Copyright Able 2017 Tonight ` the ugly side of the beauty industry. Hi, Denyse. Anna from the Fair Go programme. They paid to be part of the glamorous profession. We were so excited. It was really, really awesome. Just something different, something girly to do. But is this sort of feedback really model behaviour? You can't put a flower in an arsehole and call it a vase. (LAUGHS) Oh my God! Plus, Audrey loves loyalty. That's my Spotlight card. My New World card. Miller's card. Farmers card. Farmers Club card. But there's no place for loyalty if you choose to live without a computer. It's discrimination. Why can't I have a card? And there's nothing worse than a mailbox full of bills. So if I have to pay it, I have to pay it. But is it fair to charge $50 to change your address? We change our address quite often, some of us, gypsies. Welcome to the show. Modelling is a glamorous industry. It celebrates the extraordinary rather than ordinary and covets those who were born genetically gifted, which I've never been accused of. But there's also an ugly side to the business that leaves pretty, innocent and naive hopefuls open to exploitation. Here's Anna. Fabulous! Denyse Saunders loves the camera. Hi, I'm Denyse Saunders. Hi, I'm Denyse. Hi, I'm Denyse. She also loves a bit of self-promotion. I've been in the fashion, beauty and modelling industry for 40 years. I know. That's a long time. Unfortunately... (DOG BARKS) ...she's not a fan of Fair Go cameras. Hi, Denyse. Anna from the Fair Go programme. We had a heap of questions we wanted to put to this modelling agent... Just wanted to have a chat to you about the money that you owe the girls. ...who's developed a talent for taking money off young, aspiring hopefuls. It's been over a year now. We worked our butts off for that money. Tegan Andrews loves getting glammed up, but she ain't no girly-girl. She's a chrome-plater by day. No. Overalls and gumboots all day, so it's not glamorous. So when she saw a casting call for the Denyse Saunders Modelling Agency, she jumped at the chance to get out of the overalls and out of Geraldine with her bestie, Xavi Tamarapa. Just something different, something girly to do together. We were so excited. It was really, really awesome. The casting call a success, the pair quickly had to stump up some money for a photo shoot. So we got chosen. They gave us a letter saying 'congratulations' and said that we were to pay, like, 800-and-something dollars for a photoshoot to get into their files or something like that. They weren't the only ones forking out big bucks for a chance to hit the runway. Claire McLean had seen the same ad on Facebook. It was just something I've always wanted to try, to be honest. Like, I thought, 'Oh, maybe I could do it as a side job, get some extra cash.' And even if it was just promo work, you know, it'd be fun. I like getting dressed up and stuff. Claire also paid $800 for a portfolio of pics. It was out of my savings. Like, I just moved back from overseas, and it was savings to get myself sorted again. So I thought, 'Oh, it's an investment,' you know? But the girls were left bitterly disappointed with their first taste of fame. The photo shoot was... Not what we'd expected. We were offered... five hair changes, five make-up changes. We got one look and four outfit changes in the back of the car on a rainy day. Yeah, the shoot lasted about an hour, and we were done. The photographer was this man ` James Saunders, Denyse's son. When the shoot finished, he hit them up for another $300 to print the photos. He kind of just kept demanding the money, and we just said, 'No, no. We don't have that money.' Worse was yet to come. Within a few weeks, the whole dream was over. Denyse told all three girls they wouldn't be picked for any work ever. She was like, 'Oh, you were badmouthing me, 'so, no, I'm not offering you any part of being on our files or to be part of the fashion show at all.' And we were, like, pretty much straight away, 'Oh, she just got our money and then flicked us off.' You thought you'd been conned? Yeah, definitely. And she didn't give you any detailed explanation? No. How did that make you feel? Yeah, we were pretty disappointed. Disappointed but undeterred, the girls took Denyse and her son to the Disputes Tribunal to try and get their money back. I've never done anything like that before. I've never had to go through something that far just to prove a point that we actually haven't done anything wrong and we deserve our money back. And they won! Oh, it was great. I thought, 'Yay, we won,' kind of thing, like... But a year on, they're still waiting for the money. Denyse has told the tribunal her company has no funds to pay the debt. We got a different story when we first spoke on the phone. Strangely, Denyse thinks she's the victim. Now, Denyse told us she'd send a copy of the police complaint she laid about this abuse, but she never did. Denyse says you girls were threatening and abusive. What do you say to that? I say what a load of shit. (LAUGHS) We were not threatening at all, nah. Were you abusive towards her? No way. I don't think it's in any of our nature to be abusive. Denyse told us she sets high standards for herself. But shortly after our conversation, she took to social media to let the girls know exactly what she thought of them. Denyse has said a few things about you girls on Facebook, on her page, that I just want to run past you and get your reaction to. OK. Someone said, 'You can't put a flower in an arsehole and call it a vase.' And she says, 'What you say is so very true.' (LAUGHS) Oh my God. I can't help but laugh because I think it just sounds like she's talking about herself. 