Seeing I was one of those ones who originally participated this discussion
and advocated the declaration of 'no commercial value' on the package, I've
just got to say a few words. Other than that I am disgusted by the
name-calling that it has degenerated into, I have a few stories to tell.
 
This was in the paper a little while back. A lady in Ireland knitted a
beautiful woollen jumper for a friend here in Sydney as a Christmas
present. When she filled out the customs form, she put $500 as the value.
When the package reached Australia, the friend received an unkind notice
from the customs service, to pay 20% duty on this. She didn't have a clue
what was in the package (she wasn't supposed to - it was a Christmas
present). Would you like t hat to happen to you, especially if you have no
intention whatoever to re-sell whatever is in the package?
 
As some of you may know, the export of all shells from Australia, whether
by trade or sale, without a permit is prohibited. A little while back, I
went through all the channels to find out excactly what is required to have
such a permit. OK, you get authorisation permit, and then you must get a
permit for each individual message, signed by the wildlife authorities, and
then you have to take this to customs to get it stamped and approved. OK,
so I asked, where do I do this? The wildlife people didn't know, but told
me to ring customs. After being given the run-around the customs house at
least twice, I finally found the right person. When I started to talk about
trading shells, he immediately jumped on me for the other end of the
trading - things coming into the country. After about five minutes, I got
through to him that I was talking about things going out of the country. He
said, literally 'We don't care what goes out of the country'. So there you
have it CUSTOMS DON'T CARE.
 
My plea was merely to make things easiest for those poor souls receiving
parcels. Either you want to exchange shells or you don't (I belong in the
second group - it's too hard), but if you do, you make sure your exchanging
friends are satisfied with the delivery time of the parcels.
 
Of course you try to be honest, but who on this list can honestly say they
have never ever crossed the street on foot while the red light was showing?
Let's not take this to extremes, and stop the name-calling. First last
week, now this. I have been on this list since it started, and I am
seriously considering unsubscribing. I am disgusted.
 
Patty
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