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Australian Report On Progress Towards the Paperless Trading GoalsIn APEC¡¦s Blueprint for Action on Electronic Commerce
enables greater uptake of e-commerce in the private sector.
The Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service¡¦s (AQIS) Electronic Export Documentation System - EXDOC
Each year AQIS issues in excess of 300,000 export certificates covering a range of export commodities shipped to some 140 countries. Accuracy, security and timeliness are critical requirements for export certification to ensure exports gain unimpeded access to world markets. The only way for AQIS to ensure it can provide the level of service required by Australia¡¦s overseas clients has been to develop electronic systems for delivering export certificates and clearances.
The EXDOC system is designed to provide cost effective, accurate, secure and timely electronic delivery of export documentation required by Australian exporters to ¡¥clear¡¦ product from Australia and to gain access for that product in overseas markets. EXDOC users also have the facility of the single electronic window (SEW) to Government allowing them to transact their AQIS and Customs¡¦ Exports Integration (EXIT) system business through the one message channel. This means a saving in clearance times and message transmission costs.
EXDOC has operated for edible meat since August 1992 and is now undergoing extension to the non-meat export sector. Exporters of dairy products have had access to the system since October 1999 and exporters of fish products since December 1999. Grain and horticulture commodity shippers will be able to use EXDOC from March and July 2000 respectively.
Another key feature of EXDOC is the ability to generate a globally acceptable electronic health certificate designed to remove the need for paper certificates where importing countries accept this. This electronic certificate, called SANCRT (pronounced san-cert) has been used to clear all Australian edible meat shipments into Japan since March 1998.
Financial and Banking environment
Payment systems
The efficiency of payment systems is crucial to the success of every business. E-commerce can improve payment systems to provide faster cash flow and reduce errors associated with traditional paper-based and cheque methods of payment. Also, the emergence of the Internet as a service channel is set to radically alter the design and delivery of financial products.
Most major Australian banks now operate Internet banking for customers to check balances and pay bills through the Bpay system (www.bpay.com.au ). In addition, financial institutions are currently redesigning products and services for both customers and business to take advantage of the Internet. Some examples of these, in addition to Internet banking, include Internet broking and Internet insurance. These developments are introducing a new breed of intermediaries¡Xthose offering comparison services online. Already, the Internet has transformed the broking industry with Internet trading increasing as a proportion of trading activity and lowering the price of commissions.
NOIE has released two guides to Internet banking, produced in association with the Australian Information Industry Association and the Australian Bankers¡¦ Association. Both publications¡XGetting Paid on the Internet and Banking on the Internet ¡X are available from the NOIE website (www.noie.gov.au). Getting Paid on the Internet provides a guide for small business to the efficiency of Internet-based banking. It raises awareness of using this business solution to make and process payments along [next page]