| Traditional Credit Union Programs (2011) |
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TCU Part 1 9:56
Binalany tells Nori about when the Traditional Credit Union started. Before TCU, Milingimbi had a Commonwealth Bank branch. When it stopped making enough money, the bank closed down. Then there was no bank there. Yolŋu had to spend hundreds of dollars flying to town to do their banking. TCU was set up for Yolŋu, so they had a bank in their own community. It has spread into more places as it grows.
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TCU Part 2a 13:46
Binalany, Nori, Emma and TCU chief executive officer Cathy talk about the TCU fees story. How does TCU get money for wages, rent, training, and other expenses? It’s not a public service, getting its money from the government. It’s more like a private business, except it is owned by its customers. When you start an account with TCU, you become a member, a part-owner. TCU has to charge its members fees so it can afford to keep running.
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TCU Part 2b 12:45
Traditional Credit Union chief executive officer Cathy explains that TCU doesn’t make a profit so that some owners can get rich – all the money TCU makes helps TCU grow and offer better services to Yolŋu. It also gives back to communities by running financial education courses and sponsorships. So TCU is there to help Yolŋu, and is owned by Yolŋu. If more people join, if TCU makes more money, it can provide more services to communities.
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| Centrelink Programs |
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Centrelink Debt Part 1 13:23
Binalany, Nori, Emma and NAAJA lawyer Annabel introduce the idea of having a debt to Centrelink. First we have to understand the thinking behind Centrelink payments. The government says Centrelink is like a safety net, for people who can’t work because they are sick or too old or have children. Those people can get Centrelink payments so they can pay their rent and buy food. Centrelink money comes from the government. The government gets money for Centrelink from the taxes that all Australians pay. This series is produced late in 2011.
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Centrelink Debt Part 2 9:33
The presenters continue discussing how Centrelink works. Centrelink will look at each person’s situation to decide how much money they will get. If you have kids, you will get a bit more money to help look after them. If you find a job and start earning wages, you will not get full Centrelink payments. If you earn lots of money, you might not need to get Centrelink payments any more. The type of payment you get from Centrelink depends on your situation. It changes through your life. Centrelink needs to know your situation so you get the right payment.
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Centrelink Debt Part 3 18:05
The presenters explore how it is our legal responsibility to tell Centrelink when our situation changes, so we get the right payment. If we start working, we have to tell Centrelink about our wages. Every fortnight we have to report our earnings to Centrelink. They will take a bit of money from our Centrelink payment because we’re also getting wages. What are the other things we have to report? If Centrelink doesn’t know our story, they might not pay us enough money. Or they might pay us too much, and then we have a Centrelink debt.
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Centrelink Debt Part 4 10:02
What happens if we don’t report our wages to Centrelink? The NAAJA lawyer, Annabel explains that if Centrelink doesn’t know we are earning money, they will keep paying us the full payment. This might go on for a while, but eventually Centrelink will find about our income. They might find out from the Australian Taxation Office, or because we tell them later. Then we will have a Centrelink debt for the time we were working and getting the full Centrelink money. Sometimes this can happen because we make a mistake. Sometimes Centrelink makes a mistake, but we still have the debt. The presenters introduce the English term “account payable”. Centrelink might use this term if we have a debt.
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Centrelink Debt Part 5 15:52
The presenters talk about the term “account payable”. They read an example of a letter we might get from Centrelink telling us we have a debt. What are some of the words Centrelink might use? For example, “debt”, “account payable” and, “arrears”. What is the meaning behind these words? In this case, the debt is because somebody’s partner was earning wages, and they didn’t tell Centrelink. We have to tell Centrelink when we start earning wages, but also when our partner does. Our partners’ income changes our Centrelink payments.
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Centrelink Debt Part 6 6:41
The presenters read a different “account payable” letter we might get from Centrelink. This letter is because a person didn’t tell Centrelink they were earning money. They had a job but Centrelink didn’t know, and kept paying them the full Centrelink payment. Now they have a Centrelink debt of more than $12,000 – money they have to pay back to Centrelink. The presenters introduce the term “overpayment”. It’s really important we tell Centrelink about any money we earn, to avoid an overpayment.