'Remember karma ` you will get it sooner or later.' Hmm. I think she knows she's wrong. She's got nothing to stand by. Yeah, I just... It's not very nice. On that note, we decided to hit the road and ask Denyse why she felt the need to say that to these young women. Denyse, are you going to talk to us? (DOG BARKS) But as we showed you earlier,... Hi, Denyse. Anna from the Fair Go programme. ...Denyse was in no mood for talking. Just want to have a chat to you because you seem to have told me some stuff that wasn't true. With no sign of a refund, we decided it was best to leave the last word to the girls. Maybe she is a nice person to the people who care about her, but, you know,... Not to you guys. ...not to people who are innocent and haven't done anything wrong. So instead of just opening the door and speaking openly and honestly and tidying this little matter up very quickly, Denyse went the other option ` the very, very long statement. Oh yes. In that statement, Denyse Saunders' management told us... Her management agency also tells us that... Denyse Saunders says the girls only complained after they weren't offered a contract. And she says the Disputes Tribunal judgement can't be honoured because the company is in the process of being wound up and no longer trades. Hmm. Now, we've been in touch with other modelling agencies who say you shouldn't have to pay for a portfolio of images. It's the agency's job to build up a book of your photos and arrange a photographer to take the pictures for you. To put it bluntly, they say, 'If you have to put your hand in your pocket, your agent's not worth it.' My modelling career knows so much more now. Coming up after the break ` loyalty cards. Sometimes it can be a real hassle to reap the rewards. That's my Spotlight card. My New World card. Miller's card. Farmers card. Farmers Club card. Audrey loves loyalty cards and the simpler things in life. You're just busy, busy, busy, aren't you? Yeah. No wonder you haven't got time for computers. (BOTH LAUGH) You can have your computers! But if you choose to live computer-free, loyalty isn't what it used to be. It's discrimination. Plus, dining etiquette. We look at the modern-day dos and don'ts. Oh shit, yeah. I do it all the time. I'm like, 'Really? Why?' Welcome back. Do you feel like the pace of technology is speeding up? 40 years ago, no one owned a computer. Now it seems nearly everyone is gazing at a glowing, hand-held smartphone. It drives me a bit crazy. Mm. Well, almost everyone. You can turn your back on iPhones, Twitter and Facebook, but snubbing computer technology can make shopping less rewarding. Here's Hannah. (FUNKY MUSIC) At 78, Audrey Carver packs heaps into every day. So marmalade out of these. You've got rhubarb in the garden. You make... ...rhubarb and ginger jam. You're just busy, busy, busy, aren't you? Yeah. So no wonder you haven't got time for computers. (BOTH LAUGH) You can have your computers. (LAUGHS) Audrey has lived happily computer-free until now. Why now? Well, I'll let Audrey to put all her cards on the table. That's my Spotlight card. My New World card. Miller's card. Farmers card. Farmers Club card. AA card. Super Gold card. Do you make lots of savings? Oh yes, definitely. That's the whole point, isn't it? Yes. But there is one card missing from this lot, isn't there? Yes, the Postie Plus card. Audrey's been a Postie Plus regular for years, but about a month ago, shop staff asked if she'd like a loyalty card. I started giving her my details ` address, name, etc. And she said, 'What about an email address?' I said, 'No, I don't have email.' 'Oh, well, I'm sorry. You can't have a card.' Yeah, just like that. (BOTH LAUGH) What did you say to her? Oh, I said, 'Well, this doesn't sound very good to me,' you know. And she said, 'Well, I'm sorry, but that's the policy.' She said she's embarrassed to tell people that they can't have it because they don't have email. So Audrey left the shop, without her loyalty card, bewildered and a bit hurt. These are all things you've bought from Postie. I love my blues. Right. And these are more recent. Those are recent. OK. Up to this one, which you bought just a wee while ago. Getting more modern. A bit more modern, right. Loyal customer Audrey then took her fight to Postie Plus head office. Well, I just don't think it's fair that you should be discriminated against because you don't have email. So she didn't have a good explanation? She couldn't give me a logical answer. That's their policy. Look at all the other cards. Why be different? So none of these cards, Audrey, you needed to give them an email for any of those? No, no. But if you had a loyalty card, you'd actually make some great savings, right? Of course I would. Yes. Cos this is a shirt that your sister bought. Yes. And she does have a Postie Plus loyalty card. She would have paid $12. And what did she pay for it after the discount? $2. So that's a $10 discount. Yes. And this is what you are missing out on. Too right. We feel compelled to