"The problem with doing nothing is not knowing when you're finished" - Benjamin Franklin

Mike C · Senior Member

RE: Address usually garaged

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

I only do casual work for periods of less than two months in any one place .... I move on again and sometimes to another one - sometimes not ...... registered as an Itinerant of no fixed address - so not a problem from my point of view.

Anyway, if I am required to provide my licence, rego papers etc to a "figure of authority" - I am just travelling .... and staying in the area for a few weeks because it is a nice area.

cheers - John

GaryKelly · Guru

Sounds all very neat and tidy, John. All I need do is find a computer literate person with a permanent residential address willing to let me nominate it as mine for vehicle, licence and insurance purposes and take care of my mail. I suspect that's not gonna be easy but it also seems to be my only option. If I do manage to find someone, I only hope I never have to fill in a form that asks "How long have you lived at your current address?"

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

A street address in a country town in Victoria - the address which is my postal address as well - the person who gets my mail emails me when anything arrives and tells me what it is and then I decided whether it needs to be forwarded to me or not. Thankfully, like many others on here, most of my bills are paid 'automatically' from my bank, I receive the bill/reminder in emal and I just pay them online ... or the 'letter' is forwarded to me and I pay it online.

I use that address for anything that requires me giving a residential address - including when booking the car in for service, giving 'home details' at a van park for their silly computer, etc etc.

Centrelink have that address as my postal address (although they email all my letters anyway) and I record my 'residential address' with them as the van park I am currently in and need/want to claim rental assistance.

Cheers - John

Happywanderer · The Master

If I had my own home and plenty of space I would allow any of my grey nomad friends to use it as a base for mail and car rego. Just as long as they call in once in awhile to say hello. Oh, and collect their mail.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

I provide the person who 'forwards my mail' (should it be necessary) with some AussiePost envelopes before I left and I keep track of the cost of stamps and transfer money to them to cover their 'out of pocket' costs

If they need to buy any more envelopes, I again just transfer some 'seed capital' (so to speak) to ensure they are not 'out of pocket'.

Cheers - John

Happywanderer · The Master

Thats well worked out John. GaryKelly needs to find a similiar situation and he will be right.

GaryKelly · Guru

Thanks to all contributors to this thread for enlightening me and giving me lots to think about. If you were all coconuts you'd be a lovely bunch. Sorry. But I appreciate all the feedback and feel confident that I'll sort something out.

GaryKelly · Guru

Me again. I contacted a bloke I know via email. He remembers me when I was breakfast announcer on 2GO Gosford back in the early '70s... saw my scrapbook on my web site a year or two ago, contacted me, and has been in touch ever since. I still haven't met him or seen him, but he's a regular reader of my blog, and gives me a big serve if I get anything wrong about fish or fishing. He's my resident piscatorial expert. Anyway, I asked him if I could use his address (north west of Sydney) for my licence, rego and insurance and he said no problem. Who said I didn't have friends? So all's well that ends well... provided I memorize the address, of course.

License, please, driver.
No worries, officer. Nice day.
Is this still your address?
Yes, it is, officer.
Taree?
No, the other one.
Which other one?
The one in north west Sydney.
And what exactly is your address, driver?
Address? Er... it's not far from Bobbin Head.
Where exactly?
Where? Er... I'll think of it in a minute, officer. Ha ha! Don't tell me... it's er, er...

Duh · Guru

You're a character Gary, that's for sure. Glad you got an address for your fictional home! smile

I went fishing with a boat at Bobbin Head around 1962, nice spot! aww

herbie · Guru

herbie wrote:
GaryKelly wrote:
Maybe not so silly, Mike. But after reading the comments here, it seems that anyone travelling Oz for an indefinite period, without a permanent residential address, and who nominates a relative or friend's address as their usual place of residence or usual garaging address for their vehicle, is telling a porky. Or, in legal terms, making a false declaration. At the same time, if insurance companies are accepting money for policies KNOWING that the insured person is a nomad with no permanent residential address, and that the insured person is making a false declaration, then by accepting that false information, and issuing a policy regardless, the insurance company is also guilty of fraud. This issue could be one helluva big can of worms.
Gary get used to it mate, as soon as you drive out that drive you become one of us a crim.!!!! now how does that make you feel .One gets used to it after awhile. One work mate has a $350.000 decked out coach and on the back of it he has had this pro sign made up and it reads
THIS IS NO ILLUSIONI AM ILLEGALÃÂ ....JUST BLAME THE GOVERMENT FOR IT.
GaryÃÂ i do not think the post above has any merrit on your, or many other people's prediciment. He is useing theÃÂ friend/relo thing well and good to him to be able to do that. What we are detalking about is if you have no pretendfriend/relo what does one do to over come that situation.The system should not have to make you do dodgy stuff .But it is some times the only way,as reading what some of these other people do to get around a system that is not working for people roaming this country.The itninerent of no fixed address only works if you move around all the time and not stay around for more than one / three months , if you over stay that period and the poice pull you up in say the first month and then again another month later they are not stupid and would know you were not an itinerent worker.but in your case you could not even say you are working due to your health issues.So how can one use the itinerent word if one does not work.We work but because we stay in one area for up t