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Centrelink Debt Part 7 11:46
Annabel, a lawyer from NAAJA, says that when we get an account payable letter from Centrelink, if it’s a really big debt, we can talk to a lawyer. Sometimes it’s just a small debt, and we can pay it. But if we didn’t understand the rules, and we get a big debt, a lawyer can help us get rid of the Centrelink debt. Sometimes Centrelink might think we are being sneaky, not reporting our income so we can get lots of money. They can take us to court and press criminal charges. But this doesn’t happen often. Usually we just have to pay the money back to Centrelink and we don’t have any trouble.
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Centrelink Debt Part 8 8:16
The presenters discuss the meaning of “earnings”, “income”, “gross” and “net”. We have to tell Centrelink our “gross wages”. It’s important we tell Centrelink the right story: we can’t guess what our wages will be, we have to tell them exactly how much money we’ve earned each fortnight. We have to tell Centrelink our “gross wages”- before tax. Centrelink can help us work out our earnings. The best thing to do is tell Centrelink as soon as we start working, and they will tell us what we should do next.
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| Taxation Programs |
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Taxation Series 1 Part 1: Two ways of exchanging 9:17
This program introduces both Yolŋu and Western methods of ‘exchange’. Firstly, bäyarra, (which literally means presents) means giving things to others without expecting return. Bäyarra is quite common behaviour in both cultures. Another way is direct transition wherein Yolŋu and non-Yolŋu cannot owe things at shops or markets to purchase merchandises. The presenters discuss the common scenario of why Yolŋu are able to get Panadol for free at health clinics in communities, yet need to pay dollars at ALPA (Arnhem Land Progress Association) shop. Do clinics in communities have bäyarra for Yolŋu? What is happening here?
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Taxation Series 1 Part 2: Public Services part 1 9:43
This program explains the concept of ‘public services’. By using familiar examples for Yolŋu, such as seeing doctor and nurses at clinics and Danila Dilba, schooling in communities etc. Public services do not require payment or direct exchange. Unlike private doctor services which require payment, clinics in remote communities in Northeast Arnhem Land and Danila Dilba function as public services. Public services can be translated by Yolŋu as “things provided by Government”. The discussion then leads into the taxation system; What and who support Government to provide those Public services? Is Government a millionaire? If not, how can Australian Government afford the public services? Do Yolŋu owe the Government? How do public services keep running?
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Taxation Series 1 Part 3: Public Services part 2 7:52
Further information on public services is discussed in this series. Public services show themselves through staff at clinics, free medicines, construction (e.g. new Tiger Brennan Drive and new building at Milingimbi school area) and wages for doctors and teachers. Also many kinds of welfare money of Centrelink (Family Tax Benefit, Baby Bonus, Disability Support Pension and Rent Assistant etc) are proposed in this series. Due to the fact that some misunderstand that Australian Government magically has got enough money to provide welfare money for people all the time, this issue needs to be clarified in this series. Where does such a big amount of money come from? Most of public services are funded by Government, does this mean the Government is a millionaire?
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Taxation Series 1 Part 4: Budget 11:38
This program discusses ‘budget’ issues. Three aspects of budget are described: behaviour (gakal), appearance (ganda) and place (wäŋa). The parliament system, the personnel structure of prime minister and key ministers and their duties are described in comparison to Yolŋu social structure. The significant message here is that Government does actually meet to decide how much money each department is going to have. Each department cannot obtain as much money as they wish without refined reasoning. This money is called the “budget”. Regardless of much discovery education to find any Yolŋu traditional concept for budget, this series decides to apply English since the concept of budget is quite foreign to Yolŋu culture.
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Taxation Series 1 Part 5: Australian Tax Office 7:39
This story explains where Government obtains the budget from to provide public services. At last, this series of audio programs reach tax story. The functions of The Australian Tax Office (ATO) are described as the bridging entity between tax payers and Government. Many Yolŋu already acknowledge that Government take some amount of tax from our wages regularly, which is shown upon their pay slips, yet unsure about how Government utilise that money.
