AQIS not inspecting cars properly

[jaydee]

My brother regularly imports Mustangs from the US.

If he buys one thats a bit of a clunker AQIS (Aust Quarintine Inspection Service) go over the car, it has to be specially hosed down in a special booth thats catches all the crud etc. It then has to be inspected and given the all clear.
However if it's a really nice one it just gets a tick, and a quick look over to make sure (supposedly). Now this all comes at a price of course that all adds to the import cost.

So yesterday we had 2 dropped off by the tow truck direct from AQIS.

Open the bonnet on the fastback and bugger me the first thing I see is a snake skin where a snake has rubbed up alongside the brake master cylinder to shed it's skin. There's also dirt and gravel.

Big question is "Where's the snake?"

Previously we've found leaf litter, spiders, candy in the console (which someone could easily substitute for some sort of drug), orange peel etc.

So, so much for protecting our borders.

[Kryton]

We imported a Filter Dryer from another drug company in England recently.
It arrived on site having been through customs and upon opening it, the whole inside was still caked in Morphine.
Pulled out almost 4 kgs.
It hadnt been washed properly and still somehow managed to make it through customs.

[davenl5l]

all car & motorcycle containers are meant to be fumigated...at least they were a couple of years ago and the 30yrs i worked for a s/h motorcycle importer

[Pedro]

They lifted the bonnet of my GTO, saw the engine compartment was clean and gave the car a tick. Could have been anything in the boot or under the seats.

True story ... a pick-up (F100 or similar) was exported from Florida to Norway.
When customs checked it out at the destination, there was a very much alive alligator behind the seat. The new owner wanted to keep it but they wouldn't let him and euthanized it.

[BEN189]

It is not up to quarantine to check for anything but soil, plant or animal Contamination, not drugs or other illegal imports that customs should be looking for.
At the end of the day there isn't enough aqis and customs officers to check every shipment that comes in.

[nstg8a]

i work for a small logistics company, and we are an approved aqis site, some of the crap you see the aqis staff do is mindboggling.
for the money theyre on they should be a damn sight more on the ball than they are.

under staffed or not, there no excuse for sheer laziness.

[2011G6E]

Must be a lot slacker than many years back. I remember a Street Machine article about importing engines yourself that said be wary when unpacking a second hand engine...or even a new crated one...from the states as the customs guys used to pressure clean engines with some chemical, and "weren't too choosy about where they pointed the high pressure spray gun", so make sure none has gone down the manifold and into the pistons, and so-on.

[nstg8a]

we're getting in roughly 25-30 containers a week from asia/mexico and other places, out of those only maybe 4-5 require fumegating, and out of those maybe 50% will actually be fumegated.

ive had agis on site to watch the containers being unloaded, and theyre leaving as soon as the paperwork is done, and before the seals are cut, because they have too much to do, to stand round watching it get unloaded.

[BEN189]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

we're getting in roughly 25-30 containers a week from asia/mexico and other places, out of those only maybe 4-5 require fumegating, and out of those maybe 50% will actually be fumegated.

ive had agis on site to watch the containers being unloaded, and theyre leaving as soon as the paperwork is done, and before the seals are cut, because they have too much to do, to stand round watching it get unloaded.

I must say, Sydney doesn't have that problem, they don't miss much down here. It is the responsibility of the AQIS approved site and the customs broker to send something for fumigation, if AQIS miss something due to whatever reason and a shipment is not fumigated when it should be and the warehouse or broker know this, they should correct AQIS.

[jaydee]

Originally Posted by BEN189

It is not up to quarantine to check for anything but soil, plant or animal Contamination, not drugs or other illegal imports that customs should be looking for.
At the end of the day there isn't enough aqis and customs officers to check every shipment that comes in.

These cars I was talking about weren't straight out of the container at the wharf, they were delivered to an approved AQIS depot where they inspect all vehciles and hsoe down the sus ones.
So it's not a case of AQIS sitting on the wharf watching containers and waiting for them to be opened.
They're delivered to the holding yard and don't release them until they've had the tick.
Why charge you a fee if they don't inspect them?

[Mickxr8]

Live bullets in the glove box of a 59 fairlane we imported yrs ago ( only 22`s but ? ) , fumigation seemed to have been done coz the wasp nests under it were empty lol

[BEN189]

Originally Posted by jaydee

These cars I was talking about weren't straight out of the container at the wharf, they were delivered to an approved AQIS depot where they inspect all vehciles and hsoe down the sus ones.
So it's not a case of AQIS sitting on the wharf watching containers and waiting for them to be opened.
They're delivered to the holding yard and don't release them until they've had the tick.
Why charge you a fee if they don't inspect them?

I understand what you mean mate, being a customs broker, I have to deal with AQIS everyday and I am constantly correcting their stuff ups but that is the thing, if you know they have missed something, you should tell them.

[kevino]

The Government cut AQIS budget-they have to do less with less!

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by jaydee

Open the bonnet on the fastback and bugger me the first thing I see is a snake skin where a snake has rubbed up alongside the brake master cylinder to shed it's skin. There's also dirt and gravel.

Big question is "Where's the snake?"

Maybe it's Shelby Cobra Super Snake?

Sorry... couldn't help myself.

[Scott]

I can appreciate the OP's concerns, but really - AQIS is under-powered for the task.

