Who's got their $900 yet?

[johnc]

There is no obvious patten, they could be using a logorithm or lodgement dates, but it seems pretty random. There is absolutely no clear sequence but perhaps they will eventually let us in.

[silentC]

I think it's quite touching that people think there's any system to the way the ATO works.

[Alastair]

I think it's quite touching that people think there's any system to the way the ATO works.

Come now Darren, no need to become cynical

[switt775]

There has to be some system (computers require explicit instructions), but it could be something as meaningless as a particular digit in the TFN. As in the 1st time, pay everyone with 4th digit equal to 0 or 6. Next round do 4th digit 1 or 5. And so on until all possible 4th digits are covered, meaning that everyone has been processed..

Programmers need to have fun too, you know.

[Woodwould]

I don't qualify for the incentive, but if I did receive it I would return it.

What is this scheme doing for our futures? It's incredibly short-sighted and will do nothing to fend off recession in the long term - all it's doing is buying a little time at the expense of our futures.

When the recession really bites, where will all the money come from to assist people then? Yet more borrowing?

[AlexS]

... it seems pretty random.

It is, or at least pseudo-random, according to woman on the train who rang the ATO to ask.

[Carry Pine]

I like the way the ATO sends it to your accountant and the local one charges $13 to process the payment. Someone at work said that one person has been charged $35 handling fee. Surely Kev foresaw what was going to happen.

Graham
(No $900 for me yet, only the colon testing kit- now why didn't they send that to my accountant first?)

[Waldo]

Mine arrived today. It can go towards $4,000 I spent on a pitch towards a client - for which I am the incumbent.

[ian]

There has to be some system (computers require explicit instructions), but it could be something as meaningless as a particular digit in the TFN. As in the 1st time, pay everyone with 4th digit equal to 0 or 6. Next round do 4th digit 1 or 5. And so on until all possible 4th digits are covered, meaning that everyone has been processed..

Programmers need to have fun too, you know.

according to the ATO bod quoted in the Herald about 7 weeks ago, the "system" such as it is has been devised in conjunction with Australia Post and the Big 4 to achieve as even a spread as possible across the country
The main principles are:
1) the payments will occur over several weeks – I don't remember whether it was 6, 8 or 10
2) every postal delivery area — i.e. postie run — gets approximately the same number of cheques / payment advices each day or week (the intention being to avoid paying posties overtime to deliver the extra mail)
3) the banks have an opportunity to stock the local teller machines in advance of the payments in a particular area — if everyone in town got their payment in the same week there's a risk that the local bank would run out of cash



ian

[johnc]

I like the way the ATO sends it to your accountant and the local one charges $13 to process the payment. Someone at work said that one person has been charged $35 handling fee. Surely Kev foresaw what was going to happen.

Graham
(No $900 for me yet, only the colon testing kit- now why didn't they send that to my accountant first?)

There was a mechanism where by all accounting firms could opt not to receive it at all, or not to receive it into their trust accounts. The processing fee is not going to sit well with clients at all, especially as their accountant had the option of not being involved in the process.

People who have not received a cheque can ring up after the 16th to hurry it along, and those with enquiries can phone to see if they are eligible, plus their accountant can look up online to see if a cheque is on its way, or they are still sitting in credit.

[Gingermick]

Come now Darren, no need to become cynical

Sir Humphrey Appleby once said "A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist"

[silentC]

The processing fee is not going to sit well with clients at all, especially as their accountant had the option of not being involved in the process.

Mine came via the accountant - no charge.

Sir Humphrey Appleby...

I always liked the cut of that fellow's gib

[Alastair]

Sir Humphrey Appleby once said "A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist"

I like that

[Alastair]

Mine arrived today. It can go towards $4,000 I spent on a pitch towards a client - for which I am the incumbent.

More important, did you keep it?

Or are you waiting to find out?

[Waldo]

Have to wait until next Monday to find out.

It's gonna be a long week.