Smartgate and children - something I didn't know

[Timtammi]

Mr Timtami and I are travelling to the USA in September via NZ. Our 12 year old daughter is travelling with us as far as AKL where she will be staying with her grandparents. The reverse is happening on the way home, she will be joining us in AKL when we transit from LAX.
I had assumed she would be able to use the Smartgate on arrivals by herself (she has done it before when travelling with us) but from the posts above I now see she may not? Its her first time "travelling" alone and she is a bit apprehensive about going through immi on her own. I told her we can walk her to the point where she needs to walk through to immi and her grandparents will be waiting on the other side. Is there anything I need to be aware of/potential pitfalls with this plan? We have not booked her as unaccompanied as we are actually on the plane with her (although we are in J and she is in Y on a separate ticket) and NZ does not require it for 12 year olds apparently.
She has an AU e-passport.

 

[Timtammi]

I just checked the NZ customs website re smartgate and they only say 12 and over, no mention of accompanying adults.

 

[Altair]

Timtammie I do not know how you can get the grandparents at the other side of the immigration counter as your daughter will still need to collect baggage and go through biosecurity before she can exit through the arrival hall.
I suggest you arrange an escort for your daughter, call the airline, or exit yourself and go upstairs ato departures and re-enter the airside terminal.
For the record last year at SYD departures I was told that my 4 your old daughter 100 cm with a NZ passport had to use the Smartgate. Surprisingly it worked for her, I cannot believe she stayed still for that long, but failed for me so I had to line up for manual processing. Needless to say a little stressed on both parties as she had to stand there out of my sight while I waited in line.....not impressed at all.

 

[Timtammi]

Thanks for the response Altair. Yes, I meant that the grandparents will be after baggage and biosecurity. She will have no baggage, only carryon and we will make sure she has the forms filled out correctly when we are on the plane with her prior to arrival. I think for a 12 year old who has travelled extensively it should be fine, my only concern is that immigration or customs may have a problem with it, but if NZ allow pax 12 and over to travel independently then I guess it must be ok.

 

[Haplo]

This is what happen when I traveled with my two year old:

One the way out of Sydney she went through the smartgate without any issue (she is less than 95cm) - I dont know how babies any younger can get through ......
One the way in the kiosk told us to that she is not old enough to use smart gate and have to be entered via the counter

Maybe border control don't care too much about people leaving but more strict on people entering.