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Dear 1Earth Antiques,
I want to buy some of the beautiful swords on your www.antiques-art-collectibles.com
website. I live in South Australia, but the manufacturer is overseas. Any advice on shipping items
into Australia?
— Sue.
Dear Sue,
Firstly, we have checked with Australian Customs, and all items available through this website are able to be imported into Australia.
However, the toys and some of the goods available through our Amazon affiliation are
not available to Australian residents because of restrictions in the States. Where possible, we have provided links to Australian providers for these products. All books, CDs, and DVDs are shipped worldwide from Amazon.com
But be careful. Customs fees and other import laws can make buying objects from overseas a lot more complicated than you might expect.
First, make sure the objects can be legally imported. There are several
items available from some of our overseas affiliates, including those made of ivory and materials from other endangered
animals, which you can't bring into the Australia.
Goods subject to Australian import controls
Anyone purchasing goods from overseas over the Internet or through mail order should be aware that when the goods arrive in Australia they will be subject to Customs controls.
Some goods sold legally overseas may be prohibited or require permits for import to Australia.
Customs duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) may also be payable on items permitted to enter Australia.
Certain items freely available over the Internet are prohibited imports to Australia.
These include self-defence items such as electronic stun guns/tasers, daggers that can be concealed, flick knives, blowpipes, knuckle-dusters, and therapeutic substance such as DHEA, steroids and some body-building supplements.
Some of the prohibited substances are included in weight-loss preparations.
The importation of these goods and similar items is prohibited under the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations without a permit.
If any of these goods are imported without a permit, the goods will be seized by Customs. Prosecution might also follow and conviction could result in fines of up to $250,000 and/or jail terms of up to 10 years.
You can check if you can legally import products by contacting a Customs Information Centre on 1300 363 263 or by e-mail to
information@customs.gov.au or refer to the links below.
All goods imported into Australia must be cleared by Customs, whether they
be imported by air, sea or post. While imports of low value will generally be released by Customs for delivery direct to consignees, importers are responsible for obtaining a formal Customs clearance for consignments of goods above set value limits (currently $250 for goods imported by sea or air cargo and $1,000 for goods imported through the postal system).
Please note that Customs duty and/or Goods and Services Tax and, where applicable, Wine Equalisation Tax and Luxury Car Tax are levied on many items entering Australia, whether or not the goods require a formal Customs clearance. Customs duty rates vary and depend on a number of factors such as type of goods and country of origin.
Choose a topic from the list below for more information from the Australian Customs website about a particular area:
- General imports
- Temporary Importations
- Importing a motor vehicle
- Firearm dealers guide for category H articles
- Facilitation and concession schemes
- Dumping and subsidisation
- Commercial goods and samples
- Customs working with business
Before deciding on your purchase, do some calculations.
You may find that packing, shipping, GST and delivery costs outweigh the value of your objects. Some seemingly inexpensive shipping methods can end up
costing more, because they're susceptible to theft and logistical problems.
Visit the Australian
Customs web site for more information.
What about you? Got a question for 1Earth Antiques, Collectibles & Appraisals? Send your questions and photos to
editor@antiques-art-collectibles.com.
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A
Guide to Australian Customs: Importing Goods