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Taxation Series 1 Part 6: Summary of Taxation Flow 9:32
This series summarises the previous five stories to clarify the flow of taxed money right through to public services. Generally taxation flow commences from tax payers (wages, GST, cigarette and alcohol etc) and move to ATO, budget and public services; however, these six audio education programs run the other way round. Discovery education on these topics has shown that in order for people to fully grasp the concepts of public services, this order of progression is most effective with the 6 stories forming an overall concept story. First of all people need to acquire the general idea of tax money circulation and flow. The example of buying panadol at the pharmacy or it being free at community clinic is used again to finalise this series. Emphasising the significance of access to public services and tax payers are supporting government to offer public services by saying “money goes around”.
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Taxation Series 2: Income Tax 1 11:14
After learning the concept of taxation, these programs explain different kinds of taxation. Four taxes are explained; income tax, GST, tobacco tax and alcohol tax which many Yolŋu are familiar with in their daily lives. This first program talks about income tax. What is “income”? Even though non-Yolŋu always use this word, it can be a foreign idea for Yolŋu. After defining the meaning of “income”, the dialogue moves on to the difference between salaries (for full-time workers) and wages (for part-time workers). How much is the rate of income tax that the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) applies? This story comes next.
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Taxation Series 2: Income Tax 2 18:33
How much is the rate the ATO applies to income tax? This series of programs focus on taxation systems, rather than talking about the percentage concept. By using one of the narrator’s past income taxation experience, which was 30% of her income, listeners are asked to understand two ideas: ”half” and “quarter”. Yolŋu already know the concept of “half” in their daily lives, so this story investigates the possibility of whether the idea of “quarter” can be applied to explain 30%. Proposed examples of sharing damper bread by two people to halve the whole bread, and then halve the half damper bread to make the whole bread into four pieces, which is a quarter of the whole piece. 30% is close to a quarter, which the ATO levy on her salary income. If someone’s salary is 40,000 per annum, ATO will take a quarter of the salary which is 10,000. $1,000 is to be levied and the rest of $30,000 becomes your real income, yet the levied tax is to return through public services as the previous stories already explained.
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Taxation Series 2: GST Taxation Part 1 16:17
Begins defining the meaning of “GST” because abbreviation often does not make sense for some listeners. To introduce and familiarise this foreign concept, this story picks up a shops name (ALPA, Woolworths, Coles, K-mart and Big W) to purchase food, clothes, fuel and bicycle etc. Whenever we purchase anything except for GST-free foods, consumers need to pay GST. What differs between GST-free and non-GST-free foods? By referring to the GST food guide released by ATO, the story picks up each food group, then by having a look at an actual receipt, this story summarise what has been discussed.
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Taxation Series 2: GST Taxation Rate Part 2 10:31
This story explains the rate ATO levies on our purchased GST goods. Two narrators investigate how 10% can be explained by not saying percentage. Since 2000, for instance, the price of a vanilla ice cream sold at the ALPA shop was increased with GST, but by how much? Before 2000, the ice cream was $10 before GST was introduced. Since 2000, the ATO requires ALPA to put GST upon the price. The ATO asked ALPA to cut the price into 10 pieces in terms of the price first to find the price of one piece which is $1, then ALPA adds another one piece with $1 onto the original price, which comes up $11 altogether. The point is ALPA does not take the GST levy, they send the $1 to ATO to put it into the budget so that Australian citizens can receive public services as discussed in previous programs
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Taxation Series 2: Tobacco Tax 11:00
Tobacco taxation is different from GST. Single tobacco stick has two kinds of tax, GST and tobacco taxation. Firstly calculating single stick of Blue Winfield purchased in Darwin region and blue Winfield which is around 60 cents as of 2011. Out of the 60 cents, this program investigate the breakdown of single stick covering manufacturing cost, shop margins, tobacco taxation and GST. The point is when tobacco price increases, it does not mean shops increase the price dramatically. It is government that increase the rate of tobacco tax.
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| Money & Financial Concept Education Programs |
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Money 01 of 3: Where does money come from?
Talks about the meaning of Economics 11:14
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Money 02 of 3: Where does money come from? The mint
Going to the mint of the Reserve Bank and private money 9:58
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Money 03 of 3: Breaking down Mysticisms of Balanda money system
Dispelling myths about the workings of the economic system 16:33
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Money 02 of 4: Inflation and Foreign Debt
Inflation and government owing money overseas 12:00
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Money 03 of 4: Functions of the Reserve Bank
How the Reserve bank operates. Reserve bank setting Interest Rates 15:13
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Money 04 of 4: What can Yolŋu do about increasing interest rates?
