A Customs spokeswoman last night said: "Customs aim to process 95 per cent of arriving international passengers through the immigration line within 30 minutes of joining the queue. This standard is generally met and often exceeded."
No reference to quarantine. (shhhh you hit the nail on the head).
It would be nice if the nice journalist rang both Customs and AQIS to get decent numbers. And it would be nice if SYSTEMIC issues were followed.
But it is clear, perception is that its not acceptable, whatever lame service standards get recited.
Given the 'going over' is a lot more than I remember, can we have some stats on what EXTRA they are finding. I suspect there is a measure of justification, and bull**** wishy washy risk assessments re-jigged after letting horse flu in. No fireblight apples yet.
The following rant occurred, because JETSTAR did not hand out declaration forms on an international-domestic flight, or give a 2 minute pep talk to grease the way. The airlines are not doing their bit.
The other observation is that low risk int-domestic pax are getting blended in, and dune over. One assumes that they are wise to, and on the lookout for inflight mulling. Trouble here is, healthy load factors will amplify peak arrival congestion.
Recently had a nice doggy sit beside my luggage and paw the heck out of a carryon. International collection. Fortunately I knew I had no issues, and quickly surrendered on prompting, my Cairns booty - tub of fruit pieces. - binned! They professionally kept tabs on us, I could feel the eye.
Stood in line, knowing special treatment lay ahead. But told they were not interested in the huge suitcases, just carryon, and cleared. Then remembered the coffee pot, and Kunandra roasted coffee beans in it - maybe the dog goes for coffee. Nothing said, and we were out.
The point is,I forgot something. AQIS should just telll BogStar to give quarantine forms to everyone, and run a video. The form would have jogged my memory.
Another family member is pissed off, because he declared spice, and suspect footwear, but copped an official warning for the undeclared wooden spice rack when he showed the bottles. Heavyhanded and inappropriate. Can one make a complaint and whom to?
How do we solve the mess?. Well the journo needs to publish their think tank of ideas, and get the community to help. Opening up an 'Amber' Qline is one idea.