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Customs/MSD Arrivals & Departures Programme
Annual Report
Purpose: To identify current clients who leave for or return from overseas while receiving income support payments, and to assist MSD in the recovery of outstanding debts.
Year commenced: 1992
Features: Data transferred weekly by online transfer.
Customs disclosure to MSD: Customs provides arrival and departure information covering the week prior to the extraction date. Each travel movement record includes the traveller's full name, date of birth, gender, travel document number, country code and flight details.
2010/11 activity:
New match runs started in the reporting period
| Match runs | 52 |
| Records received for matching | 9,632,937 |
| Possible matches identified | 54,032 |
| Notifications received for debt recovery (from 30 May) | 3,953 |
| Matches that required no further action | 19,451 |
| Notices of adverse action | 30,674 |
| Challenges | 237 |
| Successful challenges | 207 |
| Overpayments established | 28,325 |
| Value of overpayments established | $18,915,102 |
Commentary: This year, MSD more than doubled the number and value of overpayments established by this programme. In September, MSD decided to cease matching work on some client cases (in advance of system changes) with Inland Revenue, and reallocate resources to this programme to clear a backlog of work.
On 30 May 2011, MSD started using information received through this programme to assist it in the recovery of outstanding debts. Detailed reporting on this activity will commence in the next annual report.
Compliance: Compliant.
Technical information
| Information matching provision | Customs and Excise Act 1996, s.280 |
| Year authorised | 1991 |
| Programme type | Confirming eligibility Locating people |
| On-line transfers | Yes |
System description
Each week, Customs creates a file of passenger arrival and departure information and place it on a website within the secure Customs network. Each travel movement record includes the traveller's full name, date of birth, gender, travel document number, Citizenship code, and flight details.
MSD uses an encrypted communication session to access the Customs website and retrieve the file. Access to the Customs website is limited to specific MSD internet addresses to prevent access by unauthorised users.
MSD compares each traveller's name, date of birth, and gender with their beneficiary and student databases. Each positive match receives a rating ranging from match level one where the surname, fist name, second name, and date of birth all agree, to match level 13 where there is a less exact match.
For matched individuals, MSD checks its records to see if there has been any reason given for the overseas travel.
In March 2009, MSD began using the authority granted under section 103(1A) of the Privacy Act to immediately suspend a Sickness, Unemployment, Emergency, or Independent Youth Benefit. For all other benefit types, MSD sends a s.103 notice and waits the required five working days before suspending a benefit.
The practice of immediately suspending benefits started at the same time as a new online query system enabling authorised MSD staff to verify Customs arrival and departure information.
| 2005/06 | 2006/07 | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2009/10 |
| Runs | 52 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 52 |
| Records received from Customs | 8,797,541 | 9,147,379 | 9,319,742 | 9,093,528 | 9,356,667 |
| Positive matches | 30,290 | 25,140 | 25,807 | 31,092 | 62,119 |
| Legitimate records (no action needed) | 19,689 | 15,561 | 16,280 | 18,635 | 34,433 |
| Notices of adverse action | 10,663 | 9,182 | 9,149 | 10,901 | 27,632 |
| Overpayments established (number) | 7,559 | 4,818 | 6,782 | 5,800 | 12,228 |
| Overpayments established[1] | $4,900,661 | $3,776,460 | $6,612,148 | $6,248,204 | $9,011,609 |
| Challenges | 87 | 110 | 121 | 80 | 222 |
| Challenges successful | 60 | 74 | 100 | 70 | 172 |
[1] Overpayments are the number of cases where an individual received a payment when not entitled. The total debt established includes overpayments and any penalties assessed.