Hi Gary, just don't forget to change the address on your licence to your rent a friends address... hu hu

herbie · Guru

Hi Vtk6tnc, hooay some one that understands all this. People think they are inside the law, and it is not their fault they decieve goverment deptartments ,as some times the people they talk to at centre link or motor rego tell them it is ok to use the rent a friend or daughter/ sons address, but in reality it is not legal. But until the goveremnt brings in some data base for the nomad , it is the way it is...When we stated out the electrol roll was not set up like it is now,that in it's self was a night mare.The other thing is the taxation dept knowes every move one makes re bank transactions....And all departments are conected to each other.We are lucky that we still work and have no contact with centre link. Another thing is once the family home is sold , their goes their personal liability cover wich was linked to their house hold insurance cover. Most do not realize this. Most caravan policies are simply standard policies,used by general insurers by being standard in cover they do not take in to account the verious unforseen costs which can ariase when a van is damaged , particulary when on tour. There are pitfalls , in a worse case scenario full time travellers who accidentally injure some one or damage their property (damage tree or fence or what ever in a c/ van park or national park or what ever even pulling into servo and van hits what ever thier )can be sued.If they do not have personal liability indeminity and are found to be at fault and held responsible they may well be ruined financially.Many who sell or rent their homes may not even be aware they are exposed to this .This is when the full implecations of No Fixed address comes into play.I only found this out due to a fellow traveller knocking over a petrol bowser in a servo with his van.

-- Edited by herbie on Friday 8th of March 2013 11:52:56 PM

herbie · Guru

Gary.we are in the position of pretending our home address is in WA where our daughter lives and yes we get away with it ,but i am saying in truth we do not live there .In WA, you can only be a interant person for 12 months now. Im am talking about basic cover here.And only trying to explain what implecations and potential exclusions they may not realise they have in their insurance policies.I know a lot of people who still own their own home and go around OZ for a extended period and they take out what is called Australia wide cover on their house hold cover.

A lot of insurance companies wont even touch you if you tell them you are on the road full time.For what reson i do not know.

-- Edited by herbie on Saturday 9th of March 2013 01:01:14 AM

vk6tnc · Guru

RACQs Comprehensive Caravan & Trailer Insurance not only covers your caravan and trailer for accidental damage, theft and fire. We also give you $20 million liability cover for damage you may cause to someone else's property.

it all depends who you insure with ????

-- Edited by vk6tnc on Saturday 9th of March 2013 12:00:36 AM

-- Edited by vk6tnc on Saturday 9th of March 2013 12:02:01 AM

vk6tnc · Guru

I have been doing some research on this topic and the results are scary !!!!

It is quite easy to tell the Aust. Electoral Commission that you have "No Fixed Address", they even have a downloadable form for this purpose http://www.aec.gov.au/enrolling_to_vote/special_category/enrolment_with_no_fixed_address.htm

Centrelink and the ATO have a similar offering.

DON'T DO IT......nearly all Government departments data match with each other. State Governments have legislation in place to define a resident. In Queensland you must reside there for at least six months of the year.

Consequently you will eventually be unable to renew your car rego and drivers licence in any state !!!!!

In conclusion, if you want to live all over Australia with a clear conscience, just LIE.

If it's good enough for the PM to do it, there is currently no other way.

"There will be no carbon tax under a Government I lead"

