Some friends and I transitted in HKG recently, and the simple temperature check via the ear posed no problems.

The only problem occured upon arrival in SYD when an asthmatic friend had a little coughing fit whilst disembarking from the plane. Next minute there's a woman in a fluro yellow vest and holding a clipboard, running up to him and pulling him aside, identifying herself as being from the Department of Health. She then proceeded to question him on his recent travels and what he had done whilst in HKG. She wanted to know about his coughing and if he'd come into contact with anyone with SARS. She took him to another room where a doctor conducted a quick medical exam - temperature, listened to his chest, and etc. - and eventually he was cleared to proceeded after they realised it was just asthma.

Don't know if Australia's screening is good or bad after that - if identifying coughing people coming off the planes is all they do, I'd be a bit worried.