Peter has always been clear that members can't write cheques to themselves and pay these into their own conventional banks accounts. I can't remember what excuse Peter gave for this invented rule; something about public debt, I suppose.
Anyhow, two enterprising Australians thought up a crafty workaround. They would both open WeRe accounts and conventional accounts, then write WeRe cheques to each other, pay them into their conventional accounts, and that would pay for ... well, for anything they liked. What could possibly go wrong?
Thread "Question for Admin and Peter re Australian Members":
241251WM wrote:Hi Chiz Dezi, well I wish I could say that I had some good news to impart, they were happy enough to set up Bank Accounts for us to make the transaction possible, but that was coming up for nearly two weeks ago now - initially the Customer Service lady had said 3 - 4 weeks, which we know pretty much is the same for WerRe Bank and that's fine, but just as we completed all the forms (oh and they got us to sign the backs of the cheques, they made me endorse my own check to my friend and he to do the same for the one(s) he'd written to me -- all of course to cover moving expenses to Sydney, we know this was the wrong thing they made us do, but if we hadn't complied, they'd have refused to even start the process - bank policy )
So yes, two weeks nearly down the track and not a single word from them, have no idea if the cheques are still sitting in Sydney or if in fact they are now with the WeRe Bank in Manchester for clearing? The other very sad news is that a day or so after, I'd been in touch via email to WeRe Bank Admin about the Bendigo Cheques, and they via email sent me the "Authorization Codes" for two of the cheques (mine - to my friend), I was over the moon, thought we'd at least be able with those codes in our immediate possession to get those two cheques cleared and credited to our accounts and immediately and we'd be on our way to Sydney - phoned the Commonwealth spoke to the Manageress Louse told her I had the Authorization codes for two of the cheques and could they now be cleared and depositied? She sounded absolutely horrified on the phone, said no they couldn't possibly use those codes, they had to be stamped on the back by WeRe Bank in Manchester and then returned to Sydney and even then she wasn't sure if the cleared cheques would be approved by the Commonwealth for the funds to be deposited into our accounts.
Let's just say, am not holding my breath because will be a very long wait if it takes them 8 weeks
Wendy and Les
