Abbott govt cracks down on bizarre requests for help from Aussies abroad

[webfact]

Abbott government cracks down on bizarre requests for help from Australian travellers
Latika Bourke

CANBERRA: -- Consular officials in Bangkok are used to helping Australians in compromising situations, but even they were shocked when a man asked taxpayers to foot the bill for a prostitute.

The request is just one example of bizarre requests the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Abbott government are about to crackdown on.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Wednesday launched a new strategy for consular officials to deal with the problem, warning Australian travellers to stop expecting the government to bail them out if they get in trouble.

Under the new plan, serial pests - including political activists - will only be provided with the "bare minimum" of consular support. People making repeat requests for unreasonable assistance will be told no.

Some of the more outrageous examples include requests of DFAT staff to take care of a pet parrot and feed a woman's dogs while she was overseas. Twenty of the weirdest calls for help are listed at the bottom of this story.

The department's acting secretary, Justin Smith, said there were "escalating expectations" from the travelling public over what they thought the government could or would do.

Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbott-government-cracks-down-on-bizarre-requests-for-help-from-australian-travellers-20141203-11z4z8.html


-- The Age 2014-12-03

[theslime]

Political activists are the Target, just another nasty way of saving money. As if any Consul staff would help you with a parrot, feeding the dogs.

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Political activists are the Target, just another nasty way of saving money. As if any Consul staff would help you with a parrot, feeding the dogs.

Well personally not surprised.

Twenty + years ago my uncle (strange, illogical, drama type fellow at the best of times) booked a 7 day package holiday to Singapore for himself and his wife on retirement. Neither had travelled more than perhaps 1,000 kilometres away from home if their whole lifetime.

They arrived in Singapore but within a few hours their son got a telegram - 'arriving back in Sydney tomorrow morning'.

Their son tried in vain to quickly make contact thinking there was a serious illness problem or similar.

They arrived in Sydney - whole family waiting and very worried. Bottom line from uncle:

'We were totally shocked to discover that neither the Aust. Gov't nor the Singapore gov't have not set up restaurants in at least several locations to specifically provide Australian food and with Australian chefs and staff. It's totally unacceptable and I will write to the prime minister.'

All attempts to get both uncle and aunt to see some reason a total waste of time.

They never travelled again.

Edited December 3, 2014 by scorecard

[webfact]

requests of DFAT

(excerpt)

2) A mother who wanted the embassy in Bangkok to book accommodation and a return ticket to Australia for her son, then provide an embassy driver to take him to the airport

16) A caller to DFAT's Consular Emergency Centre wanted to know the average salary for an expat to expect in Thailand

19) "What is the best hotel in Phuket?"

Source: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbott-government-cracks-down-on-bizarre-requests-for-help-from-australian-travellers-20141203-11z4z8.html

[ezzra]

Mr Abbott, poor Jack lay stricken and in despair in Samui is not a bizarre claims for help,

Help that boy to go back home and the proper treatment and help he needs now, and than

you can continue ranting about "bizarree claims"

[TheSiemReaper]

You should try being British. I called the embassy in Cambodia and asked where I could collect my passport - they told me that was a question they weren't prepared to handle... Jesus Wept. If that's something I can't get an answer for from my embassy I'd love to know how they'd handle a request for a prostitute's tab...

[Prbkk]

Of course these extreme cases should not be offered assistance but it's a bit rich coming from politicians ( who sweep through customs, immigration with ease, are dropped off by tax payer funded limousines, until recently at least got life-long free air travel, take spouses/lovers/relatives on taxpayer funded trips) and DFAT ( a simple google search will identify the long history of sleazy behaviour in foreign countries associated with some staff from that dept).

[neverdie]

Tony Abbott, Prime Minister of NANNY STATE OZ, doesn't want to nanny control those in foreign countries......as opposed to when their back home and get their &lt;deleted&gt; wiped and hand outs left, right and centre.

There's even one minority group in Australia that get special TV adverts from the Govt reminding them to wash their faces and blow their noses.....the ads run during prime time EVERYNIGHT.

[halloween]

The "bare minimum" of consular support is an interesting concept, as they supply SFA at most times.