rockylizard · Guru

vk6tnc wrote:
~~~~ In conclusion, if you want to live all over Australia with a clear conscience, just LIE. ~~~~

Gday...

To be totally honest, I do not live all over Australia" - I am travelling all over Australia. I stop to enjoy various places for differing durations - a night, a week, a month ... who knows.

I have had not a single problem renewing the registration of my vehicle, van or licence in the four years I have been TRAVELLING - with no fixed address. I have had no problem with the insurance on the vehicle or the van, in either renewing policies or having claims assessed, honoured, and paid.

I do not have to lie to anyone - I travel all around this country, as is the right of ANYONE.

As some food for thought. When was the last time you were asked by a 'person in authority' to show your licence or registration papers and 'prove' your residential address. I haven't been asked for those documents in 10 years - even when I wasn't travelling but was a non-retired, tax-paying, dedicated worker-bee living in a 'fixed address' and I STILL went on holidays of varying duration - from a weekend, couple of weeks or sometimes a couple of months.

Even if a 'person in authority' were to ask me for those documents, I would simply quote them my 'address' as stated on all the documentation. And if they ask me "So why are you all the way up here at Normanton QLD when your address says Victoria?" I would simply say, "I am travelling on holiday". It is my right, as it is every Australian citizen, to travel away from their 'address' and enjoy and savour this wonderful country of the free.

Cheers - John

vk6tnc · Guru

Mike C wrote:

its potentially a can of worms maybe best left closed.

Closed, hermetically sealed, nuked with gamma radiation and then carefully placed down a disused mine shaft somewhere east of Kalgoorlie !!!!

vk6tnc · Guru

herbie wrote:
There are pitfulls , in a worse case scenario full time travellers who accidentally injure some one or damage their property (damage tree or fence or what ever in a c/ van park or national park or what ever even pulling into servo and van hits what ever thier )can be sued.If they do not have personal liability indeminity and are found to be at fault and held responsible they may well be ruined financially.

And then they will be living under a bridge somewhere with other people of "No Fixed Address".

If someone has a drivers licence with Mr Grey Nomad, No Fixed Address. printed on it, please speak up !!!

vk6tnc · Guru

herbie wrote:
I only found this out due to a fellow traveller knocking over a petrol bowser in a servo with his van.

I would have thought the "Third Party Property" insurance would cover this ???

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

CIL Insurance Policy on my van states - "Your caravan is covered for $20 million legal liability."

RACV Comprehensive Insurance Policy on my vehicle states - "$20 million liability cover for damage caused to someone else's vehicle or property by your vehicle."

As always, you should choose insurance, of any type, by carefully reading their POLICY DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT and their POLICY DETAILS. Then, and only then, choose the one that provides the cover you will (or may) need. Choice of insurer should NEVER be on price as the main criterion.

Guess that dismisses that as an "insurrmountable problem" for we "full-time" "itinerants" - check your insurance policy. We should think of ourselves as full-time itinerant travellers - or, by definition -

grey nomad (plural grey nomads)

(Australia) A retired person who travels independently and for an extended period within their own country, particularly in a caravan or motor home.

Cheers - John

Mike C · Senior Member

I am with CIL and have the same 20 Mil coverage so I dont see an issue there.
The main concern is Drivers licence and Registration in that you have to notify a change of address within 14 days or if residing interstate for more than 3 months you need to change to that state.
I however dont see a problem where you decide to make a friend or family menbers home your place of residance and travel (holiday) for as long as you like in another state.
Issues may occur if you get a short term job in a different state and/or rent a proberty whilst there and that would then become your state of residance

Mike

adding gaffa tape to that can lid..

herbie · Guru

Â Gary.we are in the position of pretending our home address is in WA where our daughter lives and yes we get away with it ,but i am saying in truth we do not live there .In WA, you can only be aÂ interantÂ Â person for 12 months now.Â Im am talking about basic cover here.And only trying to explain what implecations and potential exclusions they may not realise they have in their insurance policies.I know a lot of people who still own their own home and go around OZ for a extended period and they take out what is called Australia wide cover on their house hold cover.

A lot of insurance companies wont even touch you if you tell them you are on the road full ti

I /we and everyone else would behind you on this situation some people frind them self in through no fault of their own.We have to use our daughters home address in wa .We could use you sons addresses one lives in Longreach , the other in Noosa .Everyone who know us know we do not reside at our daughters house.And we know it also, Goverment depts would only need to check and find out daughters house is not in our name or we pay her rent for board and lodging.Some people have their head in the sand over this matter.No one is saying you cannot go on extended holidays or what ever, Just trying to point out the blantant obvious.Ihave been in touch with different departments over this myseld, but everyone has no answer.Best of luck and thank you for understanding what i am just trying to make clear to people about this situation, we find our self in .The other aspect of all this is the departments involved would only have to have a look at someones bank statements to know that you are not residing at the given address you are useing.Buy the different transactions taking place all over Oz.

-- Edited by herbie on Sunday 10th of March 2013 01:23:25 AM

-- Edited by herbie on Sunday 10th of March 2013 01:28:45 AM

vk6tnc · Guru

Thanks herbie. I will be acting on behalf of a lot of people like yourself....and hope to get a legal resolution to this problem, as the number of people involved will only get greater in the future .

The Federal Interstate Registration Scheme already exists. Just need to modify it to include the GN.

