Welcome to the web
page of the Customs Officer's Association of Australia (COA).
A leader in industrial and public service
matters: The COA is a unique Australian industrial association
with a high profile in employment, industrial, public service and Customs
related matters. Our Association is disproportionately influential in
many fields compared to our size. The COA has led the way on conditions
of service and influence on the Australian Public Service (APS) and
the rights of employees to engage in the system of democratic government.
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The
COA is nearly 100 years old. The COA is a registered trade
union as defined by the Commonwealth of Australia Workplace Relations
Act. The COA is one of the oldest federally registered unions in Australia
and has been continuously registered for nearly 100 years. The COA remains
one of the very few independent workplace-specific trade unions at a
national level in Australia.
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COA
has repelled 'gagging' attacks by ASC management: In recent
years the COA has repelled attacks by Australian Customs Service (ACS)
senior management who attempted to stop the COA from commenting on issues
concerning the ACS. That matter was taken to the High Court, the Human
Rights Commission (HREOC) and the Federal Court. This resulted in a
resounding win by the COA. Not only did the COA repel the ACS attacks
but in so doing, we caused the 85 year old censorship controls over
public servants to be ruled invalid (in effect - repealed). Then we
attacked attempts by ACS management to cover up unethical behaviour
which involved hiding evidence which favoured the COA. That matter went
to the Full Bench of the Federal Court. That resulted in another resounding
COA win which set a precedent concerning legal professional privilege.
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The
only voice of criticism in the ASC: As is evidenced above,
the COA continues to be a strong and active voice of criticism in the
Australian Customs Service (ACS) and for that reason alone we have been
attacked by Customs management. Nonetheless we will continue to challenge
the ACS management in respect of accountability and effectiveness, the
rights and entitlements of Officers and the impact of Customs matters
on the nation.
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COA
to closely scrutinise the introduction of CMR: The following
is a further example of our commitment to and concerns about an accountable
public service; A new ACS computer system, Cargo Management Re-engineering
(CMR) to handle Import and Export processes is due to commence in 2005.
CMR was designed to be a Mercedes quality with all bells and whistles.
At present the project is 3 years late in delivery and has exceeded
original costs by 300% (now $186 Million). This does not account any
fiddling of the books whereby some costs of the CMR project appear to
be hidden and attributed to other ACS functions. But worse is the fact
that the CMR Project will not deliver a Mercedes; it will at best deliver
a Volkswagen. Behind time, out of costs and not up to scratch, yet no
one is held to account. If this was done by any private firm, the management
team would have been sacked years ago. The immediate COA concern is,
what will happen to staff when the new project eventually becomes operative?
Management have been very hazy about the process of dealing with staff
when the new system is fully functional. The COA will keep tabs on this
project in the interests of members, commercial clients, the public
and the Parliament.
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Promoting
border protection and Law Enforcement: The Association was
established to represent the industrial interests of Australian Customs
Officers working on border and community protection, border integrity
(controlling illegal entry of goods or people), ensuring compliance
with legislative requirements (trade descriptions, safety standards,
obscene items etc), revenue collection, facilitation and related duties
throughout Australia. The main focus of the Association however is directed
towards the law enforcement functions of Customs, ensuring that restricted
goods and people are properly controlled and regulated at the border.
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Ensuring
accountability in public service: The COA also has an important
role in keeping the Government and the public informed about the workings
of the Australian Customs Service (ACS) and the relationship with other
associated border control agencies. Maintaining a critical oversight
of ACS management and process is a responsibility that the Association
takes very seriously. We see that it is our duty in a democratic society
to keep the Government and the public informed of any irregularities
or procedural weaknesses in the administration of the Customs Service.
The COA mission is expressed in our motto,
Protecting Officers who protect
the Community and Commerce at the national borders.
Last Modified October 2005
