SNEAKY SCAMMERS:
There has been a real increase in the number of scams being rolled out and a massive advance in how sneaky and tricky they are becoming.
Whether its online, social media, phone calls or emails, the scammers are peppering all of us with their latest tricks.
Please be very careful engaging with any activity, over the phone or online, where a third party wants any of your personal information. Don't even share your name.
Some of the more common scams want you to log-on to check on the progress of your parcel delivery, or to update your Tax Office or Bank details.
More recently some are offering "grants" of up to $10,000 or may have providing you with a "link" to watch the Matildas play soccer last week.
Sadly, these scammers are preying on our sense of trust - a fundamental trust in others.
The truth is that 99.99% of us wouldn't even dream of trying to weasel another person out of their money on false terms.
But these scammers don't care and more often than not they are coming into our personal space from offshore centres.
Please take all caution to look out for yourself. If you have any doubts, ask a friend what they think about the requests coming to you from a third party.
If you are still in doubt, you can check the "scamwatch" website operating by Australia's own government department - the ACCC.
WONDERFUL EVENTS AND WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS:
In recent weeks we have seen various community events across our region.
Almost all of the background work organising, scheduling, lifting, setting up and the after-event clean up is done by volunteers.
I do hope that you have been out enjoying some of the recent community events.
Yes, in part, they are designed to attract tourism but they are also designed to create community interactions and to build our social fabric.
REMEMBRANCE DAY:
At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month we are asked to pause to remember all of those that have lost their lives due to war.
Although the first Remembrance Day marked the end of the first World War, the "great war", this moment of reflection is most definitely not limited to that one time of conflict.
This year, with so much conflict across the globe and so many innocent civilians becoming victims of these wars, I do sincerely hope that warring parties could soon put down their arms and work toward peaceful co-existence.
If you can, please pause at the stroke of 11am on the 11th of November to ponder the cost of war.
In other news:
