From: SSAA, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Station: 3AK Date: 01/05/2000 Program: ROBERT HICKS Time: 01:23 PM Compere: ROBERT HICKS Summary ID: M00001011153 Item: SOMETHING TO DECLARE SEGMENT WITH CHRIS SCHOFIELD, AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS SERVICE. ROBERT HICKS: And you had another visitor who came here to take part in a sporting event? CHRIS SCHOFIELD: Yes. What's happening in Sydney at the moment with the run-up to the Olympics is that a lot of pre Olympic events are taking place. Now, one that's actually just finished is an international shooting event, and this was held at a magnificent place just on the western outskirts of Sydney - the Sydney International Shooting Centre. And Customs officers had set up a sort of office or a desk there to deal with competitors when they're taking out their rifles and their guns again, because obviously when a competitor from overseas comes in which guns, obviously it's got to be checked in by Customs and the proper permits have got to be there. And then when they leave again, we've got to ensure that they're leaving with the appropriate guns and the permits are stamped to say that they can take them out again. ROBERT HICKS: And the ones that they came in with. CHRIS SCHOFIELD: Exactly right. So all those sorts of checks and balances are put in place. But to help the actual competitors we have Customs officers stationed at the shooting centre out in the western suburbs of Sydney. ROBERT HICKS: Right. CHRIS SCHOFIELD: Now, they were dealing with this person who was a competitor from the Middle East, and it seems there was some sort of language problem when we were trying to assist the competitor to fill out his restricted goods permit - as the official documentation is called. Now, when asked by the officer to provide his flight number home, which is a usual thing required on this particular permit, the man replied in halting English, 'No, no number.' So, trying to jog his memory, the officer asked, 'Well, what airline are you flying with?' To which the man replied, 'No, no airline, my plane.' Now, realising that the man had obviously travelled on a private aircraft, the officer then asked him, 'Well, do you know the number of your plane?' to which the man replied, 'I don't know. You see, I have five. I just phoned for one to pick me up.' Now, apparently what happened was the competitor is a member of a Middle Eastern royal family and he'd travelled to Australia in the royal family's own Boeing 747 SP aircraft, and in fact the royal family had about five aircraft so it was no wonder he didn't know which plane was coming to pick him up. ROBERT HICKS: I like the line, he just phones and calls one. CHRIS SCHOFIELD: Exactly right. And interestingly, when he and his team colleagues came in for this shooting event they brought with them on the same plane one and a half tonnes of their own ammunition for use during the competition. ROBERT HICKS: One and a half tonnes? CHRIS SCHOFIELD: Yes. So it was a big event, of course, and there was a lot of shooting out at their shooting ranges. In fact I went out there to have a look at it, and it was very impressive. And certainly it attracted these high-ranking people, including Middle Eastern royalty and others from around the world to participate. ROBERT HICKS: Well, I think that that weekend actually also set the contenders for our teams. I think it was all happening at the one time. CHRIS SCHOFIELD: That's exactly right, and what we're seeing over the next couple of weeks and months are more of these pre-Olympic events where international competitors as well as Australian team people are competing in the various sports that will be held during the Olympics. * * End * * -------[Cybershooters contacts]-------- Editor: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website & subscription info: www.cybershooters.org
