|
Before you spend your shopping money, it’s a good idea to know what you can and can’t bring back into Australia. That way, you keep your travel treasures and save money on any necessary quarantine treatments (or fines).
All food, plant material and animal products from overseas – including many common souvenirs – must be declared for quarantine inspection (and may need treatment) when you return to Australia. For more information about what needs to be declared to Quarantine visit www.aqis.gov.au/travelbug
Common items from Fiji that you must declare (and might need treatment and/or an import permit) include:
• Shells – bought and found – including shell necklaces; some aren’t allowed into Australia
• Fresh flowers and leis – some flowers are prohibited
• Yams and taro – peeled and cooked
• Fish – needs to be de-headed, gutted and weigh less than 5kg
• Yaqona – powder, sticks and roots
• Coconuts and coconut ornaments
• Items made from pandanus, including mats and baskets
• Rawhide items, including drums
Wooden items – when you’re shopping, avoid items with bark, borer holes or insects.
Hot tip: Indian milk sweets such as gulab jamun made in India or Fiji are not allowed into Australia.
In many cases, declared goods are returned to you after inspection. However, any item that presents a disease risk or is found to contain insects or larvae will be withheld by Quarantine. You’ll be given a range of options for the item depending on the quarantine risk. These options include: treatment (for example fumigation) to make the item safe; re-exporting the item; and destroying the item. Most of these options will cost you money.
BEFORE YOU RETURN:
• Make sure you eat or throw away all fruit and vegetables before you land in Australia – they’re not allowed in
• Leave ALL aircraft food on board, including nuts and snacks
• Make sure you clean ALL soil from your hiking boots, sports shoes, golf clubs, camping gear, backpacks and mountain bikes– you still have to declare these to Quarantine
• Pack items for inspection together, and keep them at the top of your bag so they can be reached easily
• Wash shoes that have been worn in rural areas including farms, markets and zoos, or near animals such as cattle and chickens.
With increased quarantine activity at Australia’s airports, you’d be mad not to declare all items made from food, plant and animal material. The detector dog’s sense of smell (100 times greater than ours), won’t miss a beat – and neither will the X-ray machines or Quarantine officers.
Don’t risk an on-the-spot fine or prosecution, or worse, threaten our flora, fauna and important agricultural industries with exotic pests and diseases.
Some people don’t realise that a lot of things you can get overseas are illegal in Australia and will be seized by Customs if you bring them back. These include blowpipes; BB guns; flick knives; crossbows; nunchakus; knuckledusters; electric flyswats; and cigarette lighters designed to look like weapons; coral; orchids; and reptile skin or ivory goods.
Don’t forget to check www.customs.gov.au for A Guide for travellers – know before you go or call the Customs Information and Support Centre on Tel 1300 363 263 for advice about your customs clearance and items that must be declared.
Shopping on holidays? If you are 18 or over you are entitled to bring A$900 worth of goods back into Australia. This includes goods purchased overseas, in Australia duty/tax free before you left, or goods for which a refund of tax has been approved through the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS). You can also bring back 2.25 litres of alcohol and 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco products. Please note: Customs must verify your TRS purchases at least 30 minutes prior to departure. For details contact Customs on Tel 1300 363 263 or check www.customs.gov.au
Remember when overseas, you are subject to local laws. Local laws and legal processes can be very different from those in Australia. A violation of local laws may result in a jail sentence, served in a local prison. Consular assistance cannot override local law, even where local laws may appear harsh or unjust by Australian standards. Penalties for drug offences can be severe and include the death penalty.
|