3 personal examples. I paid for visas for my family and was told I was B1000 short. Having come straight from the ATM, I knew something was amiss and went to consular affairs to report it. There I was called a #### stirrer making false accusations. Investigation showed that the note had slipped through a join in the money tray, and I was assured that my home in Samui had been informed by telephone already, though nobody was there. No apology was offered. Last time I looked, the tray had been repaired with sticky tape, most of which had worn away.

During a visa medical, my wife was found to be suffering from a serious illness. She was informed of this in a "sensitive caring manner" by a letter in English only, which she had to have translated as I was in Oz working. She was also told she had no right of appeal, as she had no "close" relatives in the country. When the right of appeal denial was overturned, guess where the Appeal court is?

Earlier, my wife had someone else's visa placed in her passport. Staff were most apologetic and offered anything within reason, but that didn't stretch to B300 in taxi fares. Her new passport had a visa with a big black "DECLINED" (??) stamp on the first usable page.

The last time i spoke to the Ambassador, i told him that threats to embassy staff were much more likely to come from outraged oz citizens than from terrorists. Nearly everybody there agreed.

Edited December 3, 2014 by halloween

[Crazy chef 1]

DAVID-i thought you are a gentleman and married

[lil fluffy clouds]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Political activists are the Target, just another nasty way of saving money. As if any Consul staff would help you with a parrot, feeding the dogs.

Well personally not surprised.

Twenty + years ago my uncle (strange, illogical, drama type fellow at the best of times) booked a 7 day package holiday to Singapore for himself and his wife on retirement. Neither had travelled more than perhaps 1,000 kilometres away from home if their whole lifetime.

They arrived in Singapore but within a few hours their son got a telegram - 'arriving back in Sydney tomorrow morning'.

Their son tried in vain to quickly make contact thinking there was a serious illness problem or similar.

They arrived in Sydney - whole family waiting and very worried. Bottom line from uncle:

'We were totally shocked to discover that neither the Aust. Gov't nor the Singapore gov't have not set up restaurants in at least several locations to specifically provide Australian food and with Australian chefs and staff. It's totally unacceptable and I will write to the prime minister.'

All attempts to get both uncle and aunt to see some reason a total waste of time.

They never travelled again.

What does this have to do with political activists?

[casualbiker]

Political activists are the Target, just another nasty way of saving money. As if any Consul staff would help you with a parrot, feeding the dogs.

Well personally not surprised.

Twenty + years ago my uncle (strange, illogical, drama type fellow at the best of times) booked a 7 day package holiday to Singapore for himself and his wife on retirement. Neither had travelled more than perhaps 1,000 kilometres away from home if their whole lifetime.

They arrived in Singapore but within a few hours their son got a telegram - 'arriving back in Sydney tomorrow morning'.

Their son tried in vain to quickly make contact thinking there was a serious illness problem or similar.

They arrived in Sydney - whole family waiting and very worried. Bottom line from uncle:

'We were totally shocked to discover that neither the Aust. Gov't nor the Singapore gov't have not set up restaurants in at least several locations to specifically provide Australian food and with Australian chefs and staff. It's totally unacceptable and I will write to the prime minister.'

All attempts to get both uncle and aunt to see some reason a total waste of time.

They never travelled again.

At least Americans can't say that, what with McDonald's!!!

[Time Traveller]

Crackdown on bizzare requests? So you're telling me that until now the embassy would accomodate these bizzare requests?

Don't these dumbell public servants know how to say No?

[lil fluffy clouds]

Anything that comes out of that puppets mouth is a well engineered distraction from real issues going on behind the scenes. He's just another installation there to ensure that his clowning provides a good foil for the actions of mega companies. This post proves it....

[Fred Flinstone]

Quote

CANBERRA: -- Consular officials in Bangkok are used to helping Australians in compromising situations, but even they were shocked when a man asked taxpayers to foot the bill for a prostitute.

Unquote

Abbott has said "People go to "these places "" knowing it is under military law, and therefore do so at their own peril."

[whybother]

Quote

CANBERRA: -- Consular officials in Bangkok are used to helping Australians in compromising situations, but even they were shocked when a man asked taxpayers to foot the bill for a prostitute.

Unquote

Abbott has said "People go to "these places "" knowing it is under military law, and therefore do so at their own peril."

