NZ, Australia sign border security arrangement [1]
Monday, December 20, 2004 - 11:15. Updated on Thursday, May 8, 2014 - 15:32.
New Zealand and Australia have agreed to share information about travellers to their countries in order to strengthen the security of international air travel and improve advance passenger screening.
The arrangement was signed on December 19 in Auckland at the end of regular six-monthly talks between the New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Hon Phil Goff and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon Alexander Downer .
A joint statement from the ministers said that it sets out a framework for the exchange of information between New Zealand and Australia on passports and visas issued by the two countries.
"The aim is to improve the security screening of incoming passengers while minimising disruption for genuine travellers and respecting their privacy. This arrangement gives New Zealand and Australia a level of cooperation on border security that is as advanced as any in the world.
"The sharing of information will allow us to improve the advance passenger processing (or APP) systems that we already both have. This system allows the screening of passengers and their travel documents when they check-in overseas for flights to New Zealand and Australia. We can now both move quickly to extend the scope and effectiveness of the APP systems by accessing information about each other...s travel documents and visas."
It is expected that the extensive trans-Tasman information sharing will help to pick up the attempted improper use of lost, stolen and otherwise invalid travel documents.