1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,320 Speaker 1: Now we know that the Northern Territory Consumer Affairs they 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: are warning consumers to be aware of the Dinosaur Festival Darwin. 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 2: Now. 4 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: According to the website dedicated to the event and also 5 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: Facebook advertisements, the Dinosaur Festival Darwin was supposed to take 6 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: place at the Jingly Water Gardens from the twenty ninth 7 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: to the thirty first of July this year. 8 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 2: Now, I called it quite a while back. 9 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: I know that there had been reports in other states 10 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: that it was underwhelming at best and a non event 11 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: at worst. But payments are still being taken from what 12 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: I can gather. Now, joining me on the line to 13 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 1: tell us a little bit more about this situation is 14 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: the Commissioner for Consumer Affairs here in the Northern Territory, 15 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: Sandi Otto. 16 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 2: Good morning to you. 17 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,639 Speaker 1: Good morning Katy, Sandy. I understand the organizer as well. 18 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,160 Speaker 1: They originally said that this event was going to happen 19 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 1: at the Jingle Water Gardens, then they said the Darwin Showgrounds. 20 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: Have they got permits in either of these locations? 21 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 3: Absolutely not. In fact, the one from the Dawn City 22 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:05,960 Speaker 3: Council be the organizer, yeah, actually pulled the permit, which 23 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 3: to me indicates that he's got no intention at all 24 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 3: of holding the event. 25 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 2: Goodness me, So, Sandy. 26 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,119 Speaker 1: Has there been applications to hold the event on another 27 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: date or anything like that. 28 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 3: There's been nothing which prompted me to put this warning out. 29 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:25,479 Speaker 3: I don't want people spending money on something that's more 30 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 3: than likely not going to occur. If there was any 31 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 3: chance that was going to go ahead, and we've been 32 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 3: given some comfort that it was going ahead, I certainly 33 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 3: wouldn't have put the media release out. I'm very confident 34 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 3: that it's not going to go ahead. 35 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: Well, I mean, at the end of the day, we're 36 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 1: talking about presumably families with little kids that are going 37 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: to be buying tickets to this dinosaur festival or show, 38 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: whatever it. 39 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 2: Is, and you know it's going to have a big impact. 40 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: Then if it doesn't come to town and they can't 41 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: get their money back. 42 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 3: Absolutely, and what I'm encouraging people to do, more than 43 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 3: likely they would have paid by credit. Can't that they 44 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 3: approach their bank and try and get a charge back 45 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 3: on their credit card. I'm not confident that mister David Honey, 46 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 3: who's the director of this company, will respond to emails. 47 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 3: He certainly hasn't responded to us. He hasn't responded to 48 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 3: another of other organizations that I'm aware of, and in fact, 49 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 3: I had an interview with Cape Talk, which is a 50 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 3: Cape Town radio station in South Africa late you see afternoon, 51 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 3: and they indicate that the same thing is happening over there. 52 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 2: Goodness me, Sandy. 53 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: I saw reports about this dinosaur festival a little bit 54 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: earlier in the year, and I'd sort of had messages 55 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: from people coming through saying we're just not sure whether 56 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: this is legitimate or not. So I'd said that on 57 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: air and said to people just be cautious, and we 58 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: ended up then with the organizer calling us and wanting 59 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 1: us to apologize, when in actual fact it looks as 60 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 1: though he should be the one doing the apologizing. 61 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 3: Absolutely, we've spoke with him ourselves back in April and 62 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 3: he gave us assurance that it was going ahead, and 63 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 3: at that point he did have an application with the 64 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 3: Darwin City Council. This time though, he's not contacted us 65 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 3: at all, and we certainly give any person like this 66 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 3: the opportunity to state their case. In this case, he hasn't, 67 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 3: and that's why I'm encouraging territories to simply ignore this 68 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:21,119 Speaker 3: if it does come to a point where he does 69 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 3: come to town, Well, then you know tickets can be 70 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 3: purchased quite easily or quickly at that point that at 71 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 3: this time, I'm just telling everyone to not waste their money. 72 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's a very fair thing that you've done. 73 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: And it does sound as though you've tried, well, you 74 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: did have an initial conversation with him, but then you've 75 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: also tried again to have further conversations to determine whether indeed. 76 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 2: This is happening or not. And did he stop taking 77 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 2: your calls? 78 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 3: He simply hasn't responded. And I think one of the 79 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 3: things that people need to be very careful about is 80 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 3: that if they're buying anything online, haven't look to see 81 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 3: if there's an maybe a number for starters. Is there 82 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 3: any other contact other than just simply an email. In 83 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 3: this case, the website was a dot com, It wasn't 84 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 3: even a dot com dot au. There was no other 85 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 3: contact details. You simply had to send an email through 86 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 3: the website itself, so you didn't even have an address 87 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 3: at that point. And hope that someone can get back to. 88 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: You now, Sandy, is the company still selling tickets for 89 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 1: a Darwin event at this point. 90 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 3: I can't tell if it is. I do know that 91 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 3: on one of the I think it was a Facebook post, 92 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 3: they had a link that directed them to people to 93 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,559 Speaker 3: a website to buy the tickets. I'm understood that that's 94 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 3: now been closed down. And the other worrying thing was 95 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,919 Speaker 3: last week he had another website that was up that 96 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 3: was advertising at the Darwin Showgrounds and that's since been 97 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 3: closed down as well. So it seems like he's shutting. 