Google maps has been disabling the feature that allows you to view your timeline on the desktop version of Google maps. For people in Australia we are now seeing the prompter asking us to accept the terms. However once you do, you will lose the timeline on your desktop and there is no going back.
The advice is if you want to keep this feature until you really must move, don't accept the terms until December 2024.
If there is one tip visitors should take, it is this - get on public transport after 9am (on weekdays) and buy a DayRider. If there are two of you, it will also only cost $10 for both of you - buy a FamilyRider which only costs $10 for two standard fare passengers (and includes up to 5 more children if they have an Australian concession card). However, the DayRider is not always available. It can be purchased on weekends and from 9am on a weekday if it is school holidays or Friday after 3pm during school days. It's one of those passes, that have so many conditions you need to read it carefully many times to see if you qualify. Does the FamilyRider or DayRider include the Airport? Yes it does! Here are the usual fares for Perth as of March 2023.
Also, if you are using the Smartrider, note that you will never be charged more than $10 per day if you use public transport multiple times.
It seems like tonight the spotlight in Times Square New York City will be on Western Australia. Who would have thought that our little abode would get such a high level campaign. For those whose interest in Western Australia has been piqued by the campaign, do leave a comment. Perth, the capital city of Western Australia has changed dramatically over the last ten years. Those that have been back have remarked at the transformation, from the moment that their cab took them from the airport, it seemed like everything had changed. The Tonkin Highway drive into the city is now lined with overpasses and a streetscape that reflects a city growing up. The South Perth foreshore has been revamped, with the Perth Zoo creatures welcoming the ferry from the Perth City and children playing on the small beaches along the river. Then you have the Elizabeth Quay development which is still developing with the Ritz Carlton presence a world class endorsement. There is the Como The Treasury hotel which has been voted as the world's best hotel by Conde Nast a few years ago which sits next to the Perth City library which is an architectural wonder. For those considering the 15 hour flight to Perth, you won't regret making the journey.
Some helpful forum posts have indicated that there is a way that you can see the data that was stolen from Optus about you. You can check the Optus customer API yourself by first logging into your Optus account at https://www.optus.com.au. You can only access data for the logged in user, and can't view the data of other customers.
Then follow this link to see what data would have looked like. Take note of the 'contactID' from here - https://www.optus.com.au/mcssapi/rp-webapp-9-common/user/inf...
Then replace {contactId} with your customer ID you found in the first link into this web address, replacing of course the {contactId} with your ID.
https://www.optus.com.au/mcssapi/rp-webapp-9-common/customer-management/contact-person/{contactId}?lo=en_US&sc=SS
If you see "Driving Licence","indentValue":"XXXXXXXX" then XXXXXXX is your driver licence number.
There are two groups of people affected by the Optus security breach - which one are you?
CATEGORY 1
If you got an email from Optus with the following 2nd paragraph, then you are one of the more affected customers from this recent hack -
Importantly, no financial information or passwords have been accessed. The information which has been exposed is your name, date of birth, email, phone number, address associated with your account, and the numbers of the ID documents you provided such as drivers licence number or passport number. No copies of photo IDs have been affected.
If you had the above paragraph you should put a ban on credit checks and also apply for an extension of that ban with a second form. You may also want to join the class action updates from Slater & Gordon and if they do proceed with a lawsuit, you may be compensated if you register with them.
CATEGORY 2
Those that were not so affected are those that did not have their drivers licence number or passport number breached and the second paragraph from Optus will say this -
No financial information or passwords have been accessed. The information which has been exposed is a combination of your name, date of birth, email, phone number and/or address associated with your account. No ID document numbers or details have been affected.
Optus is still working out how to respond to this hack and whether to compensate customers.
If you had an email from Optus in the last few days mentioning that your driver's license or passport number was included in the breach, it is a good idea to stop people from applying for a loan or credit using your ID. You can apply for bans with all of the Australian CRAs by engaging just one credit reporting agency and requesting that they place bans with all CRAs if you agree to their terms and conditions. You can choose one of the following and tick the box where it says that you would like them to notify other CRAs. It takes literally 5 minutes to save you a potential headache of some hacker using your ID to borrow hundreds of thousands.
https://experian-apac.force.com/banrequest/s/ban-request-for...
https://www.illion.com.au/illion-au-ban-request-application-...
