31 July 2011

Want to avoid phishing risk from ALP climate change freepost form? Here's how

| I-filed
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In the light of the current debate about political parties having exempted themselves from any requirement to safeguard the privacy of any individuals they deal with, I cast a critical eye over a “Community News” from Kate Lundy last week. It includes a “no postage required” response form that looks at face value to be a reasonable sort of thing: add your voice etc. However, on thinking about it, it looks like an “audience segmentation” exercise aimed at allowing the ALP to carefully target individuals ahead of the next election.

It is asking for my home address and my email address – when dealing with a business of course, there would be strict requirements as to what they do with that information.

It nominates three options to tick:
1. Yes, I support a price on carbon pollution;
2. I have concerns that I need addressed; and
3. I do not support action on climate change or a price on carbon pollution

The first is actually the least relevant to the ALP; they can get a sound indication re community support on the issue from standard polling.

It’s the second two that they are interested in. Folk who nominate the second will be, of course, sans privacy requirements, be segmented into a “high communication” category and the ALP will go all out to target them and attempt to persuade them into the fold.

They’re also very interested to segment the non-supporters; they are (by name and address and email) added to a list of “don’t bother to engage”. That means that any correspondence FROM that category of people will be matched to their phone number, address or email, and discounted altogether, so that Kate, Andrew Leigh and Gai Brodtmann can focus their attention where they believe they have a chance.

All in all, unless you want to be spammed hard ahead of the next election (and the three signatories are certainly concerned, “safe Labor ACT” notwithstanding) it would be safest to send your opinion through to them via freepost WITHOUT identifying yourself. And consider supporting any independents who are prepared to lobby against the aforementioned exemption from privacy laws.

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Nice post, i-filed.

I am contemplating whose name and address I will put on my response. So many possibilities! It won’t be mine, that’s for sure.

Can anyone tell me what the approximate weight of a standard sized sandbag full of wet sand would be?

Have lugged many a sandbag around in various other employments, I’d say about 15-20 kgs.

I should have know you’d answer that question, Thumper; after all, we all know you’re a ‘Liberal stooge’! 🙂

Anyway, Australia Post wouldn’t accept my item for posting this afternoon, as it was still dripping wet.

John Moulis said :

This government is a hostage of the extremist Greens and must impose their agenda despite the distaste for a carbon tax and ETS expressed several times by Gillard, Swan, Combet and Wong.

You make that sound like a bad thing.

mrjasperjones said :

smiling politely said :

mrjasperjones said :

As I said paranoia. You must re-read the legislation and become better informed. It is not black and white and political parties are covered.

Ahem. Section 7C of the Privacy Act 1988 indicates that the acts of political parties (as registered under part 11 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 – see section 6 of the Privacy Act for the definition) are exempt. I-filed’s point about the freepost form is entirely valid.

OK then, I stand corrected. My apologies I-filed.

Thanks! Appreciate it.

I like it how they assume that you’re not interested in action on carbon if you don’t support the tax

I was also disgusted by that pamphlet which wasn’t “community news” but biased, one-eyed propaganda. I thought it significant that throughout it, headlines from The Canberra Times supporting the carbon tax – including that stupid article by the slab-faced, raven haired Rosslyn Beeby about “the clean energy future” – figured prominently.

I won’t be returning the slip saying I do not support the carbon tax or believe in the climate change hoax because I know it will have no effect whatsoever. This government is a hostage of the extremist Greens and must impose their agenda despite the distaste for a carbon tax and ETS expressed several times by Gillard, Swan, Combet and Wong.

I know that people in this city will continue voting Labor and Greens no matter what, but like others who are absolutely fed up with Gillard and her fellow travellers in the Greens I am relying on people in the real Australia to smash The Greens and sweep this rotten government out of office once and for all.

Can anyone tell me what the approximate weight of a standard sized sandbag full of wet sand would be?

I’m just curious to know, as I thinking of going to the Post Office to return my Freepost feedback to Kate tomorrow, and I don’t want to damage Australia Post’s scales.

mrjasperjones10:05 pm 31 Jul 11

smiling politely said :

mrjasperjones said :

As I said paranoia. You must re-read the legislation and become better informed. It is not black and white and political parties are covered.

Ahem. Section 7C of the Privacy Act 1988 indicates that the acts of political parties (as registered under part 11 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 – see section 6 of the Privacy Act for the definition) are exempt. I-filed’s point about the freepost form is entirely valid.

OK then, I stand corrected. My apologies I-filed.

smiling politely9:19 pm 31 Jul 11

mrjasperjones said :

As I said paranoia. You must re-read the legislation and become better informed. It is not black and white and political parties are covered.

Ahem. Section 7C of the Privacy Act 1988 indicates that the acts of political parties (as registered under part 11 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 – see section 6 of the Privacy Act for the definition) are exempt. I-filed’s point about the freepost form is entirely valid.

Gungahlin Al8:54 pm 31 Jul 11

Interesting observation. I just binned it. But the whole mailing list thing from the ALP and Liberals is such a misuse of their terms in power.

That “Community News” brochure made me feel sick.

I’ve never been a fan of political parties. But free post offers all sorts of fun ways to get your message across. A recommend taping it to a brick (or similar heavy thing) and dropping it in the mail box. The receiver then pays for that free post, which is expensive when it includes bricks.

Aus post need the money more then political parties.

mrjasperjones5:49 pm 31 Jul 11

I-filed said :

mrjasperjones said :

Well I-filed it may be about time to rename yourself I-filled-with-paranoia.
Unless they articulate that you will contacted, and get your consent, they would breach the Privacy legislation in most states and territories.

mrjasperjones it is concerning if you – and others – aren’t aware that political parties made themselves entirely exempt from the Privacy legislation back in the 90s. They can – and do – gather any personal information they want and collate in sophisticated databases. Both Labor and the Coalition do it. And they are under no obligation to inform you, or allow you to check what they are holding on you. Hence my post.

As I said paranoia. You must re-read the legislation and become better informed. It is not black and white and political parties are covered.

mrjasperjones said :

Well I-filed it may be about time to rename yourself I-filled-with-paranoia.
Unless they articulate that you will contacted, and get your consent, they would breach the Privacy legislation in most states and territories.

mrjasperjones it is concerning if you – and others – aren’t aware that political parties made themselves entirely exempt from the Privacy legislation back in the 90s. They can – and do – gather any personal information they want and collate in sophisticated databases. Both Labor and the Coalition do it. And they are under no obligation to inform you, or allow you to check what they are holding on you. Hence my post.

mrjasperjones3:52 pm 31 Jul 11

Well I-filed it may be about time to rename yourself I-filled-with-paranoia.
Unless they articulate that you will contacted, and get your consent, they would breach the Privacy legislation in most states and territories.

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