<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by number_6:
Presumably once we see the new card it will become self-evident, and it will ask some additional questions and other info to comply with existing law. Clearly it is more than can be done with existing ETAs, and couldn't be obtained with post-processing. I doubt that it is onerous.</font>
What do ETA's have to do with it? An ETA is your authority to enter the country if travelling other than an Australian or New Zealand passport.
What is being referred to here is the express form you are given when checking in, which already has most of your details printed on it, and those details encoded on a magnetic strip on the back, and which contains the same details which are filled in manually by those who don't get them.
Dave