No entry stamp in Sydney?

" Maybe they are better at keeping movement records now. "
Well, with scanners at all sorts of portals to get exit and entry data, so they should be and perhaps it could be used for health analysis.

Ah, but times are a changing and have been for quite some time - https://www.border.gov.au/about/corporate/information/fact-sheets/17nz

" I just came back from NZ yesterday via MEL, and also they didn't want to have a look at my stuff. "

Julie has her stare or more a glare to dare and I suppose a certain snarl would do something too!

Actually, they are Australian and always have been. Just as entitled to anything you are.

That's cool but things are different for kiwis with only kiwi citizenship now coming over and just in case they have kiwi citizenship and are thinking of politics at the federal level, just remind them not to do a Scotty!

Now in their 30s and both living in Australia, neither has or has had any interest in taking out NZ citizenship. But both are NZ residents by descent.

" Maybe they are better at keeping movement records now. "
Well, with scanners at all sorts of portals to get exit and entry data, so they should be and perhaps it could be used for health analysis.

After you turn 50 the government becomes interested in your movements. They send everybody a kit in the mail so they can analyse their exit data

Same here. I just came back from sydney and after having checked my passport I was quite surprised bcuz there was no entry/exit stamp on it. This was confusing bcuz the last time I traveled to melbourne i got stamped. Anyway, I think Aus government now has a new policy on immigration/tourism to boost the efficiency of the airport so they cut down the stamping process, but your traveling history will be recorded on computer and your data can be accessible if any foreign government has an intention to check the authenticity of your future visa applications. So don't worry.

And from my personal experience, having been able to fulfill the visa requirements of any commonwealth country in the past does stand you a higher chance of successfully applying for other countries' visas.

A month ago I rang up Centrelink to ask them something and I said I arrived back in Oz on xxx. They said it was the day before xxx, which was correct. It frightens you a bit, how much info the govt has on you..........

Raki - their computers talk to each other - have to keep a check on those who leave the country while receiving benefits and cancel payments if need be. The ATO's computers also talk with Centrelink for similar reasons.

If you have an e-passport (and probably even if not), basically Immigration Officer** in most parts of the world can see you travel history**

Most Schengen countries don't record this electronically, and certainly not in a Schengen-wide registry. Some member states do record entries and exits of non-EU/EFTA nationals, but only for their own use

Apart from Schengen countries, which of necessity use a common tracking System.

Sorry, but that is rubbish