Long time readers of this group may remember Jim Manzari from 7 or 8
years ago. A traditionalist and sound technical fellow, Jim had many
a fervent discussion with Paul Kamen, aka Fishmeal, regarding design
issues of offshore cruising boats. He and his wife appear to have
fallen victim to notoriously 'sticky wicket' customs regulators down
under. Hope they'll be able to move on soon.

http://www.thecoastalpassage.com/manzaris.html

Interesting situation.

After reading Jim's blog I was left with an uneasy feeling by the tone/
voice of the writer. My guess is he really ****ed off the custom
agent. If Jim was as self righteous with the customs guy as he is in
his writing it is clear why the situation went bad fast.

So who defended their case? Please don't tell me Jim represented
himself?!?!?! What is that old saying about, "a fool for a client..."

Just a gut feeling.

After hearing for years that OZ is heaven and the most family oriented place
on earth, most of what I hear now is bad. When I was flying, my internet
pilot contacts down under were telling me how they destroyed their general
aviation and air traffic control system to the point that many were turning
in their licences. Everything that moves down there is venemous enough to
kill you. Sounds like a good place to skip.

Speaking of our Customs and flying, one of my flying club members had to
divert from his airport of entry because of a thunderstorm and was fined
five grand despite landing 20 minutes away at a larger airport of entry and
immediately complying with all customs requirements (keeping his full
bladder passengers in the aircraft until the agent finished his coffee
break, etc.)

He pointed out that the FAA would have taken his license if he had landed at
the first airport. They said that was a different regulatory agency and no
concern of theirs. He pointed out that he also could have died and they
said that crashing and burning could be considered an alternative mode of
compliance. Make that check payable to....

--
Roger Long

Roger Long wrote:
After hearing for years that OZ is heaven and the most family oriented place
on earth, most of what I hear now is bad. When I was flying, my internet
pilot contacts down under were telling me how they destroyed their general
aviation and air traffic control system to the point that many were turning
in their licences. Everything that moves down there is venemous enough to
kill you. Sounds like a good place to skip.

Speaking of our Customs and flying, one of my flying club members had to
divert from his airport of entry because of a thunderstorm and was fined
five grand despite landing 20 minutes away at a larger airport of entry and
immediately complying with all customs requirements (keeping his full
bladder passengers in the aircraft until the agent finished his coffee
break, etc.)

He pointed out that the FAA would have taken his license if he had landed at
the first airport. They said that was a different regulatory agency and no
concern of theirs. He pointed out that he also could have died and they
said that crashing and burning could be considered an alternative mode of
compliance. Make that check payable to....

--
Roger Long


I live in Austalia and have done so for 90% of my life.
This country is still one of the nicest in the world.............
As long as you can keep away from the bureaucracy! in the last ten years
it has gone from yep that's cool to every one looking over there
shoulders for the cops or some other local govenment rep.
I have friends that import goods and they are 100% legit! way too scared
of losing there home and every thing else to even complain when they are
charged $4000 on top of dock fee's and import to unload a sea container
by hand that they have to do on there own because the customs agents
wants to pocket the money and will not hire the labour on the day.
if you don't pay they hide the container down the back of the docks and
you have to pay $90 per day for the container as rental while they shrug
there shoulders and say sorry mate can't find it.
This is all on top of the fee's that they state and quote. if you
mention any thing the customs then demand that the container is
fumigated and once again they charge you to do a job that you do your self.
The system is so corrupt that they are not even scared of the police or
any law at all....
I am now so ashamed of my country that i no longer recomend that friends
come over and stay its just to much hassle.........
On the other hand the average bloke/chick is great and people still
smile and say hi even in perth.
shaun

getting ready to stand and fight the line is drawn in the sand
the shells and bullets landing all about
but still i stand quivering and shout
This is our land
it is what we are about
this will not be a rout
We will win out

Bob wrote:
Interesting situation.