-- Edited by vk6tnc on Sunday 10th of March 2013 12:46:36 AM

vk6tnc · Guru

Obviously the word "lie" has upset some people, so i will state "omit some of the truth" instead.

Adding a large amount of fiberglass resin to that can (in case the gaffa tape fails) !!!!

PS I told myself not to post again on this thread....but can't help myself

UNDER CURRENT LEGISLATION THERE IS NO LEGAL WAY TO LIVE/TRAVEL IN AUSTRALIA WITH "NO FIXED ADDRESS"

I am going to discuss this matter with my local MP, because when I sell my home. and travel full time, I want to have a clear conscience. I too am like Gary Kelly and do not wish to impose on a "Rent a friend'. I will not be on holidays for an extended time, I will honestly be living with no fixed address....

I hope to fix this situation for all GN involved.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

Perhaps the problem here is feeling like a "victim" so perhaps stop worrying and take control of your circumstances.

The laws state that if you 'reside' in one place in a State for a period, perhaps it is 3 months, you are required to change your residential details to the address you are 'residing' at - whether that be buying a home, renting a home, staying in someone's backyard, in a van park etc.

So, if you are a Grey Nomad who is 'working their way around Australia', then just comply. When you stay at a place for 3 months for work etc then just whip into the local places of authority and update your residential details. You DO NOT have to change your POSTAL address, just your residential address. Yep, will be an inconvenience but at least you will be complying.

There ya go, no more lying and feeling guilty and feeling imposed upon.

Cheers - John

Mike C · Senior Member

Hi John

The issue there is you may be required then to change your drivers licence and registration to that state.
This could require roadworthy inspections etc all costing money and time.

I for one will be using a family address until some other option becomes available.

cheers

Mike

rockylizard · Guru

Happywanderer wrote:
John, are you saying as you move around from state to state and stay longer than 3 months, you should go to that states VicRoads or what ever the others are called and change everything over.
What a mess that would be. Change of number plates, rego would have to be refunded in one state and recharged in the other state. Number plates sent back to the last state. Roadworthys done in the new state. That could happen 4 times a year at that rate as someone moved around the country.
I really don't think any of that would be logical.

Gday...

Yes that is the rule - and I "suffered" it when I was employed as a civvie in the RAAF for my last 10 years of ........ oh dear - dare I say it out loud .......... WORK. cry

An example - when I transferred from Victoria to Richmond NSW base, I had to get a NSW licence and change car over. It is a pain, and expensive, but those are the rules - everybody is covered by them ..... as I said, why should "Grey Nomads" be treated any differently to the rest of the general public.

And unfortunately, when did any government say it had to be logical hmm or convenient hmm or not costly hmm

[edit: adding that staying in ONE PLACE for a 'long' time invokes the rule .... not just for being in, say QLD, for three or more months.]

Cheers - John

-- Edited by rockylizard on Sunday 10th of March 2013 05:30:26 PM

GaryKelly · Guru

In my case, I won't be working my way around Oz, and unless there's an unforeseen medical situation, I won't be staying longer than a week or two in any one place. I plan to use my friend's address for all documentation that requires it - rego, licence, insurance, etc. My only query now is how I deal with Centrelink and my age pension. If I change my official place of residence to my friend's address without paying rent there, but choose instead to travel indefinitely and to claim camp/cp fees for rent assistance, that could be a bit tricky hehe. I guess I'll have to sort that out with Centrelink. It's gonna seem odd to have a "permanent residential address" on the one hand, and be claiming camp/cp fees on the other. Becoming an official itinerant doesn't appeal to me at all if it means I can no longer register or insure a vehicle or be licenced to drive. What a mess!

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Gary, you can have a "postal address" with Centrelink, as well as a series of temporary residential addresses... as I understand it. Centrelink isnt state-based like the rego/licence fiasco, you are likely to have much less hassle with them.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

If you've got half an hour to read this saga... this is what it takes to change rego from ACT to NSW. By the way, the licence didnt cost anything because we have pension cards, get your photo taken, prove your new address with an electricity bill etc (that would be hard if you're on the road) and they give you a new one. Easy.

For the vehicles, you have to get roadworthy certificates, the Motor registry gave us a list of places where this can be done... all of them at least 30k's from home. My Mazda2 and his Prado were fine. $40 each and its done, just had to get "Green" slips.
The caravan had been registered new by the dealer at 300kg's less than the figure on the compliance plate (and we had never noticed), had to get it weighed at a weighbridge another 20k's further away, empty. Took everything out, towed the van to the weighbridge, the compliance plate is correct. $40 and that one was done. (and a letter written to the dealers who registered it... no reply yet)
The trailer had to have a roadworthy too (another$40) but at the Motor registry it was discovered another trailer in NSW had the same VIN, ours might be wrong. What can we do? Cleaned up the frame on the trailer where it was stamped, took photos of it, submitted to the Motor registry once again. Eventually after 2 weeks they phoned to say the problem was rectified, finally registered all vehicles, surrendered all number plates.
We were getting overdue notices from ACT so my partner wrote and told them we'd re-registered in NSW. Then they sent forms to fill in and return along with the receipts for the number plates. He had lost one of his, so had to write a Stat Dec and get it witnessed by a JP!

Our new number plates start with BS. Says it all really!!!

We are now legal, but it was such an expensive marathon, I hope you only have one vehicle when you have to do this.

-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Sunday 10th of March 2013 05:49:12 PM