Shipping stuff to Australia...

ci5ic · #1 06-04-2004, 09:15 PM

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?

Toksin · #2 06-04-2004, 09:17 PM

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.

FireBball972 · #3 06-04-2004, 09:17 PM

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????????

ci5ic · #4 06-04-2004, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireBball972

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.

Sean · #5 06-04-2004, 09:19 PM

^^ 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.

FireBball972 · #6 06-04-2004, 09:20 PM

i've had ballpoint pens confiscated

zebrathree · #7 06-04-2004, 09:21 PM

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

Toksin · #8 06-04-2004, 09:29 PM

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

Jay! · #9 06-04-2004, 09:53 PM

"/=" ?

Oz · #10 06-04-2004, 11:47 PM

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.

-Davo · #11 06-05-2004, 12:07 AM

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?

Karen512 · #12 06-09-2004, 11:32 PM

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.

Oz · #13 06-09-2004, 11:35 PM

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

Karen512 · #14 06-09-2004, 11:38 PM

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.

Oz · #15 06-09-2004, 11:45 PM

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

Why did you move?

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