98 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: Shop to me, and from the investigations that you've done 99 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: so far, it seems as though Darwin's not the first 100 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: location to be targeted. 101 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 3: No, certainly not. We were aware of another incident in 102 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 3: Newcastle where he had an event organized and there was 103 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 3: a rain event so it was canceled. But he did 104 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 3: promise people that they would receive refunds, and from what 105 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 3: I'm led to understand that no refunds have been given 106 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 3: at all for that one. In fact, his terms and 107 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 3: additions are quite clear that he basically all the list 108 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 3: that he's got in his terms and editions basically denies 109 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,919 Speaker 3: anyone from getting a refund, and in one part of 110 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 3: it it simply says there are no refunds and that's 111 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 3: not allowed. Everyone should be entitled to a refund given 112 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 3: some no particular circumstances, and this is one of the 113 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 3: other reasons why we've been trying to get some cooperation 114 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:46,679 Speaker 3: from this gentleman. 115 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, Sandy, did you end up with Territorians getting in 116 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: contact with you concerned like that had bought tickets. 117 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, we have had some people contact us about that, 118 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 3: and we've been telling everyone to please contact their banks 119 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 3: re quick charge back. 120 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 2: Yes, so just talk us through those steps. 121 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 1: If people have indeed purchase tickets to go to this 122 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 1: dinosaur festival where originally they thought it was going to 123 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: happen at the Jingly Water Gardens, what can they now 124 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:15,039 Speaker 1: do in an effort to try to get their money 125 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: back if the organizer is not actually going to refund them. 126 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 3: What they can do so if they go to the bank, 127 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 3: there's still be time limits for when you can apply 128 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:27,919 Speaker 3: for a chargeback as well, So people need to be 129 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 3: contacting their banks straight away. They'll need to provide proof 130 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 3: that they didn't receive the goods and services or it's 131 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 3: unlikely to occur. And what they could do is have 132 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:40,719 Speaker 3: a copy of my media release that I put out yesterday. 133 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,039 Speaker 3: They could do a screenshop where they've sent the email 134 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 3: to missus David Hunting asking for a refund. Those are 135 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 3: some of the steps and the evidence that they can 136 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 3: provide to the bank. And I'm hoping that the banking 137 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,119 Speaker 3: institutions will see this and refund the money. 138 00:06:57,320 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 2: Well, that's hope that they can. 139 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,040 Speaker 1: Do you have any idea of how many you know, 140 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 1: Territorians may indeed have have been impacted by this, Sandy, No, 141 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 1: I don't. 142 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 3: But what really concerned me over the weekend when we 143 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 3: first started or we started to look at this organization 144 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 3: again last week was the number of people that were 145 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 3: tagged and commented on his post. He had a sponsored 146 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 3: post up over the weekend that said it was going 147 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 3: to occur at the Jingle Water Guns when we clearly 148 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 3: knew that it wasn't, And you know, there was hundreds 149 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 3: of people that may comment and tagged other people. So 150 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 3: I'm concerned that some of those people have in fact 151 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 3: bought tickets. So I haven't got numbers at all. 152 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: Well, and we literally just had somebody call in and 153 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: say that he's on the website and you can still 154 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: get tickets. 155 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 2: At the moment. I mean, I don't know. 156 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 1: I haven't had a look myself, but you know that's 157 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 1: obviously something that one of our listeners has said. So Sandy, 158 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: I mean, really, this is just a big shout out 159 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: to anybody out there listening this morning. 160 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 2: Do not purchase tickets. 161 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 3: Yes, exactly right. And you know, putting a warning out 162 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 3: like this when there is a business and that we 163 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 3: know there is actually a business telling people not to 164 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 3: buy tickets is not something that I take lightly. And 165 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 3: I just cannot reiterate enough to people to just hold 166 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 3: off and don't purchase tickets. 167 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, well you spot on. 168 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 1: I mean, at the end of the day, if a 169 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: permit is put in and you know it looks like 170 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: he's coming to town and it looks like there's a 171 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 1: legitimate show coming to town, well, you know, fair enough, 172 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: but at this point, there's no permits in, there's no 173 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 1: location that's been secured, and you have indeed gone through 174 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 1: that process of trying to be you know, to get 175 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: in contact, and it's you know, falling short at this point. 176 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 3: Certainly has so just be careful when you're purchasing anything 177 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 3: online orlways, look at the terms and conditions and if 178 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 3: the refund policy seems too tight, it doesn't allow people 179 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 3: the opportunity to do get a refunded. If there's certain circumstances, 180 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 3: please let us know and just be doublely cautious. 181 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, good advice. Well, Sandy Otto, I really appreciate your 182 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: time this morning. I know it's a big call for 183 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:09,319 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory Consumer Affairs to actually issue a statement 184 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,199 Speaker 1: like this, so we really appreciate it, and I think 185 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: that there's going to be plenty of Territory families out 186 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: there listening who'd maybe been looking at buying these tickets 187 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:18,840 Speaker 1: who are certainly going to appreciate it. 188 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:21,199 Speaker 3: Thanks Cody, Thank you.