Staff number............................................ ...................3300
Revenue AQIS expects to receive in 2010/11.....................388 million
Mail items screened each year........................................140 million
Air passengers and crew arriving each year.......................13 million
Cargo containers inspected each year..............................1.7 million
International vessels inspected each year.........................14,000
Number of quarantine items seized at airports each year......500,000
Per cent of these items that are undeclared......................12%

For every AQIS staff member, they would each need to complete the following to make the numbers above true:

Inspect 515 Shipping Containers;
Seize 151 items at the Aiprort;
Inspect more than 4 International Vessels a year;
Manage 4000 "Air Passengers" per year;
And screen 42,424 mail parcels per year;

Odd how stuff slips through eh?

[mik]

i used to pull containers out of customs fairly regularly , it was pretty obvious some of these company`s where taking shortcuts or not doing the job at all.

[Matty4]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Must be a lot slacker than many years back. I remember a Street Machine article about importing engines yourself that said be wary when unpacking a second hand engine...or even a new crated one...from the states as the AQIS guys used to pressure clean engines with some chemical, and "weren't too choosy about where they pointed the high pressure spray gun", so make sure none has gone down the manifold and into the pistons, and so-on.

Edited to ensure you blame the correct organisation...

[deanp100]

There are some things to clear up here.
1) AQIS inspectors don't clean anything themselves, they order it done.
2) Engines are cleaned with water and degreaser usually. Nothing special but it often goes down the wrong hole.
3) AQIS has gone downhill when they stopped recruiting only applicants with an agricultural education, and made it"we will take anyone who thinks it is cool and train them later".
4) Brisbane inspectors can be diabolical.
5) It all went to **** when I left the organisation(in my opinion of course.)

[deanp100]

Originally Posted by Scott

I can appreciate the OP's concerns, but really - AQIS is under-powered for the task.

Staff number............................................ ...................3300
Revenue AQIS expects to receive in 2010/11.....................388 million
Mail items screened each year........................................140 million
Air passengers and crew arriving each year.......................13 million
Cargo containers inspected each year..............................1.7 million
International vessels inspected each year.........................14,000
Number of quarantine items seized at airports each year......500,000
Per cent of these items that are undeclared......................12%

For every AQIS staff member, they would each need to complete the following to make the numbers above true:

Inspect 515 Shipping Containers;
Seize 151 items at the Aiprort;
Inspect more than 4 International Vessels a year;
Manage 4000 "Air Passengers" per year;
And screen 42,424 mail parcels per year;

Odd how stuff slips through eh?

Scott, I smell an insider.

[BEN189]

Originally Posted by deanp100

There are some things to clear up here.
1) AQIS inspectors don't clean anything themselves, they order it done.
2) Engines are cleaned with water and degreaser usually. Nothing special but it often goes down the wrong hole.
3) AQIS has gone downhill when they stopped recruiting only applicants with an agricultural education, and made it"we will take anyone who thinks it is cool and train them later".
4) Brisbane inspectors can be diabolical.
5) It all went to **** when I left the organisation(in my opinion of course.)

I agree with everything you just said there. It is very frustrating referring import jobs to the duty officer because front counter officers cannot read paperwork properly.

[Scott]

Originally Posted by deanp100

Scott, I smell an insider.

Way off base mate, I wouldn't see morning tea on my first day in the Public Service I'm afraid.

[Cheech]

If you've ever seen the Liitle Britain skit "computer says no", you'll realise what the front counter officers at AQIS are like. The last re-structure at AQIS took away any discretionary powers and use of common sense.

[BEN189]

All the good officers work down at the airport so they get penalty pay rates as it is a 24 hour operation.

[deanp100]

Originally Posted by BEN189

All the good officers work down at the airport so they get penalty pay rates as it is a 24 hour operation.

No, all the good ones got fed up of the crap, and after remembering the good old days where everyone cared about the job they did, resigned in disgust, or are in the process of it.

[deanp100]

Originally Posted by BEN189

I agree with everything you just said there. It is very frustrating referring import jobs to the duty officer because front counter officers cannot read paperwork properly.

Oh god. Those words come back to haunt me. Oh ok, just fax the packing dec and fumo cert through to me and I will get it fixed on AIMS for you. Yes I know the front desk are stupid.

[BEN189]

Originally Posted by deanp100

No, all the good ones got fed up of the crap, and after remembering the good old days where everyone cared about the job they did, resigned in disgust, or are in the process of it.

All the good ones that are left...
Soon, customs brokers will be quarantine brokers too.

[devilcv8]

AQIS? What is this AQIS that is mentioned here.
It is DAFF Biosecurity.
AQIS is gone.

[deanp100]

Originally Posted by BEN189

All the good ones that are left...
Soon, customs brokers will be quarantine brokers too.

Yes. Just sign you up to some sort of Quality arrangement, give you a plaque as the first joint,AQIS superbroker, have some photos done for Central Office magazine and then let you loose to clear anything you like, with a yearly audit to check on the quality of the morning tea you supply to AQIS Auditors.
Do I sound bitter? I don't mean to. AQIS ground the bitterness out of me years ago.

[BEN189]

Originally Posted by devilcv8

AQIS? What is this AQIS that is mentioned here.
It is DAFF Biosecurity.
AQIS is gone.

Diff name, same old grief

[bungarra]

Originally Posted by devilcv8

AQIS? What is this AQIS that is mentioned here.
It is DAFF Biosecurity.
AQIS is gone.

I had better speak to my mat at Perth Airport, he still has AQIS on all his uniforms and paperwork. His wife has Biosec but works with animals only.
Biosec and AQIS are two different departments of the same agency.