Australian Customs Officials Will Search Your Laptop For cough

[harvyk]

Could anyone suggest why it would have been decided to carry out the inspections?

Right now we are in a period of governments wanting to look as if they are doing something.

It is the same reason why we are put through the nth degree when we want to board a plane, and yet why no countries security picked up on the fact that a built in part of my carry on bag could make a very effective weapon, because a long piece of metal in a bag doesn't count.

I'm not sure of any of your qualifications or lines of work but surely if you are all aware of the more successful methods of catching these criminals then those who OK new customs measures would be too?

The problem is two fold, the first is like them or loath them (I'm in the loath them camp). The religious minority hold the balance of power in government right now.

Typically those guys are very anti anything which could corrupt the minds of people and turn them away from god. Given than cough is very much so considered by those people to be evil, they are pushing for a world without the stuff.

Now couple that with a set of government ministers, who don't really understand their portfolio's. (has any IT minister from either side truly understood their portfolio?) and we are now in a position where we are seeing silly laws get pushed through under the guise of "if you don't support us, you're obviously a child cough lover"

Like with the "great firewall of Australia", I expect that on one hand, the government was been told don't be stupid, this idea won't stop a single thing. On the other hand the government was told, if you don't stop cough, we will withdraw support for you and put support for the libs.

 

[drron]

Customs may well become irrelevant if our minister for spying has his way-
Plan to keep search history angers internet freedom fighters - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

The Federal Government has just begun talking to internet service providers, or ISPs, about how they might retain records of what websites users visit, but already there's alarm.
Director of the Communications Law Centre at the University of Technology in Sydney, Michael Fraser, says keeping the private web browsing data of all internet users is a step too far.
"It would be like the Government listening in on everybody's telephone conversations or opening everybody's mail. It's contrary to the kind of society we enjoy in Australia, where we enjoy freedom as citizens, unless we run into trouble with the law," he said.

 

[harvyk]

Customs may well become irrelevant if our minister for spying has his way-
Plan to keep search history angers internet freedom fighters - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

This is where an encrypted VPN connection to another country will come in handy, no firewall and no AU monitoring (can anyone say "slippery slope"?)...

I'm seriously looking forwards to the election this year, I will be voting for anyone other than labor for the first time ever...

Of course this is now getting a little OT...

 

[Smackbum]

I returned from a quick trip across the Big Ditch last week and was peversely looking forward to replying "No" to the cough question in the full knowledge that there was almost bound to be something that followers of the Rabid Fred Nile would deem to be coughographic.

At Wellington A/P I was handed an Oz immigration card at check-in and took it up to the QC for scrutiny. At first I thought the Steinlagers were playing with my mind as I couldn't find any mention of cough (even sheep cough!) but when the FAs handed out cards en-route I found out why. The Kiwis had the old version of the card that didn't mention coughography but was in all other aspects identical to the new one that does.

So I used the old card and sailed through C&I at Sydney with a clear conscience.

 

[ejb]

Incoming pax card cough question changed.

Looks like a little common sense has prevailed.

cough laws confuse travellers

Confused travellers unsure about what sort of cough they’re allowed to bring into Australia have prompted a re-working of incoming passenger cards.

ejb

 

[simongr]

Re: Incoming pax card cough question changed.

I was not even aware that there was a question :|

 

[markis10]

Re: Incoming pax card cough question changed.

I wonder how many countries ask a similar question?

 

[serfty]

cough laws confuse travellers

cough laws confuse travellers

...

“The previous card stated that travellers needed to disclose any ‘coughography’ they were carrying,’’ Mr O’Connor said.

‘‘That has now been amended to read ‘illegal coughography’.’’

But with no further advice on hand about what constitutes ‘‘illegal coughography’’, travellers may be forced to run their selection by a Customs officer. ...

“My advice to travellers is that if you’re in doubt – find out,’’ Mr O’Connor said.

‘‘Customs officers operate with discretion and the penalties for failing to declare a prohibited import are steep.”

Prohibited coughography includes child coughography and material depicting bestiality, explicit sexual violence, degradation, cruelty and non-consensual sex, a statement from the Minister said.

So someone with 'cough' needs to know the difference between Legal cough and Illegal cough; no real change then.

