20 August 2009

Australia, NZ reach new border agreement

WELLINGTON - A new trans-Tasman border agreement is set to increase the rewards for tourism industries in New Zealand and Australia.

It is also likely to reduce the cost of flying between New Zealand and Australia.

The plan to cut red tape and create a common border will allow trans-Tasman travellers to avoid customs and immigration.

Flight prices could fall by up to 30 per cent, according to some estimates.

The agreement, announced following a meeting between Australian PM Kevin Rudd and his NZ counterpart John Key today, will see streamlined processes for border processing of trans-Tasman passengers, making Australian travellersââ¬â¢ experience of arriving in New Zealand faster and easier.

New Zealand travellers arriving in Australia can also expect a faster transition through immigration and customs.

ââ¬ÅâœNew Zealand is already the most popular destination for Australian travellers, however there is still much potential,ââ¬~ says Tourism New Zealand CEO, George Hickton.

ââ¬ÅâœThe new, quicker border procedures will make it easier and more appealing for Australians to come back more than once, to visit different regions and have different experiences.ââ¬~

The agreement follows through on a commitment made in March this year by the governments of Australia and New Zealand to ensure that people and goods can move more easily between the two countries.

It will result in improvements in the speed of screening and processing of low-risk passengers.

SmartGate technology, which allows self-processing for ePassport holders, will also be introduced for arrivals at Auckland airport by the end of 2009, with Wellington and Christchurch airports following next year.

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• It;s still a far cry from common borders
  
  

  The deal arranged today to make travel between Australia and New Zealand falls considerably short of the 'common borders' that have been hinted at in recent weeks. Visitors to both countries will still arrive at international terminals with all the delays that entails; only those passports issued since 2005 will be able to be processed automatically - and that means that anyone else still has to queue for passport control. If tourism and business tourism in particular is to benefit we have to emulate the European Community and regard both Australia and New Zealand as having common borders.

  By Peter Gray, Thursday, August 20, 2009
• need to get rid of all international taxes
  
  

  but fear govt adicted to revenue to keep employing public servants we don't need AT ALL !!!

  By Craig Mathews, Thursday, August 20, 2009
• no drop in fares if departure tax stays
  
  

  if AUD$47 departure tax at Australian end stays how are fares going to fall at all ?

  By Craig Mathews, Thursday, August 20, 2009