New Zealand Customs Service

Introduction

The New Zealand Customs Service’s (Customs) vision is:

Leadership and excellence in border management that enhances the security and prosperity of New Zealand

Customs' mission is to protectNew Zealand’s border and revenue in order that New Zealanders may live in safety while actively participating in the global community.  Customs’ Māori name - Te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa - translates as the authority that screens and protects New Zealand.

Customs seeks to make a major contribution to four outcomes for the citizens of New Zealand:

Border Security:	The domestic and international communities have confidence in New Zealand’s border security and the security of New Zealand’s trade and travel channels.
Community Protection:	Risks associated with the flow of people, goods and craft into and out of New Zealand are prevented from harming New Zealand’s community, economy and environment.
Revenue:	All customs and excise revenue that is lawfully due is collected.
Trade Support:	Legitimate and compliant trade is fostered by efficient border regulation.

Customs contributes to these outcomes by:

• Providing the Government with policy advice on the management of the border and commodity taxation, technical advice on the operation of international trade agreements, and intelligence and risk assessments on related illicit activity;
• Regulating the movement of international goods, passengers and craft across New Zealand's border, and the entry of excisable product into the New Zealand market;
• Managing the technology platform for international passenger, craft and trade data so that information needs of other departments can be met at minimal cost to the Crown and industry;

As it has to fulfil its mission within defined resources and with the minimum possible adverse impact on legitimate trade and travel, Customs uses intelligence and risk assessment to target its screening and inspection of containers, vessels and travellers. It also conducts audits to check compliance of non-risk goods and traders, and investigates and prosecutes where an offence is committed.

Underpinning Customs’ strategic framework is a set of the values, which sustain a strong culture that helps Customs accomplish its vision and mission:

• Integrity
• Respect
• Commitment
• Agility

Customs works closely with the other border agencies, such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Quarantine Service and the Immigration Service and with a wide range of other agencies whose policy and regulatory interests it represents at the border.

Level 1 Activities: Universal responsiveness to disability issues

Accessible government information		Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
Agency’s websites
	Meet e-government Web-Guidelines 2.1		Yes
	Tested for accessibility for disabled people
	Adapted to increase accessibility to disabled people	Yes
	Downloadable files available in HTML, not only PDF (Refer Project 1)		Yes
Other publications and public information available in alternative formats. (eg key information available in easy-to-read English, Braille, NZSL video clips, captions on TV adverts, etc) (Refer Note 1)				Yes
Agency makes available alternative forms of contact (ie phone and fax numbers, email addresses, etc)		Yes

Project 1

With the exception of documents being available in HTML format, Customs website currently complies with the e-government Web Guidelines. 

Action will now be taken to ensure downloadable files are made available in both PDF and HTML formats for people who access the New Zealand Customs Service website.

Note 1

The most widely used documents issued by Customs are those completed by travellers arriving or departing New Zealand. To assist travellers to complete them the documents are currently printed in a wide range of languages, which enables the majority of those crossing the border to complete the forms unaided.  Customs provides staff to assist the balance of the travellers to complete the form.  That assistance is also available to travellers who are visually impaired but the support is not exclusively in place for that purpose. 

The Service will ensure that, during the course of the plan and beyond, that the audio message of any audio clips produced is also accompanied by on screen text captions or via an accredited New Zealand Sign Language Interpreter.

Accessible government buildings and sites		Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
All agency’s buildings and sites meet statutory and regulatory access requirements (eg NZS 4121)		Yes
Agency’s buildings and sites have Building Code compliance certification		Yes
Agency’s buildings and sites audited for accessibility by Barrier Free NZ Trust. (Refer Project 2)			Yes
Agency’s buildings and sites accessible.
	Frontline staff receive training in disability responsiveness	Yes
	Reception areas accessible	Yes
	Counters lowered for wheelchair users	Yes
	Telephone staff familiar with using NZ Relay service (Refer Project 3)		Yes

Project 2

Customs believes all of its premises currently comply with statutory access requirements. However arrangements will be made for Barrier Free New Zealand to undertake an audit on the accessibility of Customs buildings for disabled people.

Project 3

The New Zealand Customs Service will register with New Zealand Relay services and education will be provided to staff, especially Telephonists, Call Centre and Client Service staff, in respect to the processes involved in accessing and using the NZ Relay Service's facilities.

