Bloody Aussie wharfies!!

**Hillbilly** · 12th January 2007, 19:28

As some of you might be aware, I run a finance brokerage over here in OZ, and
one company I'm involved with imports used vehicles from Japan. Sometimes the containers aren't full, so I suggested that they fill the containers with used bikes, which are classified as "Grey Imports". Anything older than 15 years, ie 1991 doesn't need a compliance plate (ie VIN), but newer bikes/cars need to meet compliance standards.

However, if a certain model is imported by the manufaturer and sold on the domestic market, you cannot import that bike or car as you don't have the import licence to do so. If you do, by mistake, then the importer must pay full Australian market price including GST and import duties.

There is a shipment of eight 250cc bikes in a container along with some cars at Newcastle Wharf. This is the first "test" shipment. Now the bloddy wharfies have sealed the container and are claiming that the car can't be unloaded due to some bullshit about it's orogins and model etc. Can't get the bikes out, and we're not allowed an inventory list either.

But wait - it gets better. The wharfies are charging the importer $600 AUD
a day for "handling fees". It's like dealing with the mafia. They *know* the importer is extrememly rich, and so they're just making easy money, and won't unload the container.

Fancy not even allowing the bikes to be unloaded when it's the car that's causing all the (non-existant) problems. It's apparently a Jap domestic model of a Lexus, identical except badged Toyota.

**Steam** · 12th January 2007, 19:35

In NZ that isn't anything to do with the wharfies, that's customs. Are you sure you're blaming the right people?

**Hillbilly** · 12th January 2007, 21:45

There's no problem with customs, as they're staight up, and you know where you stand. They're not the ones that won't allow the bikes or other cars get unloaded (it's a massive 60ft container) or charging the daily "storage fee".

**Steam** · 12th January 2007, 22:29

That's bizzare! Here they're not allowed to do squat without a customs say-so.
They just unload the containers according to the schedule, put them on the trucks and trains, and that's the end of it.
I used to be a wharfie, just for a few months, it was good money and interesting work if you like being around very big machines.
Good luck with your bikes.

**BAD DAD** · 12th January 2007, 22:31

an anonymous phone call to the wharf police about wharfies smuggling cocain or such in said container should flush em out

**Skyryder** · 13th January 2007, 06:34

Originally Posted by Hillbilly

As some of you might be aware, I run a finance brokerage over here in OZ, and
one company I'm involved with imports used vehicles from Japan. Sometimes the containers aren't full, so I suggested that they fill the containers with used bikes, which are classified as "Grey Imports". Anything older than 15 years, ie 1991 doesn't need a compliance plate (ie VIN), but newer bikes/cars need to meet compliance standards.

However, if a certain model is imported by the manufaturer and sold on the domestic market, you cannot import that bike or car as you don't have the import licence to do so. If you do, by mistake, then the importer must pay full Australian market price including GST and import duties.

There is a shipment of eight 250cc bikes in a container along with some cars at Newcastle Wharf. This is the first "test" shipment. Now the bloddy wharfies have sealed the container and are claiming that the car can't be unloaded due to some bullshit about it's orogins and model etc. Can't get the bikes out, and we're not allowed an inventory list either.

But wait - it gets better. The wharfies are charging the importer $600 AUD
a day for "handling fees". It's like dealing with the mafia. They *know* the importer is extrememly rich, and so they're just making easy money, and won't unload the container.

Fancy not even allowing the bikes to be unloaded when it's the car that's causing all the (non-existant) problems. It's apparently a Jap domestic model of a Lexus, identical except badged Toyota.

I'd like to hear the other side of the story before commenting on the rights and wrongs of this.

$600 a day for handling fees?? Do they handle a sealed container every day?

Skyryder

**Timber020** · 13th January 2007, 06:42

Some Wharfies in Aus are some of the highest paid, lowest performing, theiving, lazy rats about. Farmers in Aus have a hard time in getting overseas markets for some of there goods because the wharf fees sometimes account for over 50% of there overall costs per animal from it being born to finding its final destination. And thats just the trip from the truck to the boat.
Dont piss them off, they would think nothing of accidently turning your container upside down and claiming it must have been damage on the boat.
Wharfies and rail workers here used to be just as bad if not worse. My dad started out on the wharfs when still at high school and was making more than his father. The amount of stuff they stole, broke and amount of work they would fail to do was just terrible. My grandfather was in the desert during the war when the wharfies went on strike and held up supplies getting to troops. Dad only did the job a short while, he couldnt take the bullshit.