Yolngu can be top businessmen. 11:51
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01 of 2 The meaning of inflation and deflation of money
Talks about how inflation works affected by national debt and how the cost of items such as Toyotas are affected. 15:02
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02 of 2 Meaning of Leeway in Contract
Discussing the meaning of Leeway in contract 14:57
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| Programs on Scams and Conmen |
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Conmen and Internet Scams: 1 of 6
The concept of a ‘conman’ does not exist in Yolŋu worldview. For people to understand what an email or phone scam is, they need to understand who is acting behind it. This audio educational program introduces the concept of ‘conmen’ or ‘con-artists’ by giving the historical context from which this word came. Criminal lawyer, Peter Bellach, tells the story of William Thompson in 1840 and why the press at that time started calling him a ‘confidence man’. 7:47
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Conmen and Internet Scams: 2 of 6
What is the behaviour of conmen? This program looks at further English words used to describe conmen such as ‘deceit’, ‘cheat’ and ‘trick’. 3:54
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Conmen and Internet Scams: 3 of 6
Conmen behave in a way that seeks to cover up their real identity. Using the example of a letter from a conman pretending he is lawyer in Spain, Peter and Bulkanhawuy discuss how the conman tries to disguise himself, including using a letterhead that looks official. 17:40
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Conmen and Internet Scams: 4 of 6
The letter used as an example in the previous program is offering three million Euros. In this program, Bulkanhawuy asks where this money is kept and Peter talks about how conmen often promise to give money that is not real. Internet and mail scams promising money are likened to throwing out burly to attract fish in a billabong, and seeing which fish will take the bait. 7:22
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Conmen and Internet Scams: 5 of 6
This program talks about the true story of an elderly woman who lost her life savings to a lottery scam. This woman received a letter that looked and sounded real, telling her she had won 2.5 million dollars. 12:25
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Conmen and Internet Scams: 6 of 6
This program compares a letter from a superannuation company offering money from the account of a deceased relative. This letter is legal and real. The other letter is illegal and not real. The government website ‘scamwatch’ advises people to be very careful and check with others if a letter is offering to give ‘something for nothing’, especially money. 9:31
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| Programs on the History of Money & Trade |
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01 of 11 Where does Money Come From? Introduction
Talking about where money originates
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02 of 11 Bartering before Money.
Talking about the bartering system that existed before money
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03 of 11 Ships Looking For Trade in Other Lands
Talks about trading ships travelling around in the past
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04 of 11 Objects of Value Used as Mediums for Trade.
Talks about different objects used as a means of trade
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05 of 11 Cowrie Shells used as Money & Real Production and Trade
Talks about Cowrie shells being used as currency in the past
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06 of 11 Yolŋu Money used in Trade.
Discussing the use of money in Yolŋu trade
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07 of 11 The Items of Macassan Trade
Talks about items traded with Maccassans
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08 of 11 How Macassan Trade Started
Discussing how Macassan trade started
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09 of 11 First Use of Coinage & How Clans Became Rich Through Trade.
Talks about introduction of currency through international trade
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10 of 11 Who destroyed the Macassan trade and why?
Talks about how the Maccassan trade was stopped
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11 of 11 What Happened After the Macassan Trade?
Talks about the repercussions of the end of Maccassan trade
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| Programs on Phones |
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Mobile phone offers
Program demystifying people about the economics of mobile phone offers
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How much free mobile phones actually cost
Spelling out actual costs in supposedly free mobile phone offers
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Mobile phone costs
Outlining the actual costs of using mobile phones
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Rate differences between fixed and mobile phones for local calls
Explaining how calls from fixed phones are far cheaper
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Untimed local hard wired and mobile phone charges
Explaining how hard wired phones have untimed rates for local calls
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Fixed local calls, STD rates and plans
Explaining how local calls have a fixed price, STD calls are a timed cost, and phone plans as well as capped STD plans
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| Other Money Programs |
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Money 03 of 6: Unbunking Notions of holy secret story and napaki views of yolŋu culture
Yolŋu had a business culture; they have a lot of resources 11:10
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Money 06 of 6: Business Opportunities with controlled burning and Carbon credits
Talk to government regarding business opportunities for yolŋu. Ask about Business Licensing. 16:04
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