Qatar Airways could score a big PR win cheap if they cover that fine for her.
Though it’s a weird story. Does the flight crew just keep roses on hand for special customers? Did anyone else get one? How was the crew not aware of Australia’s laws about that?
I don’t know Aussie police, but we have learned here that when the cops charge with “resisting arrest and refusing lawful orders” it usually means “we had to make something up.” Is “providing false info” similar Down Under?
I beg to disagree. Like many officials worldwide, the customs officers seem to embrace their power and authority in an unreasonable manner. What they did was akin to killing a fly by using a nuclear bomb. I certainly understand and support the reasons why Australia forbids the introduction of foods, animals, plants etc. which could introduce pathogens into the country. But there is no reason to fine anyone $1,200 in a case such as this. I can relate my own horror stories with respect to the US government.
Is a Qatar Airline jet considered a sovereign space under international law? if not, Qatar obviously smuggled SEVERAL roses into Australia.
That was the problem - and the airline was responsible for that one, so…
Totally outrageous that a sovereign nation should enact and enforce law to protect their unique environment and hugely important primary industries. All deference should be shown to a foreign dignitary such as a travel blogger. After all Australia’s very existence owes so much to visiting citizens of unnamed countries with absolutely no stake in the environmental and economic well-being of the continent.
What a funny comparison. Europeans “Australians” already destroyed an exponential amount of their environment hundreds of years ago after the last wave of human “Australian” settlers started the process. What a bunch of hypocrites for trying to do better in the so called “modern” day. How ridiculous it is for a country to expect people coming into their country to care to understand the requirements of entry. How dare they enforce those requirements with a fee that I’m sure was less that the airline tickets from Dubai. I think you have completely turned me around; “Australians” destroyed their environment hundreds of years ago so I’ll make sure to bring plenty of rabbits and bullfrogs knowing I’m only completing the process.
She must have really pissed off the airline staff.
In my experience that is how it is typically handled in Australia. Just last month I got caught by customs not declaring something, discovered in the process of inspecting something I did declare. I said sorry, they looked it over gave it back to me and I went on my day.
We only have her story, to have gotten the maximum infringement I suspect there is far more to it.
Agreed.
Yes. There are some weird bits in this story.
I thought biosecurity staff are all uniformed, for high visibility, apart from managers who don’t have direct contact with customers. Plain-clothed staff sounds like Federal Police looking out for smuggling.
Not too clear where in the airport she claims to have been stopped, before, during of after the biosecurity inspection. Don’t know the layout of Perth Airport, but I can’t imagine anyone would get through inspection zone at Sydney International zone carrying a rose in full view without someone asking her to put it in the hazard bins. Found a local news report at
that includes “She said was actually given back the rose after officials inspected it and cut off the stem.” That sounds odd!
“Exponential” refers to the rate of change of an amount, not to the amount itself.
Every second old white lady in Australia has a fucking rose bush in their backyard.
Evil fucking plants.
Wait. Why are rose bushes evil?
as this was in the baggage claim area it is before the biosecurity/customs part so no offence committed yet?
What would they have done if she had been carrying a bunch of roses?
They are covered in bastard thorns, they smell like toilet cleaner and they symbolise everything I hate about Anglo culture.
Oh, a bunch of roses would be 10 penalty units; but also love at first sight with a handsome-but-duty-bound biosecurity agent in a straight-to-streaming romcom.
There’s an obvious reason: publicity.
I feel like I’ve seen ‘visitor to Australia fined $BigNumber for biosecurity breach’ before. It makes headlines and gets the word out about how seriously Australia takes this stuff at far less cost than taking out loads of magazine ads all over the place.
Maybe airline staff gave her the rose because they didn’t want to be caught with it. Savvy!
I don’t know about Perth but all the east coast airports have signs every few metres from the air bridge to baggage reclaim warning about declaring correctly and have bins that you can dump stuff if you need. There is also announcements on the plan before you land.
According to the article in news.com.au
“ Lays Laraya, who is known as “Skywardsfreak” online, said she was gifted the rose at the Qatar Airways lounge in Doha before flying to Australia and decided to take it with her, thinking nothing of it”
“She puts the landing card in front of me and asks, ‘Is this landing card yours?’” Ms Laraya recalled to Insider after first posting about the incident on her Instagram
I said yes. ‘Do you recognise the signature on the landing card?’ I said yes, I recognise the signature. ‘Did you fill this landing truthfully?’ I said 100 per cent, everything is true here — and mind you, I had the rose right in front of me and I said this true because I still didn’t think that I was gonna get in trouble for the rose.
“And then she picked the rose and said, ‘How about this rose? Is this yours?’ I said, Yes, it’s mine. And then she’s like, ‘Can you read the card again and see whether the rose will fit in any of the questions that you said no to?“
Assuming the article is correct, she was given the rose well before the customs form was filled out and by people who may not have known of her final destination. When she arrived, she was given a couple of opportunities to say whoops I made a mistake and only then was given the fine.
Personally I always tick the food/plants option on the form and then tell the bio security person what I have, and have never had any issue. One time my wife was bringing green coffee beans for me and they had to be surrendered but there was no fine because we had ticked the box that we had plant stuff and told them.
Likewise, is there any other way this influencer could possibly spend as little as $1800 and get this much exposure to fresh eyeballs?
Not suggesting she did it on purpose. I am suggesting that there’s a silver lining for her in here.
