Yet Another Fee Hike in Oz

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by monte

I'd guess over half of the people affected by this would be Aussies arriving home from overseas anyway and they don't seem to care too much about it..

Oh well, that makes everything alright then! <insert sarcasm smiley> LOL

This is just my perspective, but you're right, $380 isn't much in the grand scheme of things. If Customs charged me $200 and Immigration charged me $180 and AQIS was free, I would have just accepted it as a "Welcome to Paradise" tax.

But the reality is, the island is infested with more deadly animals than any other continent on the planet. It's as if a higher power turned it into a penal colony for all of the deadly unwanted species, long before the British thought of it. I just think it's hilarious to have such a strict/expensive quarantine program considering what's already there.

Contrast that with Hawaii, there are no indigenous snakes, no poisonous or dangerous animals aside from wild boars, which are nearly impossible to find. They have every reason to have extremely rigorous quarantine requirements, ESPECIALLY against anyone coming from Oz, yet they manage to do that on their own dime.

Common sense tells me every boat should be inspected upon departure from Oz to ensure none of the critters (4 legged, customs can handle the 2 legged variety) escape to infest the rest of the world.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

However, it's nice to know what to expect before hand. Without threads like this I'd have to do some digging to find out.
.

I find one of the best parts of forums like this is the "what to expect" aspect. It's the "I'm a first time cruiser to xxx. What should I expect. What do I need to do." You learn a lot here on that subject, mostly true. Then hopefully you verify it on the website of the country.

[chala]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

and he's got a freshly broken finger,
…would be nursing a broken hand

So that what you preconise for cruisers that complain that $380.- is too much.

Originally Posted by socaldmax

..boat should be inspected upon departure from Oz to ensure none of the critters (4 legged, customs can handle the 2 legged variety) escape to infest the rest of the world.

They are.

Socaldmax for someone that is scared of deadly animals, you are a disgrace.

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

I will keep in mind, maybe I can take a canoe to australia if I want a free ride home.

May not be free you may have to pay or repay the ride home and if you make yourself undesirable in some countries it may make your sailing more difficult for you and for other.

Originally Posted by weavis

I always wondered how two cans of aerosol spray dispersed from the aisle of an aircraft would kill bugs if they were in someones nice leather bag. Nothing makes sense anymore.

Try to understand this is OZ folklore, like singing Waltzing Matilda in the plane. Last time I flew, no singing, no spraying, Oz is changing.

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Ah... a bit like the boat people from SE Asia being given a hard time by the Ten Pound boat people from Europe......

For some good reasons.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by shufti

So let me get this right - it costs a visiting boat $380 for (essentially) a 12month pass to all Oz waters? It cost me (an aus. citizen) $437.40/yr rego for my boat (in QLD).

And you pay how much a litre for diesel for your boat compared with how much if you are a furriner or 'out of stater'?

Originally Posted by shufti

There is an easy way to avoid paying the fee though.

Yep, as the kiwis discovered when they imposed Cat1 survey requirements on departing foreign flag yachts. Scuppered a large part of the boat repair business when the yachts stopped arriving.

As I mentioned somewhere before both FP and NZ have recently extended the time that yachts can spend in country from 12 months to 2 years cos they know that cruisers spend $$$$$$$$$$

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by shufti

So let me get this right - it costs a visiting boat $380 for (essentially) a 12month pass to all Oz waters? It cost me (an aus. citizen) $437.40/yr rego for my boat (in QLD).

I'm failing to summon a tear. Sorry. There is an easy way to avoid paying the fee though.

There sure is. Sell your boat.

[shufti]

Yawn...

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

Oh well, that makes everything alright then! <insert sarcasm smiley> LOL

This is just my perspective, but you're right, $380 isn't much in the grand scheme of things. If Customs charged me $200 and Immigration charged me $180 and AQIS was free, I would have just accepted it as a "Welcome to Paradise" tax.

But the reality is, the island is infested with more deadly animals than any other continent on the planet. It's as if a higher power turned it into a penal colony for all of the deadly unwanted species, long before the British thought of it. I just think it's hilarious to have such a strict/expensive quarantine program considering what's already there.

Contrast that with Hawaii, there are no indigenous snakes, no poisonous or dangerous animals aside from wild boars, which are nearly impossible to find. They have every reason to have extremely rigorous quarantine requirements, ESPECIALLY against anyone coming from Oz, yet they manage to do that on their own dime.

Common sense tells me every boat should be inspected upon departure from Oz to ensure none of the critters (4 legged, customs can handle the 2 legged variety) escape to infest the rest of the world.

But there are a few things we DON'T have, that places like Hawaii do. Rabies, foot and mouth disease and Mad cows for instance.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Nope again: the 380 bucks goes only to AQIS, the other two services are free of charge.

As AQIS ought to be!

