AQIS seems to have improved its procedures

[Melburnian1]

Many travellers fail to make the distinction between the Australian Customs Service and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.

The former's staff are a defence against drug couriers and others who engage in illegal activities such as identity theft or counterfeiting.

The latter is concerned with protecting our borders. This may mean stopping salami from being imported, or making sure that someone who has recently been in a freshwater stream overseas has clean boots.

A couple of years ago I was routinely made to wait up to 30 minutes by AQIS staff. I would then open my bags, show them my supermarket goods or permitted items purchased in plastic bags and then leave.

Now, while there may still be random searches, I typically have 20 seconds with the officer near the Melbourne Airport exit from international, tell him my story and am allowed to exit straight away.

I do not know whether the change is the result of more travellers, cutbacks to AQIS staff made under the previous Federal government or whether the staff found that they were searching far too many passengers who clearly had not and would be extremely unlikely to break any foodstuff or other rules that aim to keep Australia 'isolated' from tricky and destructive agricultural pests.

Whatever the reason, well done AQIS.

 

[Pushka]

I think they profile people. The only time we've been stopped and searched in years of travel was when we were travelling with our 18 year old.

 

[Melburnian1]

That's highly likely, but it does not explain why I used to be routinely searched by AQIS and now - for several trips - have not been.

If I recall, the incoming passenger car's wording for 'food' changed. It now excludes supermarket dry goods as it much more concentrates on items such as 'dairy.'

 

[Mal]

They clarified what they considered to be declarable items. This is probably why you have less of an issue... Especially if said goods previously were borderline.

 

[Melburnian1]

Mal, one had to previously declare chocolate. Even though it is a dairy product, one does not now have to declare it.

 

[bass_ke]

Melbournian, good eve.

I regret to inform you that both the Australian Customs Service and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service no longer exist.

 

[samh004]

I think they profile people.

I've watched Border Security... if you're Asian you might have a long night

 

[Melburnian1]

bass_ke, my apologies: I see that AQUIS is now part of the (Federal) Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry while the other agency is now called Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

 

[froggerADL]

With the increase in Chinese visitors they are probably far to busy looking for powdered tiger brains etc. to bother interrogating returning citizens who are generally well aware of the rules.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Profiling is quite appropriate. There are systems in play with regards to interrogation.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Throughout my regular travels over the past 3.5 years, the worst "search" I had to do was a brief visit by the sniffer dog, and when virtually everyone had to be checked with the outbreak of a new avian flu strain.

 

[samh004]

Throughout my regular travels over the past 3.5 years, the worst "search" I had to do was a brief visit by the sniffer dog, and when virtually everyone had to be checked with the outbreak of a new avian flu strain.

I had a search of an entire suitcase in CHC many years ago. I must have looked like a drug smuggler.

 

[ReLoad]

AQIS have been awesome lately with very short queues and most of the time straight out, great stuff.
Wish I could say the same with customs. my last 3 departures have been rather painful, the worst was at BNE, got all manner of grilling by probably the worlds rudest customs agent. On the painful scale she is 3 levels higher than a BA lounge dragon at LHR.
However returning into AU with smartgate, no issues at all, give me the robot anyday.

Here's a tip for you BNE customs lady who was having a bad hair day; Occasionally people go overseas for business - just sayin!

 

[Pushka]

I had bought some lollies in Adelaide market to take to Bali for my kids. They were the 'holes' from lifesavers. Son did not eat them and they were left in the luggage. Boy did Customs think they scored that day when the suitcase was xrayed. Our youngest son was taken aside and we, and adult son were asked if we knew our rights. They knew exactly where to get to the lollies, found the central market bag and looked so disappointed. Of course, we did not know what they were looking for and and could only trust our son hadn't done a Corby. Which of course, he hasn't. And that was the last time we have ever been checked.

 

[Hvr]

On my recent trip to BKK I actually checked a small suitcase on my return trip to Australia. The reason being that the shampoos etc from the various Hilton hotels were too good to leave behind and I will use them. Therefore, my carry on liquid allowance would have been exceeded.

The case came off the carousel very quickly and with the long queue at the exit I used my priority card. Straight through and there was a person waiting for me who asked me to follow him to a semi public inspection area. I put my case on the table as requested and started to open it.

I was told to cease and wait until I had everything explained to me. So the usual bit about did I understand the card, did I pack it myself and know what was in the bag etc. Then I was allowed to open it.

He went straight for the little bottles and asked me what they were. I explained, he had a brief look and then a perfunctory look at the rest of the contents. Not interested in my carry on luggage.

I am convinced it was a targetted search based on what the stuff looked like on the x-ray and that as soon I went through the door the person was waiting for my case.


An interesting side note: as mentioned the regular exit queue was very long, about 50 people and at the entrance to the priority queue there was a person arguing that they should be allowed to use it. The doorkeeper refused saying that he needed a priority card.

I approached with card in hand, he thanked me and turned to the other person saying that that was the required card. The person then started demanding to know where he could get one and the last bit I heard was to ask your air line.

 

[Fruitcake]

Many travellers fail to make the distinction between the Australian Customs Service and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.

The former's staff are a defence against drug couriers and others who engage in illegal activities such as identity theft or counterfeiting.

Although sometimes, both Customs and AQIS staff are drug couriers .

 

[harvyk]

bass_ke, my apologies: I see that AQUIS is now part of the (Federal) Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry while the other agency is now called Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

They've always (well at least for the last 7 or 8 years probably longer) been part of DAFF... They where certainly part of DAFF when I did some work for them back in 2006...

As for who they select, I still remember the day I was doing work at SYD airport. I spent the morning in customs hall B basically standing around looking pretty (I was the on-site guy as a systems upgrade had happened overnight) and it was almost like they could smell it when something wasn't right. Whilst not everyone they checked over that morning had stuff on them, a large percentage certainly did. You could also tell from the faces on the inspectors that the passenger had just given "standard excuse #162".

It was certainly an interesting experience to see things from the other side of the desk...