URGENT ACTION NEEDED ON TELEMARKETING PRACTICES

Gippsland MP and The National Upper House Leader in the State Parliament, Peter Hall, has called for the Federal and State Governments to move on the setting up of a national 'do not contact' register to combat intrusive telemarketing calls.

Mr Hall put forward a private members bill last year that would have banned telemarketing calls after business hours, but it was rejected by the State ALP and Liberal parties.

However, Mr Hall believes it is an issue that will not go away and a solution must be found.

"The angst perpetuated by the intrusion of after hours telemarketing appears, if anything, to be worse than ever," Mr Hall said.

"I have had constituents tell me some real horror stories recently, including one regarding an elderly man, whose family lives interstate, who no longer answers his phone in the evening because of his agitation regarding telemarketing.

"His family has been forced to call neighbours and even the police to go to his home to make sure he is ok, because they can't contact him and it is all related to his reluctance to answer his own phone."

Another elderly lady, who has reported getting six or seven calls in an evening, is also becoming extremely agitated and feels a captive in her own home.

"These are the very personal stories that bring home the frustration, anger and even fear that people are developing because of intrusive telemarketing calls," Mr Hall said.

"The broad figures help us understand why this happening. It is estimated that more than one billion telemarketing calls are made within Australia each year, with a further 200 million coming from overseas countries.

"Fifty percent of these are made between 5pm and 8pm, impacting on family time and, from the anecdotal evidence my office has received, is clearly particularly unsettling for aged people."

Mr Hall said he would continue to lobby for a federal do-not-call register on behalf of frustrated country people.

"According to surveys commissioned by the Federal Privacy Commissioner in 2001 and 2004, more than 60% of Australians are 'angry and annoyed' or 'concerned' with uninvited telephone marketing calls.

"It is time to have some action on this problem and reduce its impact on people, particularly the more vulnerable members of our society.

"That's why I want the state and federal governments to set up a national 'do not contact' register, so that individuals can choose whether they are prepared to take calls at night, at home. It has to happen soon, or we will start seeing more serious social ramifications.

"It seems The Nationals are the only ones concerned about this and prepared to try and find a solution."

Media contact: Peter Hall's office (03) 5174 7066