Australian Customs Service - Current actions

[Factor]

I am advised that the ACS - Customs has recently been directing people on their boats that they are not permitted to video or audio record the search etc.

ACS have advised me that they rely on Section 234AA of the Customs Act to make such direction. Even a cursory view of the legislation would suggest they are, as I understand my american frinds would say - whistling dixie.

Section 234 AA provides for no such power in the manner in which it is being exercised.

A full article will be written on this for Multihull World Magazine, Coastal Passage and Cruising Helmsman (All Australian Mags), and posted here and on a number of other sites.

AS always - get your own legal advice if you are incapable of reading the act or are unsure.

[bruce in oz]

now this is interesting, earlier this year i helped organise the darwin to ambon yacht race, part of which necessitated talks by aqis, customs, bom and anyone else who came along. the abc sent a tv crew along. i advised the customs girls that the abc would be filming the briefing and they informed me that they were prohibited from being filmed, no sweat, nothing flash clothes on etc. i related this incident to a navy defence force officer the next day and he informed that what they were saying was a load of crap. the only folk who have the right to refuse being filmed are pretty much asio...
but at the end of the day are you really prepared to get them offside by forcing the issue, its easier not to tell them. the beauty of the spar mounted security web cam....