Pre-travel things

[Chief Wiggum]

If you are in an area of an attack or natual disaster of any sort, they know you are there and they keep an eye out for you. If you have been blown to smitheerens, but yr p/p is intact that will help too. And, the Embassy will easily be able to liaise with the distraught relos if you go missing, thrown into jail or go offline for some length of time. Smartraveller.gov.au - I want to register my travel plans

Sadly... strangely... this is no longer an option offered by the Australian Govt. To pre-register your trip details. Since 1st Nov 2019 they now only offer DFAT Smart Traveller registration when/if "an event is in progress".

So if you're unlucky enough to be trapped in an earthquake devastated city, or other such natural, or man-made disaster... you are now expected to find a computer and go to ST site and register your details... for what purpose... who knows.

Very odd decision IMO to remove pre-registration. I'm told, "not many people used it". Well, I used it... naively believing it was doing good as per the quote above.

Oh well, when the worst happens on OS trip, it's now up to my family to come looking for me? Seems the Govt doesn't care about it's travelling citizens any more? <end-whinge>

 

[get me outta here]

I'm beginning to suspect that as the govt wants to outsource visa apps to the private sector, the SmartTraveller site is a victim of that internal reworking.

Sadly... strangely... this is no longer an option offered by the Australian Govt. To pre-register your trip details. Since 1st Nov 2019 they now only offer DFAT Smart Traveller registration when/if "an event is in progress".

So if you're unlucky enough to be trapped in an earthquake devastated city, or other such natural, or man-made disaster... you are now expected to find a computer and go to ST site and register your details... for what purpose... who knows.

Very odd decision IMO to remove pre-registration. I'm told, "not many people used it". Well, I used it... naively believing it was doing good as per the quote above.

Oh well, when the worst happens on OS trip, it's now up to my family to come looking for me? Seems the Govt doesn't care about it's travelling citizens any more? <end-whinge>

 

[p--and--t]

When you spend $27M or more on temporary housing for 4 people to prove a political point, then cuts have to be made somewhere.