Tasman card plan

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33813, 9 April 1975, Page 1

Tasman card plan

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent) SYDNEY, April 8. Tasman travel cards may be coded with computer information if the New Zealand and Australian Governments decide to introduce travel documents for travel between the two countries.

The introduction of passports or some simpler form of travel card has been agreed to by the Immigration Ministers of the two countries, and is expected to be ratified by the two Cabinets.

The type of card being studied by Australian officials is small, and is capable of being placed directly into a computer terminal at a port of entry. At present, when anyone enters Australia, the immigration official notes information from the arrival’s passport of entry card, and punches it on to a computer terminal. The arrival is admitted un-

less the computer has something “against” the person involved. All this can take several minutes, however. Australian immigration officials suggest that the travel card issued to Australian and New Zealand travellers who do not have a passport be placed directly into the computer, saving considerable time in the processing of each arrival. The cards would be somewhat similar to “key cards,” which many Australians now carry to gain entry to buildings, lifts, offices and files. The cards look like an ordinary piece of plastic, but have metallic strips on the inside which trigger a re-

sponse when placed inside a receiving slot. Many people in Britain [ carry similar cards for a vari-! ety of purposes, one of which [ is getting money from banks after hours. They can obtain up to $5O in many cases by! inserting their cards in a slot! on the bank’s wall. Officials in both countries [favour the idea of travel; cards for people who do not! require passports for travel beyond Australia and New’ [Zealand. They report a considerable number of inquiries already! from New Zealanders living [in Australia, many of whom believe they need a passport■ (already to go home.