Posting parcels — not as easy as it used to be
I’D had a nice day in town yesterday. There are so many friendly, helpful people doing business in Dunedin.
My last job was to send my granddaughter’s birthday package off to Australia, so I popped into the nearest post place and was confronted by Electronic Advance Data, which I’d never heard of.
As well as the usual customs declaration, the form was now twice as big and required names, emails, addresses and phone numbers for sender and receiver. The customer service person appeared not to know why.
I had not taken my granddaughter’s email address and phone number with me. Why would I? And yes, I do have an email, but not everyone does.
Now, I assume they cannot post parcels. I tried to find an explanation online when I got home which is how I found the subject of this mail.
If I understand correctly, it tells me I have to pay $5 for this ‘‘service’’. What does this all mean?
Wendy Kelling
Portobello
[A New Zealand Post spokeswoman replies:
‘‘From September 16, 2020, for border security and clearance purposes, NZ Post is required to electronically capture the sender, receiver and parcel content information that is provided on the consignment note and Customs declaration forms for all international services (except international air letters). This information may be electronically shared in advance, to the destination postal administration and national government agencies (such as Customs) for fiscal, risk, security and border clearance purposes, in line with national and international legislation.
‘‘The service fee covers the cost, processing and administration fee.
‘‘NZ Post asks for customers to provide email addresses and phone numbers to help NZ Post, post operators and Customs authorities get in touch with people when needed.’’]
Covid impact
WITH respect, tourism was not the first to be hit by Covid19. This keeps being touted incorrectly.
Forestry was affected on February 2 when a vessel from China was due to load logs in Port Chalmers.
This was unexpectedly cancelled as many Chinese ports were in lockdown and there were no wharf workers available to unload their logs, and the vessel went home empty.
Forestry workers were left suspended, log trucks were parked up, and families and small towns were immediately affected by this sudden event.
They were not essential workers and many barely survived the loss of income before support was made available.
Robbitti Stanley
Caversham
Invercargill Airport
CONTRARY to what Billee Marsh, of Tarras, says, (Letters, 27.1020), I don’t find it remotely “interesting” that 30% of Queenstown Airport arrivals are Fiordlandbound. What about the remaining 70%? Either way, Invercargill Airport is an unsuitable international gateway. The Tarras Airport proposal, by contrast, is bold and brilliant. Nor will the finished article double as a glorified duck pond.
Brent Procter
Bluff
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