I'm going to go off-topic here for a moment and if Paul or C-H want to edit/delete my comments that is OK with me. [Linked Image]
I was in the unfortunate position recently where my Firearms licence, Explosives licence, Drivers licence, Passport all expired in the same week.
Now, the Government has made a fair profit from me over the last week.
My firearms licence is "good" until September, but I thought I would get in early and make sure that there was an overlap considering it takes a while for the licence to be made (it has your photo on it, which takes time to actually make the card).
Upon applying for a new licence I was told that the licence period has been reduced to 5 years and will cost NZ$175, the original licence I have lasted 10 years and cost me $75.
Also I will be subject to a police inspection of the storage of my firearms and ammunition, that doesn't worry me at all, I have nothing to hide from the police, what does annoy me is the increase in fees, are the general public any safer from criminals that don't have firearms licences?.
I went and saw OSH here about my Explosives licence, lo and behold, the licence is issued yearly these days, when it used to be a 5 year licence and cost $235, now however, it costs $355, I was also told that I would have to re-apply for this licence as my old (but still current) licence was now null and void and I would have to apply under the "New" system.
My Drivers licence did actually expire, as was pointed out to me when I was stopped by one of our local constabulary(sp?), I went into our local agent for the LTSA underwent the eyetest and got a new licence, I got home and had a look at the card and it had me as a female and half of the endorsements I have were missing.
Went back and was told that I have to pay more to have them on there, I disagreed, the lady wasn't very happy but I got what I was after.
All told the new licence cost me $138.
Now, the passport, I wrote (yes, wrote) to the Ministry of Internal Affairs back in January about the expiration of my passport, last week I got a reply, it told me that because of terrorists, I would have to fill out a whole heap of forms and submit a picture of myself and a few other things, the forms themselves were like sitting an exam, they basically wanted to know everything about me and my movements in the last 10 years, and also that of my partner or other person living in my house.
One thing I disagree with is the last page of the form where you have to indicate your annual income, I don't think that that is appropriate, sure if it was an IRD form yes, but the MIA?.
At this end of the week guys, I feel beauraucratically(sp?) raped.
So much money and so little to show for it. [Linked Image]

{Edit:It's Practicing Licence year here as well, thankfully work pays for them}

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 02-23-2007).]