Welcome to our February 2024 Newsletter! I have returned to work after enjoying a wonderful break spent with family close to the ocean. Having my annual fill of catching some of SA’s famous King George whiting and some related edible species and enjoying country SA and all that entails is a real treat each year.
Having holidayed annually at Edithburgh on the Yorke Peninsula for over 40 years it is great to see the small fishing hamlet becoming reinvigorated again after an extended period of decline. To see a new IGA beautifully restored where the old supermarket traded from some 15 or so years ago is a shot in the arm for the community and exciting to see as an interested onlooker. With the State’s only tidal and sea pool, and populated with many wonderful people, it remains a place very close to my heart.
I trust all of our client’s and supporters had an opportunity for a break over the last month and have enjoyed pursuing some well-deserved rest and recreation.
Upon my return I had to have some minor shoulder surgery which has slowed me down for a bit, but I’m hoping the long-term benefit will be worth it. My fourth operation over twenty-five years has me marveling at the changes in medical care over that period, not all for the better necessarily!
On the work front, I was referred a client who has had the misfortune of suffering a terrible fraud through an elaborate and sophisticated scam losing a frightening amount of money from their bank account. It is a very difficult space to operate in from a legal perspective where nearly always the perpetrators are unidentifiable and usually not even in Australia. It compels me to remind EVERYBODY to trust no-one when it comes to handing over critical information. This scam had a person impersonating the Bank with a high level of knowledge and sophistication that even had one of the Bank’s own workers believing for a moment that they were from the Bank. If people are seeking passwords or security codes from you, I urge you to think long and hard and triple check that you are dealing with the right people – AND that it is appropriate to hand over such information – before doing so.
If you are contacted randomly by someone who says they are from the Bank, find an alternative way to independently verify that direct with the Bank, not via any advice from that original contact.
The new year has also been greeted by some changes to the Stage 3 tax cuts which will see people on lower incomes benefit more substantially than they otherwise would have. The opportunity to simplify the tax system is somewhat sacrificed in the process, and the smaller portion of the taxpayer base paying the largest portion of tax means they continue to carry the burden. Let’s hope they keep turning up and taking on the risk and responsibility that ordinarily comes with higher incomes.
Hopefully one day we will see some real simplification of our tax laws so that the layperson can understand them without needing a rocket scientist to work their way through them!
I trust you are having a good start to the new year and wish you ongoing health and success throughout the year.
If you have any questions or concerns in areas where we may be able to assist, feel free to give us a call, as we say… we’re here to help!
Please telephone our main office number on (08) 8231 6100 or email reception@ezralegal.com.au.
For information on the range of legal advice and services that we provide, head to:
Michael Fabbro
Practice Principal
Ezra Legal
