Its a bit hard to let this go then isnt it? OK lets clarify a few things for those overseas.

1 Info from ASIC can be readily obtained by any interested party either free or for the price of a search fee.
2. The listing Norman complains about as being confidential company information, notes no, repeat NO confidential identifying company information.

The operative lines in the ASIC info first posted above are:

Registration Date: Unknown;
Status: Business names-removed;
Principle place of business: not available.

There is nothing confidential about that information.

The ASIC extract appears to be little more than details or the registration of a business name, whose current status is unclear to say the least.

It is also telling that Sandra in Sydney noted: I can't find any trace of them under their initials, full name or registered number on the Victorian Fair Trading site.

To confirm this, I did a free search at the Website of Consumer Affairs Victoria at this link: http://online.justice.vic.gov.au/CA256B7D001E2A6C/page/Victorian+Names+Register-

Type in the Company name of your choice!

The keys results are as follows:

Organisation Name
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC MARKETING ABROAD

Organisation Number

B1468120R
        
Date Registered

13/10/1999

Date Deregistered

13/10/2002

Renewal Date

-

It is necessary to again emphasise that this is PUBLIC Information.

The alleged registered street address is equally PUBLIC as it is detailed on a website associated with the Australian Arts Council. So all talk about librarians facing federal charges may be considered to be.... in the classical sense of the term..... BOLLOCKS!

Interestingly another search, this time via ASIC, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on the business name: Madra Beag Music resulted in the following entry at this link:
http://www.search.asic.gov.au/cgi-bin/gns030c?state_number=1285941X&juris=3&hdte

Extracted from ASIC's database at AEST 20:39:14 on 23/07/2008
Name
MADRA BEAG MUSIC
Registered state/no.
VIC 1285941X
Type
Business Names
Registration Date
Unknown
Next Review Date
Unknown
Status
Business Names - Removed
Principal Place of Business
not available
Jurisdiction
Office of Fair Trading & Business Affairs,Victoria

So if you get the drift, methinks Uncle Norman protesteth too much.

Now heres my hypothesis, purely speculative of course! There are people around who for reasons of their own are building a business profile on the Internet. Its really easy to do that and on the basis of Pr and spammin... errrrrrr.....marketing, try to make a living from both hardworking artists (5%) of all persuasions as well as gullible wannabes (95%).

Now for all we know Mr McC and the elusive Imogen S may be perfectly legit. True enough! Unfortunately, writing letters of complaint to Mudcat central and claiming to be a principal of two companies whose business names are unregistered in Australia, significantly weakens the case put forward for the prosecution m'lud!

More to the point, although this is purely speculation as well, what happens is that this thread does come up on searches and may provide an alternative point of view regarding services that may or may not be provided by any parties who have a vested interest in presenting a particular online persona, as part of their own business activities.

By placing some information out there in public forums, artists of all persuasions can draw their own conclusions on the basis of factual information. What they decide to do on the basis of that information is up to them. Personally though, I'd be worried and I'd certainly like to hear any justification or arguments to the contrary that might be made available in this public forum.

So good on you Max and here's one for free speech and choice.

Cheers,

Andrez