say that a lot of what keeps Audrey busy, she does for the benefit of others. Along with the stuffed animals and knitted bedspreads, she makes masses of grapefruit marmalade and giant vats of pickle... What kind of spices you got in there? Turmeric, curry, mustard. It smells amazing. ...all to raise funds for the local Wellsford hospice. I take them in in the morning, and they're gone by the afternoon. If anyone deserves a loyalty card,... (LAUGHS) ...it's you. And that Postie Plus policy that's denied Audrey a card just looks pretty mean. You know, (LAUGHS) it's discrimination. Why can't I have a card? Look, there's productive and then there's Audrey, right? I know. How efficient we would all be if we had a little less technology in our lives. Oh, so much preserving we'd get done! And we've got some good news for Audrey, because Postie Plus is reviewing their loyalty card rules to make them fair for all New Zealanders, which surely will mean changing the rules so that customers like Audrey ` without email ` can sign up. Right. Moving on. We all make mistakes, and, if you want to avoid them, a good rule of thumb is 'when in doubt, don't'. There's a long list of don'ts when it comes to table manners, like don't pick your teeth, don't chew with your mouth open, don't wave your utensils like you're conducting an orchestra. Yes. Guilty. Those are the obvious don'ts. Others aren't quite so clear cut when it comes to dining etiquette. We're talking etiquette, and tonight, we're turning our attention to the dos and don'ts of dining out. First up ` is it okay to divide your bill? Oh yeah, definitely. If the owner says it's one payment only, then it's one payment. The main thing is they get their money. Claire Sullivan is the editor of Denizen magazine and website. She says dividing up the tab can be a tricky one. I think it's really difficult for restaurants when they get really busy and they've got a whole lot of people lined up at the counter paying for their one glass of wine and the entree that they had. So what about sending food back to the kitchen ` a go or a no? It depends if there's something wrong with it. I don't think there's a problem with that. Absolutely. Absolutely. I do. I pay for something, then I want it done properly. That sounds reasonable. Claire? Perfectly appropriate if you have ordered a medium-rare steak and it comes served well done. I think you can send it back. But if your friend orders something that looks better and more appetising than your own dish, and you want to send it back because you want that dish instead, that's not so appropriate. From sending back to sending home. Is it OK to ask for a doggie bag? There are some high-class restaurants that you don't want to go up to and be like, 'Can I take this home?' If the owner allows it, then that's fine. I think that people are becoming more mindful of food wastage, so I think it's OK from that perspective. You might lose some of your Instagram followers, but aside from that, is it cool to take photos of your food? Yeah, I think that's OK. I guess today with our generation, like, everyone does it. I'm like, 'Really? Why?' I'm sick of it. I'm sick of seeing it on Facebook. You should be snappy ` excuse the pun ` take a very quick photo and then enjoy the food for what it is, rather than faffing about taking 15 photos. 'Excuse me. I need to take another photo!' I think that's the key. And the real test ` is it OK to meddle with the menu? And if it is, how much meddling is acceptable? That's a little bit annoying, but that's fine, because not everybody likes the same thing. It depends on the restaurant Yeah. And who you're with I think as well. I think you can ask politely. Yeah, I do that sometimes. Oh, shit, yeah. I do it all the time. Hmmm, well, you might do it all the time, but does that make it right? I think being niggly on the small things that are more dietary whims is a little bit problematic. It's kind of a little bit rude and offensive, I think, to try and recreate something that's obviously had a lot of time and effort and thought gone into it. I tell you what ` that last one got people talking. Yeah, I don't want to name names, but my mother-in-law is a meal blender, like take one from there, bit from there. She's not popular at restaurants. I don't think you should say that about your mother-in-law. Hi, Sarah Hamilton. Good to see you. (LAUGHS) Look, coming up after the break ` we announce the prizes for this year's Kids' Ad Awards. And a trip to the mailbox reveals a surprise bill no one saw coming. Gobsmacked. We all hate bills, but this one got us thinking, 'What the...?!' That's not fair, though. Is it fair to charge somebody $50 for changing their address? I mean, we change our address quite often, some of us, gypsies. Welcome back. Here's a fact that might surprise you ` did you know, every year, around 7% of the New Zealand population moves. Wow. That is more than 900 people a day. That's an awful lot of packing boxes and duct tape. But is it fair to charge someone for changing an address? And, if so, what's a reasonable price? (BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD'S 'FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH') When you run a business and a household, the mail stops getting exciting. Brigette Palmer ` you can call her B ` feels that way about the white envelopes. Quite a few bills. Let's go inside. But one letter one day made her husband, Graham, well,... ...gobsmacked a polite term. One way of putting it, yeah. This is a bill for $51.75 to change my address from my old house to this new house. Yes, it's $51.75 from Aon, their insurance brokers. An administration fee to change their address. Yeah, just not ideal. So here's tonight's gut test. What does your gut say about this? Is it fair to charge $50 to change your address? I mean, we change our address quite often, some of us, gypsies. I'm just ringing up in regards to an invoice I had from your guys. 