The Executive Director of the Customs Brokers and Forwarders Council of Australia has called on the new Customs Reform Board (CRB) not to ignore issues relating to compliance with cargo procedures and regulations as it aids the reform of Australia’s customs services.
While welcoming the establishment of the Customs Reform Board, Steve Morris stressed that the board must not focus its attentions solely on reforming the service, but must also pay close attention to any inadequacies in cargo compliance and processing procedures.
Photo of Port Botany
“The Customs Reform Board can’t just get itself locked into integrity testing and drug and alcohol testing (of customs officers). This can’t just be a review of Customs in a very narrow sense,” he said.
The call comes less than a month after Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Justice Jason Clare announced the establishment of the CRB as part of an extensive reform of customs enforcement standards and services.
The overall reform includes the introduction of new legislation relating to customs officer discipline, corruption and an anticipated doubling of funding to the Customs and Border Protection Service.
“The job of the Board will be to provide me with advice and recommendations of further reform that is required and help drive the implementation of the reforms that I have already announced,” Minister Clare stated in a press conference in December.
“Customs requires major structural and cultural reform. This includes improving its law enforcement capability, integrity culture and business systems.”
The need for an examination of existing cargo procedures has been highlighted by recent smuggling and corruption incidents, including the failure to detect 53 freight containers with drugs hidden in their walls while being processed at Botany Bay Container Terminal in Sydney.
According to Opposition customs and border protection spokesman Michael Keenan, the resources available to the customs services have been repeatedly slashed over the past 5 years, including the shedding of 750 personnel and a reduction in funds for cargo screening worth an estimated $58 million.
“Cargo coming through the (Sydney) international airport is 75 per cent less likely to have been inspected than under the previous coalition government,” he said.
The CRB is comprised of three members, including the former CEO of TNT and Australia Post chairman, David Mortimer, who is expected to contribute key recommendations for significant changes to import procedures and processing.
The other members are Justice James Wood, who was the Royal Commissioner of the NSW Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service, and Ken Moroney, the former Commissioner of the NSW Police Force.
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