and many others.

If a politician were ever to call, I would break a lifetime's habit of politeness, and savagely cuss them.

The Liberals in Canberra have at last responded to the incredible anger we all feel about all this unwanted advertising. Not all of us want to worship the dollar, or wish to support the corporate millionaires. We want to have a nice quiet home life without the intrusions of unwelcome afterhours business calls and offers.

Fair enough, Mr Mack, modern life does have a number of aspects that annoy, and many of these are "marketing" related.

But why, in the name of all that is sane and rational, do you expect the government to manage these aspects of your life on your behalf?

Whatever happened to personal responsibility? Why do you think it is necessary for you to abdicate responsibility for answering your phone, to the government?

Why do you think it is fair and reasonable for you to spend my money on the exercise of stopping people from calling you on the telephone?

>>I get all those calls from India and unsolicited faxes from Sydney which, if I responded the way they want, would cost up to $60 a call<<

So you don't respond. What's the problem?

>>Two people, dressed as coffee beans, were coming down the other way. They loudly yelled slogans at me as they passed<<

If that's the worst thing that happens in your day, you're not doing badly.

>>I'm a Westpac and NAB custommer, but I don't want them ringing afterhours from India hasselling me with unwanted 'offers'<<

Here's a suggestion. Instead of calling the government, call the Bank. Tell them not to do it. Tell them you'll take your custom to a Bank that doesn't hassle you. Show some initiative, do something for yourself, it really isn't that difficult.

>>Years ago, my wife bought Christmas cards from Yooralla (a worthy enough Victorian charity). But years later, we are still getting unwanted calls from those folks, and many others<<

Be brave. Put the phone down.

>>The Liberals in Canberra have at last responded to the incredible anger we all feel about all this unwanted advertising<<

Incredible anger? Boy, what kind of life you lead if a ringing phone creates "incredible anger".

How do you feel about Iraq?

I'd still like to know why these telemarketers are allowed to call using private number, isn't this using stealth by not revealing their true number? As the hospitals also ring you using private number you have no way of knowing if its an emergency call or not. It seems to me these companies don't have a legitimate reason for using a private number other than trying to hide their identity. That means they are trying to enter your home via telephone by sly means.

If there's one group I don't want contacting my home, anytime, it is politicians.

I'll have to use the Seinfeld routine (Can I have your home number, I'll ring you there when it suits me OK?) on them or just swear and hang up. What can they do? Ring more often? A simple "Each time you call hardens my vote against you" should stop them don't you think?

strange also how these morons can ring me...when i have a silent number?...so how did they get that? I do not give my home number to anyone but family and a few friends, and if people ring my mobile and not have their number shown, it does not get answered.

and the 'do not call register'? all those numbers and peoples info..all in one place for these spammers to hack into...

just a matter of time...there is no way i am going to place my silent phone number on an internet database..
none of this net is secure.
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