 

[samh004]

Re: Incoming pax card cough question changed.

I was not even aware that there was a question :|

There was a massive thread earlier this year, but the question was included in another question, so it was yes or no to 10 different things, with the fear they’d search your laptop, which could be an inconvenience more than anything else.

And we’re merged.

 

[Ewing]

Re: Incoming pax card cough question changed.

There was a massive thread earlier this year, but the question was included in another question, so it was yes or no to 10 different things, with the fear they’d search your laptop, which could be an inconvenience more than anything else.

I am still yet to see the reference at all and I have filled out 4 incoming passenger cards since the change was apparently made (the most recent was last week).

I have looked for it each time but haven't seen it, and the cards I have received have what I assume is a revision date of 2004. I will have another look when coming in from NZ next month.

*shrugs*

 

[serfty]

Re: Incoming pax card cough question changed.

I am still yet to see the reference at all and I have filled out 4 incoming passenger cards since the change was apparently made (the most recent was last week).

I have looked for it each time but haven't seen it, and the cards I have received have what I assume is a revision date of 2004. I will have another look when coming in from NZ next month.

*shrugs*

See post #62 of this very thread:

I don't know if anyone has mentioned where this question actually is on the form.

I filled one out yesterday and was looking for it - it took a bit to find it.

There it was on the line:

Are you bringing in to Australia:

1. Goods that may be prohibited or subject to restrictions, such as medicines, steroi_s, coughography, firearms, weapons of any kind or illicit drugs?

 

[samh004]

Re: Incoming pax card cough question changed.

See post #62 of this very thread:

I started looking but gave up quickly, but knew it had been mentioned.

I wonder if another past revision included just "drugs", and "illicit drugs" was added because people were confused.

 

[Ewing]

Re: Incoming pax card cough question changed.

See post #62 of this very thread:

Hmm, I must have a closer look next time. Thanks for pointing out that post.

In any case it doesn't matter at all for me because:

a) I travel with my iPad most of the time now and leave the laptop at home (except for situations like tomorrow where I am giving a keynote at a conference and I should be putting the finishing touches on my powerpoint instead of posting on AFF)

b) I don't keep coughography on my laptop. This is the 21st century - we can stream that stuff these days.

 

[markis10]

Re: Incoming pax card cough question changed.

b) I don't keep coughography on my laptop. This is the 21st century - we can stream that stuff these days.

If you view it then you have a copy

 

[samh004]

Re: Incoming pax card cough question changed.

If you view it then you have a copy

Not necessarily, depends how you configure your web browser

 

[Mal]

I'm happy that they have made this change.

As I've previously commented in the thread, I don't travel with coughography, and people who do are not particularly smart. However, in Australia, adults are free to buy, download or create such material if it is legal. This should not require them to "declare" this at the border if the material is legal.

 

[markis10]

Re: Incoming pax card cough question changed.

Not necessarily, depends how you configure your web browser

Or how good a forensic IT specialist you are, takes a lot more than web browser configs to hide your footsteps, especially as the browser is the last part of a long chain . Most people would be surprised at the information in their phone let alone their iPad or PC.

Thats the issue with the question, ignorance is not a defence and the traveller not being aware that their mobile device has stored illegal material could make things interesting, especially if it was a device used by others!

 

[Oneworldplus2]

If this Brazilian Banker can encrypt his hard drives so that law enforcement officials in Brazil and also the FBI can't crack, l'm sure if you want to hide something on your laptop, a pesky customs officer wouldn't have a chance. (not saying l have anything that needs encrypting or the like)

FBI baffled over Brazilian banker file encryption algorithm

Brazilian banker's crypto baffles FBI ? The Register

 

[markis10]

A customs officer would not have a chance but he would also have reasonable grounds to keep the laptop and refer it to someone that can crack it, namely the NSA, Pine Gap is not far away, if things were that bad.

 

[Mal]

A customs officer would not have a chance but he would also have reasonable grounds to keep the laptop and refer it to someone that can crack it, namely the NSA, Pine Gap is not far away, if things were that bad.

IIRC, about a year ago the Federal laws were changed, and now impose a very long jail sentence for not divulging passwords if requested.

Also, Customs do have a decent IT Forensics presence in Australia, and should be able to refer to the AFP where required.