Accessible government services	Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
Service policies and procedures include reference to disability issues (Refer Project 4)		Yes
Information/data on services provided to disabled people is recorded (Refer Note 2)			Yes
Service staff receive disability responsiveness training	Yes
When contracting for new or up-graded IT applications and environments, contracts include a requirement to ensure accessibility by disabled users.  (Refer Project 5)		Yes

Project 4

Relevant Customs Operational Policy and Procedures will be amended to include guidelines regarding the use of New Zealand Sign Language Interpreters.

Project 5

The RFP's for all new tenders for hardware and software packages will include the need to consider access/use by people with disabilities.

Note 2 - Information/data on services provided to disabled people is recorded

For the following reasons the requirement to collect data on the delivery of services to disabled people is an issue for Customs. Customs do not provide specific services to disabled people. The majority of the people that Customs interacts with are those moving through a Customs controlled border where the requirement is for 97% of passengers on any given flight to be cleared through Customs with 45 minutes.  (Maintaining that time standard is critical if Customs is to meet the flight throughput targets that the Service is committed to meeting).

Responsive government employment practices	Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
Human Resource policies and procedures include EEO issues for disabled people	Yes
Recruitment and selection of vacancies responsive to disabled people	Yes
Human Resource staff familiar with EEO issues for disabled people (Refer Project 6)		Yes

Project 6

Information on disability responsiveness will be disseminated to all Customs staff and they will be provided access, via Customs intranet, to the ODI Disability Perspective Tool Kit.

Disabled staff are supported	Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
Individual assessments of workplace accommodations or support are provided (eg work station assessments)	Yes
Accommodations provided to disabled staff (eg work station adaptations, special equipment, New Zealand Sign Language interpreters, etc are provided)	Yes
Disabled staff provided with opportunities for career advancement	Yes
Agency supports a disabled staff network group (Refer Note 3)			Yes
Internal agency newsletters promote the positive presence of disabled staff people (Refer Note 4)			Yes
As and when required, New Zealand Sign Language Interpreters will be provided at the New Zealand Customs Service's expense. (Refer Project 7)		Yes

Project 7

A register of available sign language interpreter contact details will be made available to Customs staff.

Note 3 - Agency supports a disabled staff network group

Not applicable - Customs do not have a disabled staff network group.

Note 4 - Internal agency newsletters promote the positive presence of disabled staff people

Not applicable at this time.

Information and data on disabled people is collected		Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
Information on agency’s responsiveness to disabled staff people
	Number of disabled people employed = 63 (We recommend you use the State Service Commission’s EEO disability information)	Yes
	Data on disability related accommodations, adaptive equipment, etc, provided by your agency. (Refer Note 5)			Yes
	Number of disabled people employed under the State Service Commission’s ‘Mainstream programme. (Refer Note 6)			Yes
Information on agency’s responsiveness to the disabled public
	Information and data on agency’s contact with the disabled public is recorded (eg consultation with disabled groups) (Refer Note 7)			Yes
	Information / data on agency’s disabled client group recorded.	Yes

Note 5 - Data on disability related accommodations, adaptive equipment, etc, provided.

Currently "not applicable" to Customs. We do not provide accommodation or equipment to the disabled community. As an employer we have, in previous years modified workstations and in one instance, created an office, for an employee with a hearing impediment.  That employee has since retired and none of Customs existing staff have been identified, at this time, as needing disability related accommodation or equipment.

Note 6 - Number of disabled people employed under the "Mainstream programme".

Not applicable as Customs does not currently have anyone who has been recruited via the SSC Mainstream Programme.

The New Zealand Customs Services supports the concept and objectives of Mainstream and is in regular contact with a number of agencies who place people that are eligible for support under the Mainstream programme.

Note 7 - Information and data on agency’s contact with the disabled public is recorded.

Not seen as applicable at this time. Customs has, over time, developed processes and procedures for almost any given situation and while we do not currently have an agreement with any specific sector of society we do endeavour to ensure that we interact with the people who use our services in a manner that is considered appropriate, from the client's perspective.  Should they occur interactions with external individuals and groups would, as a matter of course, be recorded in any event.