After reading Jim's blog I was left with an uneasy feeling by the tone/
voice of the writer. My guess is he really ****ed off the custom
agent. If Jim was as self righteous with the customs guy as he is in
his writing it is clear why the situation went bad fast.

So who defended their case? Please don't tell me Jim represented
himself?!?!?! What is that old saying about, "a fool for a client..."

Just a gut feeling.

You must not have read about the other two
cases--one against a dutch couple, and the other
against a different american couple. If you
browse around that link for a little bit, you'll
get a different feeling about what is going on...
and it stinks.

Don W.

"shaun" wrote in message
...
I live in Austalia and have done so for 90% of my life.
This country is still one of the nicest in the world.............
As long as you can keep away from the bureaucracy! in the last ten years
it has gone from yep that's cool to every one looking over there shoulders
for the cops or some other local govenment rep.
I have friends that import goods and they are 100% legit! way too scared
of losing there home and every thing else to even complain when they are
charged $4000 on top of dock fee's and import to unload a sea container by
hand that they have to do on there own because the customs agents wants to
pocket the money and will not hire the labour on the day.
if you don't pay they hide the container down the back of the docks and
you have to pay $90 per day for the container as rental while they shrug
there shoulders and say sorry mate can't find it.
This is all on top of the fee's that they state and quote. if you mention
any thing the customs then demand that the container is fumigated and once
again they charge you to do a job that you do your self.
The system is so corrupt that they are not even scared of the police or
any law at all....
I am now so ashamed of my country that i no longer recomend that friends
come over and stay its just to much hassle.........
On the other hand the average bloke/chick is great and people still smile
and say hi even in perth.
shaun


This leaves me wondering, when did the US take over Austrailia?
getting ready to stand and fight the line is drawn in the sand
the shells and bullets landing all about
but still i stand quivering and shout
This is our land
it is what we are about
this will not be a rout
We will win out

On Apr 12, 6:42 am, Don W
wrote:
Bob wrote:
Interesting situation.

You must not have read about the other two
cases--one against a dutch couple, and the other
against a different american couple. If you
browse around that link for a little bit, you'll
get a different feeling about what is going on...
and it stinks.

Don W.

Wow..... Sounds as though things have really gone bad since I went
mucking about that island. Maybe the Aussies have just made it to the
21st century and started taking on some of the wonderfull attributes
of our own loved das Homeland Securtiy.
Too bad. Was a good place. I hope anybody with other recent experinces
will add to this discussion.
Bewildered Bob

Gogarty wrote:
In article ,
says...

This leaves me wondering, when did the US take over Austrailia?

When Howard became PM.

Yep, Our Prime Minister is so far up George Dubbya's butt, all we can
see is the soles of his shoes...

"Gogarty" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...


Gogarty wrote:
In article ,
says...

This leaves me wondering, when did the US take over Austrailia?

When Howard became PM.

Yep, Our Prime Minister is so far up George Dubbya's butt, all we can
see is the soles of his shoes...

Why? One wonders. Surely that's not what the average Ozzie wanted. New
Zealanders seem to be more level headed about foreign entanglements. But
then, they are quite different countries despite being lumped as The
Antipodies or Anzacs.


All in the name of making the world safe for democracy, no doubt.

Gogarty wrote:

Why? One wonders. Surely that's not what the average Ozzie wanted. New
Zealanders seem to be more level headed about foreign entanglements. But
then, they are quite different countries despite being lumped as The
Antipodies or Anzacs.

Not sure, but if in Australia they use the first-past-the-post electoral model, un-representative,
un-Democratic anomalies can occur, such as we see in Canada where a dimwit Republican wannabe gets to
be Prime Minister with 30-35% of the popular vote. Polls done by conservative newspapers show 70% of
Canadians NOT in support of our soldiers being in Afghanistan fighting Bush's mythical "war on
terror", yet our PM keeps us there. But whether this rightard swing in Australia explains a Customs
regime that seems to be out of control is an open question.