The Bangkok mission deals with the most requests for assistance, followed by Bali, Manila, Los Angeles and Dubai.

[Fred Flinstone]

< Deleted>

Haha, nanny state, I feel sorry for those who live in australia, it seems that after everything I've read about the country that they have almost no personal freedom there, authorities own you there.

Or to put it another way, you've never read anything about Australia.

This morning i left from the Marina and headed about 7 nautical miles to sea North East of Palm Beach- we spotted a Pod of Dolphins , just before sunrise .

Headed back through Pittwater…… the water sparkled and i took this Photo at about 1030am.

Went for a swim at Whale beach , and ate lunch and went home for an afternoon sleep with my wife.

As usual on my day off i picked up daughter from school and we later watched a big storm roll in from the west.

Australia is a very beautiful large country.

Its incredible to be so free and blessed as all Australians know.

The Government here do make you wear helmets , you do need a boat license, and maybe there isn't those freedoms.

But it is a good country , and thats not hype

[Freed1948]

Yes mate, it's a great country.

Cars stop for you at crossings, no stepping in dog poo, and many other things we take for granted there.

There are laws for this and that and they are enforced for the benefit of all.

It could be a lot worse.

[Suradit69]

Under the new plan, serial pests ...

Well if they wanted this message to reach the appropriate target audience, they should have just posted their warning here to begin with.

Edited December 3, 2014 by Suradit69

[impulse]

Hundreds of countries to visit. Yet, out of 20 extra strange requests, 3 specifically mention Thailand.

Coincidence? I think not.

[ICECOOL]

5) Multiple enquiries to embassies overseas seeking the closest pub televising State of Origin games

This looks to me like a reasonable request??

[metisdead]

A post containing content from an uncited source which messed up the formatting of the first page has been removed as well as a reply.

Other off topic nonsense posts and replies have been removed.

[Time Traveller]

They are complaining about the bizzare requests that they never help with anyway? I'm struggling to see how you can complain about something you don't do? Any public servants ( or people with similiar work ethic) could answer this one?

[shirtless]

Australian government just want your tax dollars to throw away on wars and summits , They are there for themselves and they dont give a rats about you , as long as you pay pay pay.

[Plutojames88]

< Deleted>

Haha, nanny state, I feel sorry for those who live in australia, it seems that after everything I've read about the country that they have almost no personal freedom there, authorities own you there.

Or to put it another way, you've never read anything about Australia.

This morning i left from the Marina and headed about 7 nautical miles to sea North East of Palm Beach- we spotted a Pod of Dolphins , just before sunrise .

Headed back through Pittwater the water sparkled and i took this Photo at about 1030am.

Went for a swim at Whale beach , and ate lunch and went home for an afternoon sleep with my wife.

As usual on my day off i picked up daughter from school and we later watched a big storm roll in from the west.

Australia is a very beautiful large country.

Its incredible to be so free and blessed as all Australians know.

The Government here do make you wear helmets , you do need a boat license, and maybe there isn't those freedoms.

But it is a good country , and thats not hype

Yes , it's a nice life in OZ compared to other places.

I go sailing and sometimes think Australians are special .

[BlackJack]

21

can you please replace Foreign Minister Julie Bishop with someone younger and prettier

or change her voice and fashion as well

[Christie Paul]

What I have learnt from several decades of traveling is that embassies are there to provide services for their government and aligned special interest groups. With a few exceptions, they are not there for the citizenry. That is not their purpose.

They do however offer a bare minimum of consular services, perhaps to help justify their expense in the minds of the citizenry.

Expect nothing or extremely little and you won't be disappointed.

[evadgib]

Australia has urged travellers not to make frivolous requests at embassies, highlighting examples including a man who asked officials in Thailand to pay for a prostitute.

Among other odd requests, one Australian asked embassy staff to help to get a polecat off a roof.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-30305971

Edited December 3, 2014 by evadgib

[metisdead]

Off topic deflection posts and replies have been removed. Posts containing overly derogatory comments have been removed as well as the replies.

[NumbNut]

21

can you please replace Foreign Minister Julie Bishop with someone younger and prettier

or change her voice and fashion as well

No worries BJ, Julie (Asbestos) Bishop and the rest of her sorry pack of jokers will be voted out the very next chance the Aussie voters get.