NZ, Australia sign border security arrangement

An arrangement signed between Australia and New Zealand will strengthen the security of international air travel.

"The arrangement was signed in Auckland at the end of our regular six-monthly talks (on Sunday), Foreign Minister Phil Goff and his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer said in a joint media release.

"It sets out a framework for the exchange of information between New Zealand and Australia on passports and visas issued by the two countries. The aim is to improve the security screening of incoming passengers while minimising disruption for genuine travellers and respecting their privacy.

"This arrangement gives New Zealand and Australia a level of cooperation on border security that is as advanced as any in the world. It's great news for both countries. "The sharing of information will allow us to improve the advance passenger processing (or APP) systems that we already both have. This system allows the screening of passengers and their travel documents when they check-in overseas for flights to New Zealand and Australia.

"We can now both move quickly to extend the scope and effectiveness of the APP systems by accessing information about each other's travel documents and visas.

"We will also have more opportunity to pick up the attempted improper use of lost, stolen and otherwise invalid travel documents.

"Today's arrangement has laid solid foundations for even more extensive trans-Tasman cooperation on travel and border security," the Minister said.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

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