The booklet provides a thorough array of useful consular information, including contact details for all our posts abroad. And it also provides information on the return to Australia, such as quarantine and customs contact numbers. Most importantly, it tells people what we as a Government can do for them if they get into trouble abroad, and what we can't. The cardinal rule for all travellers must be to respect the laws and customs of the country they are in - it is disappointing that, for a tiny minority of Australians, common sense and restraint seem to disappear as soon as backsides hit the seat of the 747. But they are, happily, a small minority.
Australian citizenship is a wonderful thing.
We should always remember that laws of other countries can be vastly different from our own. Sometimes punishments can be very severe for offences which Australians might regard as minor. Just as we expect visitors to our country to abide by our laws, we Australians must act within the laws of other countries. If we don't, there are limits on what the Australian Government can do to assist. This booklet explains what those limits are, and what we can do for people if they do find themselves in trouble.