Once more the Australian banking system has singly failed to demonstrate its user friendliness and general dedication to customer service.
I phoned the "customer care centre" of the Commonwealth Tossers with a simple query. Whilst I am overseas, I said to the badly programmed robot on the other end of the line, I would like to be able to transfer money from my account with your insitution to an account in another country. I have the ability to do this domestically by phone or the internet, there just doesn’t seem to be an option to initiate an international transfer. Well sir, the plainly flustered operator said, you can do this with an international money transfer. Marvellous, said I, how do I do that? Well, you go into your branch … <bzzzt> before you continue, I said, I will be overseas its a little difficult to pop into my branch in Sydney whilst I am in London. So they put me on hold. When the barely more educated than an ATM operator came back on the phone line they said that my options were an international money transfer (already discarded) or a telegraphic transfer. Oh, said I, how do I perform a telegraphic transfer? Well, you go into your branch … <bzzzt> Thanks for nothing – tossers.
Dad, this means that the money for the photographer will take even longer than I said, sorry.
Meanwhile, does anyone know a decent financial institution willing to store all of my money?