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  1. #1
    Lord of Swine
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    Travellers to pay costs for Australian consulate

    TRAVELLERS who get into trouble overseas could be forced to pay hundreds of dollars extra to get help from government officials, if Tony Abbott takes up a recommendation to scale back Australia’s diplomatic footprint.
    The National Commission of Audit has urged the federal government to consider moving toward a system of “cost recovery” for consular assistance, meaning travellers who find themselves in trouble would have to pay new charges to get help from one of Australia’s overseas embassies.
    The report said Australia should follow the United Kingdom, where its citizens have to pay $237 an hour for consulate assistance, prompting warnings travellers on a shoestring would avoid asking the government for help.
    Foreign Minister Julie Bishop’s office last night refused to rule out introducing “cost recovery” measures last night, confirming the issue was already under review.
    “The Foreign Minister has already established a review into how consular services are delivered and the review called for and has received public submissions.,” a spokeswoman for Ms Bishop said.
    “A report from the review is being drafted.”
    But Labor seized on the commission report to accuse the Abbott government of getting ready to slap Australians with a new “travel tax”.
    “This proposed travellers tax was not mentioned by Tony Abbott prior to the election. In fact, Mr Abbott explicitly promised there would be no new taxes,” Labor’s parliamentary secretary for Foreign Affairs Matt Thistlethwaite said.
    “This travellers tax will mean Australians who fall victim to a crime or unexpectedly ill will have their troubles compounded by this ill-considered tax,” he said.
    Under the proposed overhaul, travellers could also find it harder to get assistance from the consular officials, with Commission of Audit’s recommending the government “re-examine the need for embassies in high-cost locations.
    Ms Bishop said the Australian government had already announced its intention to move its embassy into the same location as the British in Baghdad, and she said the government was “pursuing other opportunities in other high cost locations”.

    National Commission of Audit calls for travellers to pay costs for Australian consular assistance | News.com.au

  2. #2
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Necron99
    the Australian government had already announced its intention to move its embassy into the same location as the British in Baghdad
    Despite all the babble, still tied to the apron strings.

    Isn't it time Australia and New Zealand grew up?

    Instead it seems like all the talk of independence has been scuppered by a ten month old baby.

    Those Windsors know how to deliver.

  3. #3
    Thailand Expat
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    They charge an arm and a leg for the passport, charge for most services, declarations etc, now if you are poor and have trouble, your on your own.
    Had dealings with them over a lost passport and the wife's spouse visa, everything cost, but the service was crap.

  4. #4
    Thailand Expat
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    Ha! I phoned Adelaide Immigration last week and spoke to a Chinese [Robot] consultant, maybe there out sourcing the Immigration Dept too?

  5. #5
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    travel insurance will just be adjusted to cover the fees

    though the small print will not imdemnify against getting drugged and robbed by a ladyboy you picked up on beach road

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Necron99
    The report said Australia should follow the United Kingdom
    Hahahahahahahahahaha - you is fuked!

  7. #7
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    Exit Strategy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by baldrick
    travel insurance will just be adjusted to cover the fees
    Wont cover this.

  8. #8
    Thailand Expat
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    frickin amazing:
    Most goverments save billions through overseas travelers and expats..ie suspension and denial of social services or payments for which most have payed taxes etc thru out a lifetime..taxes still have to be paid though...yet they deny free services to their citizens through tax funded consuls and embassies...frickin disgusting.

    .....stop reading the frickin news methinks...

  9. #9
    Thailand Expat
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    Much better to spend billions on those who choose not to work, non citizens,tax etc subsidies to corporations, non taxable religious organizations etc,etc, so called defense initiatives et al.. ineffectual boondoggle meeting funding , UN yada yada yada.....sigh...I give up!!

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