BTW, here's another thing that really sticks in my craw: The severe penalties for non-business hours inspection seemed sort of reasonable... until I asked an innocent question of the agent who was inspecting us the one time I screwed up and arrived on a weekend. I said "this extra expense is kinda a drag, but I'm glad you get some premium overtime for getting turfed out of your Sunday dinner" or some such. I was astonished by his answer: "Oh no, we don't get overtime for this, just our standard pay. We all have to stand weekend duties as part of our job."

So, it appears that the double fee just goes into the general fund as gravy and is not directed to the folks whose lives are disturbed by our untimely arrival. I think that sucks.

Oh well, I still like it here and will likely continue to cruise in Oz. I don't have to agree with all the policies and practices to do so.

Jim

The point was, the $380 covers everything (as long as you arrive on a weekday) there are no hidden extras, like Vanuatu's $1.50 per day "Port costs".

Re extra pay for working weekends - fact is they do get it. It's just spread out over their normal pay packet. I used to work in the oil industry, dayshift, nightshift and afternoon shift. Weekends and public holidays too. Christmas, new year, made no difference - we worked, we got paid the same amount. But we DID get paid more than a 9 to 5 er would have.

And there's no way these services are "Free" anywhere. It's just that different people are paying for them. In countries like NZ it's their taxpayers. Here it's the people actually using the services.

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

But there are a few things we DON'T have, that places like Hawaii do. Rabies, foot and mouth disease and Mad cows for instance.

Sorry, you're mistaken. Hawaii has NO rabies or mad cow on the islands.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is present, but appears to be spread among kids aged 2-4 mostly. Apparently, it's a non-fatal virus, similar to the common cold. I never heard about it when I lived there from 89-94, so it may be fairly new.


Now let's talk about saltwater crocs...

LOL

[BandB]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

Sorry, you're mistaken. Hawaii has NO rabies or mad cow on the islands.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is present,

LOL

Foot and mouth is common on Cruisers Forum. lol

[downunder]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

Sorry, you're mistaken. Hawaii has NO rabies or mad cow on the islands.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is present, but appears to be spread among kids aged 2-4 mostly. Apparently, it's a non-fatal virus, similar to the common cold. I never heard about it when I lived there from 89-94, so it may be fairly new.


Now let's talk about saltwater crocs...

LOL

socaldmax you certainly seem very concerned about our deadly animals.

In reality is not an issue. There are some areas and and animals that you need to take care with including those areas with crocs.

Most visitors survive.

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by BandB

Foot and mouth is common on Cruisers Forum. lol

You should have seen my original version of that post, there was reference to that!
LOL

However, I do love Aussies and I'm making a serious effort not to be antagonistic. My point was/is it would only cost 1 cent for a family of 3 to absorb the cost of Aqis ($380x207/28 million) and it could possibly bring in a lot more cruisers, spending a lot more money. How much, I have no idea, but I think it would be worth it. Otherwise you'd see many other countries charging similar fees for quarantine inspection before entry.

I know nothing is going to change as a result of this thread, but if a few people got a chuckle out of it and some insight (and I've learned a lot from those willing to speak candidly about Ozgov) then it's all good.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

My point was/is it would only cost 1 cent for a family of 3 to absorb the cost of Aqis ($380x207/28 million) and it could possibly bring in a lot more cruisers, spending a lot more money. How much, I have no idea, but I think it would be worth it. Otherwise you'd see many other countries charging similar fees for quarantine inspection before entry.

Try the Tongan health check.... crew of one... ie me.... Chick comes on board with a nasty cough.... her ' you feeling OK'... me 'yep' her '$100 please....'

Never mind the salties..... watch out for the mad cows in Oz.... I've met a few over the years.... take that as you will.....

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by downunder

socaldmax you certainly seem very concerned about our deadly animals.

In reality is not an issue. There are some areas and and animals that you need to take care with including those areas with crocs.

Most visitors survive.

I am, a little. When I do a google search about Australia and it's described as the continent with the most dangerous animals on the planet, that's not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Now if it was described as having the best beaches, or the best coastline, or a disproportionate percentage of the world's greatest wonders, I'd feel differently.

I'm sure you're right, one just needs to pay attention to what they're doing.

[Coops]

I have lived here for forty years, both on the coast and in the country. Never worn gloves when faffing around with stuff and never take any real precautions, and guess what? I have never been bitten, stung or attacked by anything other than what you would find most places. Mozzies, ants and wasps, yes, but I got the same in England.

It's over the top to think that you are going to be witness, or even victim to, mass murders by sadistic and potent fauna but if it worries you, then so be it.

Beaches? The nearest beach to me is practically deserted during the weekday and often totally so. It goes probably 10 miles without break, and most days we see dolphins cavorting fairly close in and even whales breaching in the distance during the migration seasons. It may not be the best beach, I have not seen them all, but it will do for us.

PS. One of the "most dangerous" is a cane toad. It can kill you, but only if you lick the back of it's head. If you are going to do that you probably deserve it.

Coops.