I recently came back from New Caledonia, and a soil sample of mine was impounded by Australian Quarantine Services because I didn't have an import permit for the sample. After applying for the permit, and having it granted with minimal fuss, I was told to contact my regional office to arrange for the treatment and delivery of my sample. So I looked up the regional number from the email they gave me.
1- Call Regional Office, picks up, I inquire, they transfer me to a Quarantine officer
2- Quarantine officer picks up, I inquire, they said to call the airport
3- Call airport number given, picks up, I inquire, they transfer me to a Quarantine officer
4- Officer says, I must come to the airport with my permit to arrange treatment and payment in person.
Bit of a run-around I thought. The regional office could have just told me that in my opinion since I'd have expect that they would know standard protocol.
What bugs me slightly is that the permit was e-mailed to me. My permit payment was processed completely online. Therefore, why do I need to go to the airport to show them the permit and make payment, when the rest of their system permits electronic business dealing? I would happily submit my permit form and numbers online or even on the phone with the permit number (surely they can check it on their systems?!) and give credit card details etc. This would save considerable time and hassle to travel to the international airport and cost also....
Inefficiency at its best I say.
1- Call Regional Office, picks up, I inquire, they transfer me to a Quarantine officer
2- Quarantine officer picks up, I inquire, they said to call the airport
3- Call airport number given, picks up, I inquire, they transfer me to a Quarantine officer
4- Officer says, I must come to the airport with my permit to arrange treatment and payment in person.
Bit of a run-around I thought. The regional office could have just told me that in my opinion since I'd have expect that they would know standard protocol.
What bugs me slightly is that the permit was e-mailed to me. My permit payment was processed completely online. Therefore, why do I need to go to the airport to show them the permit and make payment, when the rest of their system permits electronic business dealing? I would happily submit my permit form and numbers online or even on the phone with the permit number (surely they can check it on their systems?!) and give credit card details etc. This would save considerable time and hassle to travel to the international airport and cost also....
Inefficiency at its best I say.
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