Smartgate
Encyclopedia
SmartGate is an automated border processing system being introduced by the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and New Zealand Customs Service
. It is a secure and simple system that performs the customs and immigration checks normally made by a Customs Officer when a traveller arrives in either Australia
or New Zealand
. At present, passengers aged 18 or above using an Australian
or New Zealand
ePassport are able to use the technology in both countries, with the exception of New Zealand ePassport holders travelling on military orders when arriving in and departing from Australia.
, will match this image with the digitised image stored in their ePassport. Smartgate will also undertake immigration and customs checks. If there is a successful match, the traveller will be cleared through the Customs control point. If there is not a successful match, they will be referred to a Customs officer.
According to a report on the Seven Network
, "The system compares your passport photo with digital images taken by three cameras, noting such things as your bone structure, length of your nose, and the distance between your eyes."
There are plans to expand the scheme in the future to holders of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) compliant ePassports from countries other than Australia and New Zealand.
Trials of the SmartGate system in conjunction with the biometric passport technology were expanded in late 2004 from use with Qantas
air-crew (which began in 2002), to include over 1,000 Qantas platinum frequent flyers. Passengers are to be photographed and their details added to the SmartGate database within 24 hours, according to an e-mail sent to prospective users.
Critics, however, are claiming that the facial-recognition technology is not accurate enough for the use of national security tasks. According to an article by ZDNet Australia, "Problems in introducing biometric identifiers to Australian passports means Australian citizens visiting the United States will be fingerprinted and photographed under that country's anti-terrorism measures."
Brisbane was the first Australian international airport to deploy Customs Smartgate system on an operational basis in September 2007. It is now available at other international airports nationally.
On 20 August 2009, announcements were made to expand the Smartgate system to New Zealand. This announcement, made by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key
on an official visit to Australia, was part of an agreement struck between himself and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
in an effort to allow Trans-Tasman travellers to "transit through the entire [customs] process within eight minutes" to further free up the already liberal travel arrangements
between the two nations.
New Zealand Customs Service
The Customs Service is a state sector organisation of New Zealand whose role is to provide border control and protect the community from potential risks arising from international trade and travel, as well as collecting duties and taxes on imports to the country. New Zealand's Minister of Customs...
. It is a secure and simple system that performs the customs and immigration checks normally made by a Customs Officer when a traveller arrives in either Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
or New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. At present, passengers aged 18 or above using an Australian
Australian Passport
Australian passports are issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, both in Australia and overseas. Since 1984, Australian passports are issued only to citizens of Australia.- History :...
or New Zealand
New Zealand passport
New Zealand passports are issued to New Zealand citizens for the purpose of international travel. The Department of Internal Affairs is responsible for issuing New Zealand passports.-History:...
ePassport are able to use the technology in both countries, with the exception of New Zealand ePassport holders travelling on military orders when arriving in and departing from Australia.
Australia
Smartgate takes a live image of a travellers face, and using facial recognition technologyFacial recognition system
A facial recognition system is a computer application for automatically identifying or verifying a person from a digital image or a video frame from a video source...
, will match this image with the digitised image stored in their ePassport. Smartgate will also undertake immigration and customs checks. If there is a successful match, the traveller will be cleared through the Customs control point. If there is not a successful match, they will be referred to a Customs officer.
According to a report on the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
, "The system compares your passport photo with digital images taken by three cameras, noting such things as your bone structure, length of your nose, and the distance between your eyes."
There are plans to expand the scheme in the future to holders of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) compliant ePassports from countries other than Australia and New Zealand.
Trials of the SmartGate system in conjunction with the biometric passport technology were expanded in late 2004 from use with Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
air-crew (which began in 2002), to include over 1,000 Qantas platinum frequent flyers. Passengers are to be photographed and their details added to the SmartGate database within 24 hours, according to an e-mail sent to prospective users.
Critics, however, are claiming that the facial-recognition technology is not accurate enough for the use of national security tasks. According to an article by ZDNet Australia, "Problems in introducing biometric identifiers to Australian passports means Australian citizens visiting the United States will be fingerprinted and photographed under that country's anti-terrorism measures."
Brisbane was the first Australian international airport to deploy Customs Smartgate system on an operational basis in September 2007. It is now available at other international airports nationally.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, SmartGates are available at Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington international airports for eligible arriving passengers and at two gates at Auckland international airport for eligible departing passengers.On 20 August 2009, announcements were made to expand the Smartgate system to New Zealand. This announcement, made by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key
John Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
on an official visit to Australia, was part of an agreement struck between himself and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
in an effort to allow Trans-Tasman travellers to "transit through the entire [customs] process within eight minutes" to further free up the already liberal travel arrangements
Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement
The Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement is an informal agreement between Australia and New Zealand to allow for the free movement of citizens of one nation to the other.- Treaty history :...
between the two nations.