'Straight away I rang up my broker because I didn't think that was right.' I want to know why I've been charged 51.75. Aon's literature says they can charge an administration fee, but they don't say how much. But that's not fair, though. I mean, if it's just change of address, why should I get charged? Or for what? Effectively she told me that, yeah, suck it up. You got to pay it. (RINGING TONE) B, who pays the bills, went next. She recorded the call. It's prudent at this stage to remind you that Aon is an insurance broker and not an insurer. So they're working for you but being paid by the insurance company to bring you to them. Does that make any sense? So on reflection, Aon is charging $50 to tell your insurance company that you've moved. It's not a huge amount of money, but it's the principle, eh. When Graham rang Aon he says he just about got another bill. I rang up and moaned about this, and happened to mention that I had staff on the farm now, whereas my last job I did it on my own. And then I asked her, 'Will I get charged another $51.75?' And she said, yeah, you would normally, but she was going to try to look at waiving it for me. It's time to talk to Aon. On Monday, I rang head office. WOMAN: Welcome to Aon New Zealand. Our receptionist is on another call. So we left a message. (RINGING TONE) On Tuesday, I rang Rosie, the local broker. Her contact details are on the bill. They're a bit upset. They think $50 is a bit steep for changing address with their insurance. So I rang and emailed the Auckland office also on Tuesday. And on Wednesday, we got this detailed email. Aon say changing location has significant legal and insurance ramifications. And in this case, the fee was for receiving the instructions, amending and changing the schedule, plus preparing and sending out the documents. A lot of paperwork. Aon think the fee was reasonable and less than the cost of doing the work. So is this industry-wide? That's all the major insurance companies telling us they don't charge for changing address. But Gary Young from the Insurance Brokers Association says it's quite common. Yes. Graham Palmer also did some digging. I rang FMG, because I'm probably going to go with them now, and they said that that was disgusting and they don't charge $51. They don't charge anything. Now he says he'll be back on the phone to Aon, changing another thing about his policy. Well, they've lost my business, put it that way. That'll be tomorrow, because today, he's got a family to feed, a dairy farm to run and bills to pay. A bill's a bill. You can't ignore a bill, at the end of the day. So if I have to pay it, I have to pay it, but I'm not happy about it. So Aon are really keen to promote the message that you should always tell your insurance company if you're changing your details, but I don't think charging $50 is really promoting that much. Not a great incentive. No! All right, moving on, because the Fair Go Kids' Ad Awards are back, and the challenge is to make the '70s cool again. Yes, we want you to sell us something that came out 40 years ago as if it's hitting shelves today. And we have amazing prize packs to get you motivated. There'll be two big winners ` one in our primary/intermediate category and the other in our secondary category. So exciting. The winning schools will get thousands of dollars worth of Canon goodies, including an interactive learning suite that includes a smartboard and a Canon projector, and two ` that's right, two ` Canon digital DSLR cameras with lenses, plus a couple of accessory packs and a printer. And on top of that, there is $2000 in cash. That makes the first prize worth more than $10,000 each! Yowza! Now, second- and third-place winners are also looked after. Second place will get the latest Canon digital video camera and $500 cash. Third place will also receive the latest Canon digital video camera. That's a total prize package of over $22,000, so a huge thanks to Canon. Yes. So kids, parents, teachers ` get busy. The deadline is Friday the 29th of September. And we are ruthless on deadlines. And also remember 30-second maximum duration. Very important. Yes. All entries are to be submitted online. So go to tvnz.co.nz and search for 'Fair Go' or go to our Facebook page for all the details. Remember, we want you to make something from the 1970s cool again. Mm-hm. So that's the show for today. But we will be on Facebook for the next half hour to answer your questions. Our programme is all about your problems, your gripes, your concerns, your thoughts, no matter how large or small. Please, get in touch. We're right here. Yes, you can join us on Facebook or you can email us... or write to us... That's our show. Until next week,... ...goodnight. Copyright Able 2017