Australia may force tourists to declare cheques

SYDNEY - New Zealand tourists arriving in or exiting Australia may have to declare their cache of travellers cheques, or they could be confiscated under the federal government's new anti-terrorism laws.

Existing law requires people to tell officers if they are taking more than $A10,000 ($NZ10,803) worth of cash in or out of Australia, but new financial transaction reporting requirements attached to the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill 2005 include a provision to show travellers cheques as well.

If police or customs officers have reasonable grounds for believing the traveller has made a false declaration about their cheques, they can search the traveller and his or her bags.

Officers can even follow the passenger on to the aeroplane or ship to search them, and if they find travellers cheques different to those that have been declared, they can be seized.

The person is then liable for one year in prison.

The new provision is an attempt to expose money laundering and monitor the quantities of foreign currency flowing in and out of Australia.

In other changes, the legislation, if passed, will require some cash dealers transferring money to someone outside Australia to include information about the sender, such as their name and address and their account number with the dealer.

For money coming into Australia, the bill allows for cash dealers receiving money to be ordered to ask the sender for information about the customer. The cash dealer must then report on the response within 28 days.

- NZPA