What's with the US Mail Service Costs?

They seem to have gone through the roof.
A package - say a small book or, magazine used to cost about $AUS6/7 in mailing costs - to bring it to Australia.

Now it's through the roof....

I bought a book for $US14.99 and the postage was to be $US21!!!

A friend on the west coast of USA was sending me a magazine but it would cost $US70 to airmail to me.

This is what I found on the US Mail website - well hidden mind you....

Country Conditions for Mailing — Australia

Prohibitions

Coins; bank notes; currency notes (paper money); securities of any kind payable to bearer; traveler’s checks; platinum, gold, and silver (manufactured or not); precious stones; jewelry; and other valuable articles are prohibited.

Fruit cartons (used or new).

Goods bearing the name “Anzac.” (I didn't know this...)

Goods produced wholly or partly in prisons or by convict labor.

Perishable infectious biological substances.

Radioactive materials.

Registered philatelic articles with fictitious addresses.

Seditious literature.

Silencers for firearms.

Used bedding. (Really? Why would you want to? )

Restrictions

Meat and other animal products; powdered or concentrated milk; and other dairy products requires permission to import from the Australian quarantine authorities.

Permission of the Australian Director-General of Health is required to import medicines.

Observations

Duty may be levied on catalogs, price lists, circulars, and all advertising introduced into Australia through the mail, regardless of the class of mail used.

Customs Forms Required

First-Class Mail International items and Priority Mail International flat-rate envelopes:
PS Form 2976 or 2976-A

Priority Mail International parcels:
PS Form 2976-A inside 2976-E (envelope)

Global Express Guaranteed

Weight not over (lbs.)	Rate	Weight not over (lbs.)	Rate	Weight not over (lbs.)	Rate
0.5	$38.00	24	$220.65	48	$372.25
1	55.00	25	227.05	49	378.40
2	63.45	26	233.45	50	384.55
3	71.90	27	239.85	51	390.70
4	80.35	28	246.25	52	396.85
5	88.80	29	252.65	53	403.00
6	97.25	30	259.05	54	409.15
7	105.70	31	265.45	55	415.30
8	114.15	32	271.85	56	421.45
9	122.60	33	278.25	57	427.60
10	131.05	34	284.65	58	433.75
11	137.45	35	291.05	59	439.90
12	143.85	36	297.45	60	446.05
13	150.25	37	303.85	61	452.20
14	156.65	38	310.25	62	458.35
15	163.05	39	316.65	63	464.50
16	169.45	40	323.05	64	470.65
17	175.85	41	329.20	65	476.80
18	182.25	42	335.35	66	482.95
19	188.65	43	341.50	67	489.10
20	195.05	44	347.65	68	495.25
21	201.45	45	353.80	69	501.40
22	207.85	46	359.95	70	507.55
23	214.25	47	366.10
Weight Limit: 70 lbs.

Insurance

Insured Amount not over	Fee	Insured Amount not over	Fee
$100	No Fee	For document reconstruction insurance or non-document insurance coverage above $800, add $0.75 per $100 or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of $2,499 per shipment.
200	$0.75
300	1.50
400	2.25
500	3.00
600	3.75
700	4.50
800	5.25	$2,499 max.	$18.00

Size Limits

An item must be large enough to hold on its face the postage
and the plastic pouch that carries the Global Express
Guaranteed Air Waybill/Shipping Invoice (shipping label).
The shipping label is approximately 5.5 inches high and
9.5 inches long, and the plastic pouch that carries it is
approximately 7 inches high and 12 inches long.

Maximum length: 46 inches
Maximum width: 35 inches
Maximum height: 46 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches

General Conditions for Mailing

See Publication 141, Global Express Guaranteed Service Guide, for information about areas served in the destination country, allowable contents, packaging and labeling requirements, tracking and tracing, service standards, and other conditions for mailing.