NZ publisher accused of 'clever scam'

A New South Wales state Cabinet minister has hit out strongly at Auckland publisher Alister Taylor over his "roll of honour" books, calling them a "clever scam".

John Hatzistergos, the Minister for Fair Trading, said a Supreme Court injunction granted on Friday would ban Taylor from selling, marketing or distributing his "roll" publications or similar books.

The Australian Roll of Honour series involved Taylor, former partner of New Zealand Act MP Deborah Coddington, writing to prominent Australians, such as those who had been awarded the Order of Australia Medal or had been torch-bearers for the Sydney 2000 Olympics, asking them to submit or edit short biographies for inclusion in his next publication.

His letter also sought an order for the book at a cost of between A$145 ($157) and A$185 for a standard edition and up to A$595 for special leather-bound publications.

Although some books were issued, others were not and the Office of Fair Trading in New South Wales estimated Taylor had received A$120,000 from people for publications they never received.

"The court found that in operating the publishing firm, the defendant Alister Taylor had engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct by making numerous false representations to consumers," Mr Hatzistergos said yesterday.

Taylor had played on people's proud achievements, but the publications did not exist.

"This deception shows that no one is immune from a clever scam.

"People from all walks of life, even judges, can be taken in by these rip-offs. This injunction will stop Mr Taylor peddling his bogus publications," he said.

Since 1999, more than 800 consumers across Australia and 347 in New South Wales alone had lodged complaints, Mr Hatzistergos said.

"The legal action has also generated much interest in New Zealand, where it is alleged that Mr Taylor has been involved in similar scams."

The office of the NSW Commissioner for Fair Trading said that whether he would pursue Taylor for the money people had paid him had yet to be decided.

- NZPA