本平台将致力于为您提供与您在澳洲的投资项目相关的法律信息与服务、同时也会将与中国企业及个人投资者热切关注的产业相关澳洲新闻、最新行业规定等讯息及时传递给您。
一名全国旅游行业的领导人提出呼吁，希望简化对中国游客赴澳的繁琐签证程序，中国如今已是澳洲游客的最大来源国。
旅游和运输论坛的首席执行官Margy Osmond将对该方面的推动化为了实际：这个热带北部地区已经做好了准备，将于今日迎接一架来自中国大陆的包机航班。
她称最近的包机航班以及从中国大陆与香港飞至凯恩斯的大量季节性航班是由于中国农历新年而导致的需求增加。
“这是个好消息，但要使中国游客赴澳旅游的体验更轻松的话，我们还有许多方面值得改进。”Osmond女士称。
“我们过时的签证流程意味着中国游客必须填写纸质表格并且支付130澳元、亲自递交辅助文件材料，然后等待一周以上。
“相比较而言，香港游客可以在线申请、支付20元澳币，而且几乎立即就能收到批复。”
“我们也使在澳洲消费并对购买商品进行退税的中国游客获得更方便的体验。”
Osmond女士称在其他国家，退税计划的管理是有私营机构负责的，私营机构也会致力于对当地购物环境进行投资从而吸引游客。
她说：“这在澳洲没有理由不被列入考虑。”
“海关已经开始了改革，设置了新的软件，游客可以将购物的申报要求输入该软件。”
“该方式是对游客的理解，这是令人高兴的，然而在中文版本的推出上存在延时，因而错过了这个一年中的重要时刻。”
澳大利亚豪力律师事务所的Paul Hardman律师说申请赴澳签证过程对中国访客来说既耗时又复杂，因此致使潜在的中国游客选择了其他的签证申请快速而简单的目的地，
“若想令澳洲经济充分受益于中国旅游贸易带来的丰富利润，政府需要采取积极的措施减少澳洲签证对中国访客的限制从而使他们更容易进入这里，”他称。
“引入在线申请、中文服务以及对非首次访客提供快速处理通道仅简化流程、提高效率的开始。”
_________________________
【专业干货——助您成功投资澳洲业务】
欲查阅之前我们发布的如下【在澳经商基本法律法规】主题系列以及与您生意相关的其他资讯，请进入订阅号点击右上角按钮，选择“查看历史消息”：
· 在澳大利亚成立公司须知
· 澳大利亚相关背景，例如包括澳大利亚政府制度、法律制度、企业结构
· 其他常见领域法律与规定，例如技术与知识产权保护、反垄断和消费者保护法、合同法、公开接管、电子商务、商业移民和雇主担保签证、房地产、环境法等
· 专业信息与见解，如对外商投资的监管要求等
（原创文章，欢迎转发，谢谢关注！未经授权，严禁转载！）
Call to cut visa red tape for Chinese tourists coming to Cairns
A NATIONAL tourism leader is calling for red tape cuts to make it easier for Australia’s largest source of tourists – the Chinese – to come here.
The push by Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) chief executive Margy Osmond comes as the tropical north prepares to welcome a host of charter flights from mainland China today.
She said the charter flights plus seasonal and scheduled flights from China and Hong Kong to Cairns were the result of high demand for Chinese New Year festivities.
“This is great news,but there is a lot we could do to make the experience of visiting Australia easier for Chinese visitors,” Ms Osmond said.
“Our outdated visa process means Chinese visitors must fill in a paper form, pay $130, apply inperson with documentary evidence and wait over a week.
“By contrast, HongKong visitors can apply for a visa online, pay $20 and receive almost immediate approval.
“We could also make it easier for Chinese travellers to spend their money here and collect back theGST on their purchases.”
Ms Osmond said private operators had taken over management of tax refund schemes in other countires, as well investing in local shoppingto appeal to tourists.
“There is no reason why this could not be considered in Australia,” she said.
“Customs has made astart on reform, with a new app for travellers to input their claims as they purchase.
“While this uptake is pleasing, a Chinese language version has unfortunately been delayed and will miss this important time of the year.”
Paul Hardman, of legal firm Holding Redlich, said it was a time-consuming and complicated process that discouraged many potential Chinese visitors from applying for a visa to Australia and instead chose another destination that allowed faster and easier visa applications.
“In order for the Australian economy to fully enjoy the benefits from the lucrative Chinese tourist trade, the Government needs to take positive steps in making Australia more accessible by easing visa restrictions for Chinese travellers,” he said.
“Introducing online applications, Mandarin capabilities and express processing channel for repeat visitors are just a few starting points in improving efficiency and streamlining processing.”
_________________________
【We provide excellent expert advice to businesses wishing to invest in Australia.】
To view our previous news releases for Chinese investors and the following articles of the topic ‘Basic legal knowledge on doing business in Australia’, please click the upper-right button on our WeChat platform, andclick ‘view previous information’:
· Business set up in Australia, business structures, company administration, etc.
· Background information of Australia, including Australian government, legal system, and business structures, etc.
· Laws and regulations in various common areas, including protection of technology and intellectual property, anti-trust and consumer law, contract law, business migration, realproperty, public takeovers, and electronic commerce etc.
· Professional industrial updates and insights, such as regulation on foreign investment
