Kim Wingerei blog posts
“Without idealists, the pragmatists would have nothing to do…”
Dixon victims and the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort. What’s the scam?
The long and sorry saga of Dixon Advisory draws to a close as the administrators ride into the sunset with fat fees, and clients are left to nurse their financial wounds. The scam is the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) and a compensation scheme that...
Murdoch reshuffles News – lobs The Australian in with Vogue
The once venerable The Australian, News Corp’s flagship publication, and where it began for Rupert Murdoch nationally, has found a resting place with Vogue. In the seagull management style of billionaire scions, Lachlan Murdoch flew into Sydney last week to bandaid...
Sunshine Private Hospital calls in the administrators after one year. What’s the Scam?
A private hospital in Melbourne’s western suburbs closes its doors after one year of operation, leaving patients without care and staff without a job. What’s the scam? The scam is that private hospitals are not the way to run a proper health care system, especially...
Anthony Albanese’s diary. Albo works long hours, but who does he meet with?
Anthony Albanese’s diary proves a PM hard at work. But who did he meet with? Kim Wingerei checks in on the Prime Minister’s priorities. It took the endurance of MWM’s Transparency Warrior, Rex Patrick, to have the PM’s diary released after a protracted court battle...
Billabong founder on the ATO hook for $50 million on EY advice. What’s the scam?
The Federal Court ruled last week that Billabong founder Gordon Merchant must pay the Australian Tax Office $50M to settle outstanding taxes on the sale of a company in 2015. What’s the scam? The scam is that Merchant was acting on advice from Big Four consultancy EY,...
Yes to terrorism cover, no to fracking. What’s the farmer (insurance) scam?
Insurance companies refuse to cover damage from coal seam gas fracking infrastructure, yet are happy to charge farmers on the Liverpool Plains the ‘Terrorism Levy’. What’s the scam? The scam is the insurance companies are having their cake and eating it again. While...
The Dirty Budget: fossil fuel subsidies up 31%. What’s the scam?
A new report says fossil fuel subsidies will be 31% higher in this year. The increase is driven by fuel tax credits and concessions, and subsidies for coal mining and gas pipelines. What’s the scam? The scam is that the $3.4B in additional subsidies counter...
Say goodbye to free sport on TV, say hello to paid streaming
No more Ashes, no more AFL or NRL Grand Finals, no more Olympics. If you no longer watch TV with an aerial, seeing big sporting events for free may soon be a thing of the past. Kim Wingerei reports on new anti-siphoning proposals. Only 61% of us still watch...
Rumours of my death are greatly exaggerated. Johnnie gets scammed
The ‘Reserve Bank’s Communications Department’ has emailed Johnnie, the MWM Executive Vice-President of Human Resources. What’s the scam? The scam is one of those ‘give me your bank account details so we can give you money’ scams. An email purportedly from “Reserve...
Climate protesters jailed, Qantas mega-fraudsters spend other people’s money
What’s the scam with jailing two climate protesters for disrupting Melbourne traffic when Qantas heavies cop a fine for dudding thousands of customers’ air traffic plans? The scam is the biggest corporate scam of the year – the Qantas ‘Ghost Flights’ scam – has been...
Qantas, the ACCC and a slap on the wrist. What’s the scam?
The ACCC today announced a settlement with Qantas for the ‘ghost flights’ debacle. It is a negotiated result of court action launched by the regulator in 2023, seeking hundreds of millions in compensation and damages. So what’s the scam? The scam is that, once again,...
AUKUS to JAUKUS or JAUKUSI – what’s next? The Indians are coming!
Japan mooted as the next to join the AUKUS pact? India too, encouraged to join the anti-China team. But first, another set of Indians wants in. What’s the scam? The scam is the AUKUS Forum – a self-appointed ‘interest group’ hungry to share in the submarine loot....