Tullamarine terror

[ozchick]

Anyone know what the average queuing time is if one is foolish enough to declare something at Melbourne Airport?
I'd like to take gifts back home occasionally but after a 3 hour in-airport queue-up a fortnight before last Christmas when I had NOTHING to declare at all, I'm a wee bit hesitant to do anything that might exacerbate the situation..... and yet I have some boxed chocolates from Ireland etc that I'd like to take in.............
Anyone here experienced anything recenly with declarations? Personally I feel that the OZ government's stance which outlaws all edible items is just overkill......

[ksl]

Anyone know what the average queuing time is if one is foolish enough to declare something at Melbourne Airport?
I'd like to take gifts back home occasionally but after a 3 hour in-airport queue-up a fortnight before last Christmas when I had NOTHING to declare at all, I'm a wee bit hesitant to do anything that might exacerbate the situation..... and yet I have some boxed chocolates from Ireland etc that I'd like to take in.............
Anyone here experienced anything recenly with declarations? Personally I feel that the OZ government's stance which outlaws all edible items is just overkill......

Eat them first and give the wrappings away, Oooops Well customs wouldn't let me through To outlaw all edible items, is far too much, that means you are not allowed in

[Nath21]

Here is a tip for you at Melbourne, if the non declare line is very long, skip to the declare line as its really quick. I declared some tea leaves pre packaged in a western stle packaging the guy said you didnt need to declare them and I said just being careful and he put me through. I saved at least an hour and went through in under five minutes.

[bigfilsing]

Here is a tip for you at Melbourne, if the non declare line is very long, skip to the declare line as its really quick. I declared some tea leaves pre packaged in a western stle packaging the guy said you didnt need to declare them and I said just being careful and he put me through. I saved at least an hour and went through in under five minutes.

I've done the same at Perth airport with an unopened pack of Singapore cigarettes. Works a treat. You do feel a bit guilty as you go thru but that lasts about a nano second

[sierra2469alpha]

bigfilsing/NATH21- So the next time you think you're "oh so good, I cheated the system" you'll take potentially harmful bacteria or virii into a country that has quarantine laws.

Yay for you.

Back in AUS, my home country, we have these laws for a reason - normally to keep people who have no concept of quarantine from themselves. If you think you have tricked quarantine and immi then you are SORELY MISTAKEN. If you are both Australian, I feel quite ashamed to call you countrymen.

@Ozchick - best not to import foodstuffs. That law has been around for quite many years. And for good reason, IMHO. That way, you don't have to endanger anyone, anything, or any animal.

Best, Mr. P

[mules]

common misconception australia bans all edible items, there's alot that is allowed, you just need to declare - i have declared and always been allowed processed foods like eg. chocolates, biscuits, etc. i was once told to throw out a packet of cranberries, as they are high risk. it was a non-issue as I had declared food and they had the bin right there to discard them.

just declare your chocolates, they will be allowed. and usually the 'declare' line is quicker than the 'nothing to declare' line.

i know it's a pain having to deal with any of this, but just keep the aussie farmer in mind who has battled years of drought, falling prices, floods and years of high interest rates. the last thing they need is a fruit fly or other critter to decimate their crops.

[ozchick]

common misconception australia bans all edible items, there's alot that is allowed, you just need to declare - i have declared and always been allowed processed foods like eg. chocolates, biscuits, etc. i was once told to throw out a packet of cranberries, as they are high risk. it was a non-issue as I had declared food and they had the bin right there to discard them.

just declare your chocolates, they will be allowed. and usually the 'declare' line is quicker than the 'nothing to declare' line.

i know it's a pain having to deal with any of this, but just keep the aussie farmer in mind who has battled years of drought, falling prices, floods and years of high interest rates. the last thing they need is a fruit fly or other critter to decimate their crops.

1.Yeah I know the item may be allowed but the fact that you have to 'declare it' is my concern. I was under the impression that if you are declaring something you surely end up in a longer queue than if you don't declare.
2. I just got off the plane and the instruction to passengers upon landing was that all food items must be declared. Anyway, I had nothing to declare and there were no queues anywhere and it was fantastic! I'm home in the suburbs in record time but would I have received the same fast service if I'd declared something? This is what I'm wanting to know.

[sierra2469alpha]

Ozchick - sheesh! Protecting your home country means naught?!!! If it's just a delay in a queue, what's the issue? Again, you DON'T have to bring it in - it's a choice! Is the foodstuff THAT important?

Quarantine exists for a reason.

People that cheat it get what they deserve, IMHO

http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/travel/ente ... /cant-take

Mr. P

[ksl]

I'm home in the suburbs in record time but would I have received the same fast service if I'd declared something? This is what I'm wanting to know.

I'll forgive you for thinking like that, because you are a woman! but the answer is in the hands of god! That could be me by the way, Although i don't practice my voodoo on Ozchicks, not yet anyway, so be good to me

The fact of the matter is you could be delayed at any point on your journey from A to B, if he kept you longer than you expected, you could say keep the chocs, run outside the airport, and find you have no transport home, then you would be wishing you waited for the chocs, because there was a slight chance he would let you through, my point is you could be stopped at any time in your tracks, so delay or no delay doesn't really matter. One can only hope, that everything goes quickly, because life is so short.

[mules]

ozchick - that's like asking how long is a piece of string, are you expecting a real answer!?
who knows what happens in queues or no-queues, like standing in a supermarket queue, some can be quick, or you suddenly choose one that looks quick and then there's a price check.
enjoy aust and it's wonderful food!

[Nath21]

If I do the right thing and go through the declare line how is it bringing in harmful bacteria? its the declare line! They as the control point should check your bags still. It just means you skip the que for the non declare line where they may check your bags.

bigfilsing/NATH21- So the next time you think you're "oh so good, I cheated the system" you'll take potentially harmful bacteria or virii into a country that has quarantine laws.

Yay for you.

If you are both Australian, I feel quite ashamed to call you countrymen

[Quasimodo]

Just do the right thing for two reasons . . .

One - it is the right thing to do

Two - you will get through customs quicker.

[sierra2469alpha]

...They as the control point should check your bags still. It just means you skip the que for the non declare line where they may check your bags...

For someone who I thought was quite smart, your argument is slightly non-sensicle! The control point is in fact yourself, when you sign the form on the plane/ship/boat. You sign it; it is a legal document; you DECLARE either way that you are bringing somethng into AUS that is declareable or not. We WILL arrest you and fine you for false declarations.

Jumping the queue (note correct spelling of "queue") and handing that form over constitutes a breach of the Customs Act (1987, as amended). Either you declare, or you do not. Simple. Normal.

As Quasimodo said - just do the right thing. Not too difficult.

[rattlesnake]

If I do the right thing and go through the declare line how is it bringing in harmful bacteria? its the declare line! They as the control point should check your bags still. It just means you skip the que for the non declare line where they may check your bags.

bigfilsing/NATH21- So the next time you think you're "oh so good, I cheated the system" you'll take potentially harmful bacteria or virii into a country that has quarantine laws.

Yay for you.

If you are both Australian, I feel quite ashamed to call you countrymen

I'm with you Nath21 - declare something inane just to skip the queue. That is a completely different proposition to some of the fanciful scenarios being counter argued. This is about queue jumping, not smuggling anthrax or your dvd bukake collection.

BTW - The plural of virus is viruses - virii is a neologism.

[Plavt]

bigfilsing/NATH21- So the next time you think you're "oh so good, I cheated the system" you'll take potentially harmful bacteria or virii into a country that has quarantine laws.

In a packet of cigarettes or pre-packed tea!?