Banks share honours in gobbledegook awards

Press, 7 October 1987, Page 2

Banks share honours in gobbledegook awards

PA Wellington Banks shared line honours in this year’s Gobbledegook awards announced yesterday by the Consumers’ Institute and the Plain English Campaign. Jointly distinguished for their ability to call a spade a manual excavation and cultivation implement were the National, ANZ, BNZ and Westpac trading banks and the Post Office Investment Society. The banks won "for the sheer volume of complaints received and for their persistent refusal to produce clear documents for major financial transactions, particularly their mortgage documents,” said the Consumers’ Institute and Plain English Campaign in a joint state-

ment. ’■ “The annual Gobbledegook award is intended to embarrass people who write legalese, officialese or just confusing nonsense,” the two groups said. However, “credit card companies, particularly BNZ Visa, who have rewritten the terms and conditions for credit card holders” rated an Honourable Mention for their simplified contracts. The Inland Revenue Department won the Plain English Award for its improved IR 5 return and guide. “This document is not perfect but it is greatly improved and the Inland Revenue Department is prepared to iron out any bugs after this year’s returns show where the pub-

lie are still having difficulty,” the statement said. “For such a widely used andTegally required public document, the Inland Revenue Department’s attitude is worthy of note.” Other Government departments did not fare so well. The Housing Corporation was singled out for Dishonourable Mention for its Declaration of Compliance with the Home Ownership Savings Act. “This document is expected to be understood by a large number of the public and is written in incomprehensible legal jargon. It is irresponsible for a Government department to produce this sort of material for the public.”