General Information

Airport and Transport
The Congress does not provide any transfers from the airport to Congress Hotels. All delegates must make their own transport arrangements from the airport. There is an abundance of taxis that can be engaged at ranks at Melbourne Airport. The taxi ride from the airport to the Melbourne CBD can take between 40-60 minutes.

Banking and Currency
Australia's currency consists of coins of five, 10, 20 and 50 cent and one and two dollar denomination; and notes of five, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollar denomination.

Foreign exchange facilities are available at banks, hotels and airports. All major credit cards including Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Diners Club are accepted at most restaurants and shops.

Business Hours
Banks are open from 0930 to 1600 Monday to Thursday, 0930 to 1700 on Fridays and are closed on Saturday and Sunday. General office and post offices are open 0900 to 1700 Monday - Friday.

Climate and Clothing
With its variable climate, Melbourne is cool to mild in spring (September to November), with temperatures averaging 22°C during the day and 12°C at night. It is recommended that visitors bring clothing suitable for cool days and cold nights.

For the Congress Opening Ceremony, we recommend “business casual” - for men a jacket is recommended. The Congress Gala Party will be smart casual and a jacket is suggested for the cooler evening.

Eating Out
Melbourne is a multi-cultural city and a wide range of cuisine is available throughout its many restaurants.

Electricity
The electrical current is 240/250V, AC 50Hz and has a unique flat three-pin connection therefore you will need an adaptor. Most hotels provide 110 volt outlets for shavers.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) / Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS)
Australia has a taxation system incorporating the Goods & Services Tax (GST). All prices quoted are inclusive of 10% GST, unless otherwise specified.

The TRS enables you to claim a refund, subject to certain conditions, of the goods and services tax (GST) and wine equalisation tax (WET) that you pay on goods you buy in Australia.

To claim a refund you must:

Spend $300 (GST inclusive) or more in the one store and get a single tax invoice
Buy goods no more than 30 days before departure
Wear or carry the goods on board the aircraft or ship and present them along with your original tax invoice, passport and international boarding pass to a Customs Officer at a TRS facility
Claims at airports are only available up to 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your flight.

The refund only applies to goods you take with you as hand luggage or wear onto the aircraft when you leave Australia. It does not apply to services or goods consumed or partly consumed in Australia, such as wine, chocolate or perfume. However, unlike other tourist shopping schemes, most of the goods, such as clothing and cameras, can be used in Australia before departure.

The TRS is open to all overseas visitors and Australian residents.

The GST refund is calculated by dividing the total amount of the purchase by 11. The WET refund is 14.5 percent of the price paid for wine. For example, if you buy goods for a GST-inclusive price of $660 you will receive a refund of $60. If the $660 is made up of a camera ($460) and wine ($200), you will receive a total refund of $89 (total GST refund of $60 plus $29 WET refund on the wine).

Insurance
It is strongly recommended that at the time you register for the Congress and book your travel you take out an insurance policy. The policy should include loss of fees/deposit through cancellation of your participation in the Congress, or through cancellation of the Congress, loss of international/domestic air fares through cancellation for any reason, loss of tour monies through cancellation for any reason including airline or related services strikes within Australia, failure to utilise tours or pre booked arrangements due to airline delay, Force Majeure or any other reason, medical expenses (including sickness and accident cover), loss or damage to personal property, additional expenses and repatriation should travel arrangements have to be altered. The Congress Managers cannot take any responsibility for any participant failing to arrange their own insurance. This insurance is to be purchased in your country of origin.

Language
English is spoken in Australia and is the official language for the Congress.

Mobile Phones
Australia operates on a digital network therefore analogue mobile phones are unable to be used.

Passport and Visa Important Information
All travellers to Australia, other than New Zealand, require a valid entry Visa prior to travel to Australia. Delegates should, in most cases, apply for a short stay business visitor visa (subclass 456).

Some delegates will be eligible to apply for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) via the internet www.eta.immi.gov.au. These include delegates from the following countries:

ETA-eligible passports:

Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Brunei
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong SAR

Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Malta
Monaco
Netherlands
Norway

Portugal
San Marino
Singapore
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States Of America
Vatican City

Holders of UK British National (Overseas) (GBN) passports are not eligible to apply for ETAs through the ETA site.

Those delegates who are not from the above countries, will need to lodge a ‘456 visa’ application at the nearest Australian Mission. An application form can be downloaded from www.immi.gov.au.

Australian Immigration Laws are very strict, therefore check with your travel agent or nearest Australian Consulate.

If you require a letter of invitation for visa purposes, you must first register and pay to attend the Congress and indicate on the registration form that you will require a letter of invitation.

The Congress Secretariat is unable to assist with processing or obtaining visa applications, other than verifying your intention to attend the Congress. Visas are granted at the discretion of the Australian Embassy.

Further information on passport and visa requirements can be obtained from www.immi.gov.au.

Privacy
Australia has strict laws which are designed to protect the right of the individual to privacy of their information. The Congress Secretariat complies with all this legislation and any Information collected in respect of proposed participation in any aspect of the Congress will be only used for the purposes of planning and conduct of the Congress.

Provision is made in the registration form for delegates to choose whether they wish for their details to be included in a ‘List of Participants’ of attendees.

Quarantine
Australia is free from many plant and animal diseases prevalent in other countries. Very strict quarantine rules apply to the import of animals and plants, which cannot be brought into the country without prior application. Animal and plant products are also restricted.

For more information see the ‘Information for International Travellers’ on the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) website, which you can access by visiting www.affa.gov.au.

Shopping
Most shops in Melbourne are generally open from 0900 to 1700, Saturday to Wednesday and 0900 to 2100 Thursday to Friday. In all stores and shopping centres major credit cards are accepted and tax-free shopping is possible within the city. Walking is the best way to shop, especially along Melbourne's arcades and laneways. Outside the city centre, visit shopping precincts like Chapel Street in South Yarra, Acland Street in St Kilda and Brunswick Street in Fitzroy, especially on weekends. Here you'll find everything from retro home wares to funky shops selling cult-in-the-making jewellery. These strips also have many street cafes.

Time
Local Melbourne time during October is - Greenwich Mean Time plus 8 hours.

Tipping
Tipping is not the general custom in Australia and is usually as widespread or regulated in Australia as it is in other parts of the world. Tipping is your prerogative, a reward for service.