Shipping stuff to Australia...

I was shipping something to Canada last week, and the guy at UPS was telling me this story about some guy who wanted to ship his belongings to Australia because he was going to move there. Australian customs wanted to know every single item he was shipping, and details about every one of them (i.e. % cotton content of all his clothing, etc.). Said it took about 7 hours to fill out all the necessary forms and what not. When the items were finally shipped, they were sent back because customs "couldn't read" one of the forms, so they had to go through the whole thing again to send the stuff. Then, when the guy got to Australia, customs wanted about $1200 for him to pick up his stuff... That sounds unbelievably insane, but is it true? Is Australian customs that messed up?

I don't think we had any sort of thing like that moving to NZ. Friends of ours even had their garbage cans full of garbage moved here without a problem (due to the geniuses at the shipping company deciding to pack them as well).

Sounds like the UPS guy doesn't know his arse from his elbow.

WOW

are they actively trying to keep people out of their country???

jesus, are they afraid of terrorists making a bomb out of socks with 25% polyester????????

WOW

are they actively trying to keep people out of their country???

jesus, are they afraid of terrorists making a bomb out of socks with 25% polyester????????

I asked the guy why they would do that, and he seemed to think it was just people creating a huge beaurocratic mess so they could keep their jobs... something like that.

^^ Or blackjacks with a sock and a bar of soap. :)


Honestly, it would be a much more effective weapon to hijack an airplane with then nail clippers. Crazy airport customs officials.

i've had ballpoint pens confiscated :screwy:

They obviously have a Duty fetish, or their quota isn't filled.

Personally, I think that if you can hijack a plane with a set of nailclippers, you deserve the plane.

"/=" ? :sly:

Not true. Anything you ship in from overseas as in buying it, you have to pay GST for once it arrives at customs, but that's it.

I've never heard a claim like that. But I think Oz has it right. I'm not a fan of learning shit about customs, and even our own law.
Oz, what part of sydney do you hail from?

I moved to Texas from Perth several years ago and I don't remember customs being that much of a bitch. We had all our stuff ( our cats included ) shipped over here, and didn't have to pay anything to customs to pick it up. i guess things have changed all around the world since 9-11.

Ex pay Aussie, Karen? Perth to Texas would have been a culture shock!

tell me about it!!
i'm all situated here, even lost 99% of my accent (frown).
i sounded cooler with the accent. damn americans infuencing my speech!
no, but i do like texas. i miss living 15 minutes from the indian ocean, though.

;) Everything's bigger in Texas. Were you born here?

Why did you move?

i'll tell you all about it in a few minutes, i gotta try to put my baby to sleep first!!!

Is that a euphamism for something else? ;)

;) Everything's bigger in Texas. Were you born here?

Why did you move?
Because it's Perth. The Christchurch of Australia.


There answered for her and with time to spare (So I can finish my sandwich and err......Never mind)

Is that a euphamism for something else?
no, i have a 9 week old little boy.
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/190205rollin_in_cash_.JPG

Anyway, I was born in Canada, then when my parents divorced i moved to Perth (where my mom was origianally from) and lived with her until she decided to move to Texas. She wanted to learn spanish, so we first moved to south texas then to Fort Worth where we live now (she lives south of Fort Worth and I live in fort worth). Anyway, I don't think I had ever seen a Mexican before we moved out of Perth. Yeah, culture shock alright!!!
I remember seeing a sign in a grocery store when we first moved to america. It said Restroom. God, I had no idea what that ment!! I had to go in and check it out. Turns out, that's what they called toilets! I though there would be bed and couches for people to take naps or something!! How dumb I was!

I didn't know you lived in Sydney. (I just looked at your profile.)
That's cool, now I have an aussie buddy to talk to!! (if you don't mind!)

No worries :cheers:

As for the Canada thing, my favourite country in the world. Been there a few times. :)

Oz, i would never have guesseg you are only 19. you sound wise beyond your years!
If you get bored sometime you can AIM me, my AOL name is TurboKaren512

:lol2: I don't get that very often around here ;)

I don't have AIM, but do run MSN. I can PM you the email addy I use for that (not the @af one, my personal one).

:cheers:

Because it's Perth. The Christchurch of Australia.


There answered for her and with time to spare (So I can finish my sandwich and err......Never mind)


Hey fuck you, I have to live in Chch for at least the next 5 years, starting next year!

Jackass :p

yeah but you will end up with an education. And a sh!t load of beer drinking

Hey fuck you, I have to live in Chch for at least the next 5 years, starting next year!

Jackass :p
I lived in ChCh once as well, big mistake.

Nobody lives in Christchurch.They exist.

.....I like the place.......

You won't when you move there :p

Stop ruining my dreams you Italian asshole

Ouch dudes!

Im a Perth native :icon16:, and I can tell you its a pretty chilled city. Yes its small(1million give or take) but we got the best beaches and scenery here, and weed. lol.

But i'll admit the night life here aint no melbourne or sydney, its better then adelaide at least[whatta hole] and dont get me started on tassie.

p.s: Karen what suburb in Perth did you used to live in?

Queens Park

You Italian asshole


There's the Christchurch spirit!!!!!! :evillol:

i miss living 15 minutes from the indian ocean, though.

I lived closer than you......I used to look at the Indian Ocean out my lounge window.......

memories...... :(

lucky bastard!!

I sent beer to Australia. No customs duties, no problems. :D

I was shipping something to Canada last week, and the guy at UPS was telling me this story about some guy who wanted to ship his belongings to Australia because he was going to move there. Australian customs wanted to know every single item he was shipping, and details about every one of them (i.e. % cotton content of all his clothing, etc.). Said it took about 7 hours to fill out all the necessary forms and what not. When the items were finally shipped, they were sent back because customs "couldn't read" one of the forms, so they had to go through the whole thing again to send the stuff. Then, when the guy got to Australia, customs wanted about $1200 for him to pick up his stuff... That sounds unbelievably insane, but is it true? Is Australian customs that messed up?
The UPS guy doesn't know what he's talking about. Some of them try to scare you, but the customs form can be pretty vague. :rofl:

cant say ive heard of Queens Park? Maybe Kings Park?

yeah I live in Cottesloe, near the beach there, the shores of the sparkling Indian Ocean!

p.s: If you ever go to Perth makesure you go North to check out Coral Bay, arguably the best place in the world for snorkelling, scuba diving and fishing. I went 5 metres into the water from shore, and saw a stingray, 1.5m snapper's, assorted coral fish and even a turtle!

peace