A Letter Sent To An Australian Minister.....

[bartaxr8]

I jus got this in a email. I don't know if it is true or not but it sums up the way alot of us feel about having to deal with Government Departments sometimes:

Dear Mr. Minister,

I'm in the process of renewing my passport, and still cannot believe this.

How is it that K-Mart has my address and telephone number, and knows that I bought a Television Set and Golf Clubs from them back in 1997, and yet, the Federal Government is still asking me where I was born and on what date.

For Christ sakes, do you guys do this by hand?

My birth date you have in my Medicare information, and it is on all the income tax forms I've filed for the past 40 years. It is on my driver's licence, on the last eight passports I've ever had, on all those stupid customs declaration forms I've had to fill out before being allowed off the planes over the last 30 years, and all those insufferable census forms that I've filled out every 5 years since 1966.

Also..would somebody please take note, once and for all, that my mother's name is Audrey, my Father's name is Jack, and I'd be absolutely astounded if that ever changed between now and when I drop dead!!!...

!

I apologize, Mr. Minister. But I'm really p*ssed off this morning. Between you an' me, I've had enough of all this bulls**t! You send the application to my house, then you ask me for my address!! What the hell is going on with your mob? Have you got a gang of mindless Neanderthal a*seholes workin' there!

And another thing, look at my damn picture. Do I look like Bin Laden? I can't even grow a beard for God's sakes. I just want to go to New Zealand and see my new granddaughter. (Yes, my son interbred with a Kiwi girl). And would someone please tell me, why would you give a whether I plan on visiting a farm in the next 15 days? If I ever got the urge to do something weird to a sheep or a horse, believe you me, I'd sure as hell not want to tell anyone!

Well, I have to go now, 'cause I have to go to the other end of the city, and get another copy of my birth certificate, and to part with another $80 for the privilege of accessing MY OWN INFORMATION!

Would it be so complicated to have all the services in the same spot, to assist in the issuance of a new passport on the same day?? Nooooo.. that'd be too easy and makes far too much sense. You would much prefer to have us running all over the place like chickens with our heads cut off, and then having to find some high society w*nker to confirm that it's really me in the goddamn photo! You know the photo..the one where we're not allowed to smile?! ...you morons

Signed - An Irate Australian Citizen.

P.S Remember what I said above about the picture, and getting someone in high-society to confirm that it's me? Well, my family has been in this country since before 1850! In 1856, one of my forefathers took up arms with Peter Lalor. (You do remember the Eureka Stockade!!)
I have also served in both the CMF and regular Army something over 30 years (I went to Vietnam in 1967), and still have high security clearances. I'm also a personal friend of the president of the RSL.. and Lt General Peter Cosgrove sends me a Christmas card each year.

However, your rules require that I have to get someone 'important' to verify who I am; You know.. someone like my doctor; WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN PAKISTAN!!!......a country where they either assassinate or hang their ex-Prime Ministers, and are suspended from the Commonwealth for not having the 'right sort of government.'

You are all idiots

[MITCHAY]

LMFAO :

Got to love all crap you have to go through for one simple thing. Don't even get me started on security clearances :

[MrXr6Tickford]

if its true or not they do raise some fair points and i agree with all of them!

They really need to bring in this national identity card they have talked about.

Where we will have everything on the 1 card.

[Burnout]

I remember some one sending that the Hawke when he was PM.... He didn't give a stuff either.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by MrXr6Tickford

if its true or not they do raise some fair points and i agree with all of them!

They really need to bring in this national identity card they have talked about.

Where we will have everything on the 1 card.

Bob Hawke wanted to do it and people had a whinge, then Howard tried and people had a whinge. Welcome to Australia, where everyone has a whinge.

In all seriousness its not that hard to get a passport, you get the form you fill the thing out, go to the post office and do the interview and then tell the interview girl that she missed the bit of the form you didn't fill out. Pay the $200 dollers and send the form off. Then recieve your passport in two weeks.

[BIGJB]

Passport is easy....
They even gave me one.

Ya want a hard department to deal with try to get
a licence to get married in NZ when you are in OZ.
The NZ govt wanted me to fly to Sydney to get my
signature witnessed because no one in Brisbane was
worthy enough to witness it.???
The witness had to be a commonwealth representative....
Not a problem you say... any federal member is a c.r.
The catch is they have to be on NZ soil therefore within
the NZ embasy grounds which in Sydney... ffs

[StAndArdAU]

spare a thought for my girlfriend. works at the post office and has to deal with morons like this letters author day in day out because they cant read a simple piece of paper that tells them what to bring with them when they come in, and which questions to fill out.

Many a time she's come home on the verge of crying thanks to this sort of wannnkers abuse. People need to grow up and realise that they put these security measures in place for a reason, so that you dont end up on Today Tonight whinging that someone stole your identity.

i dont think this is a real letter anyways, who writes a formal letter with grammar like this? :

"Between you an' me, I've had enough of all this bulls**t!"

Give him a passport with a clause stating he's not allowed to return to Australia please.

[gtxb67]

i personally have not had any problems getting a passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, 3 types of visa's for my wife (she was living in the philippines when she got the first one), police checks etc. all in the last 3 1/2 years
no problems with aust post, births deaths and marriage registry or the immigration department at all
just fill in the blanks correctly, plan your trip and it was all pretty easy

[gcg2503]

I think the bloke who is complaining needs to try and get a Greek passport renewed and then reassess the Aussie Passport Renewal procedure.

I have done both and the Aussie system is fantastic in my opinion and should the need arise you can have your passport the next day.....

[ltd]

Wow, classic letter.
Equally though, disturbing that some people are taking it so seriously. Do some research and I think you'll find that this is one of those tongue in cheek letters that is designed merely to make people laugh, as opposed to something actually sent to a minister. By highlighting some of a governments flaws both real or alleged it becomes humourous; the letter first popped up in the USA against the US federal government and some of the requirements for various governmental agencies which do not share information.
In other words, it's an oldie but a goodie.

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by ltd

Wow, classic letter.
Equally though, disturbing that some people are taking it so seriously. Do some research and I think you'll find that this is one of those tongue in cheek letters that is designed merely to make people laugh, as opposed to something actually sent to a minister. By highlighting some of a governments flaws both real or alleged it becomes humourous; the letter first popped up in the USA against the US federal government and some of the requirements for various governmental agencies which do not share information.
In other words, it's an oldie but a goodie.

you are quite right - i think most would have realised it was a joke

some companies and government departments in this country get a lot of flak, for nothing. i and probably others were just highlighting their good points, that most people either do not see or take for granted