EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Statutory Rules 1985. No. 139
Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations (Amendment)
Issued by the Authority of the Minister of State for Industry, Technology and Commerce.
The regulation is part of a package of regulations designed to amend Customs and Excise legislation to reflect revised standards for wines and spirits adopted by the National Health and Medical Research Council.
The regulation alters the description of imitation brandy, which is prohibited from importation into Australia under Item 20 of the First Schedule to the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations.
The description of imitation brandy in the Regulations referred to wine made from the fermented juice of fresh grapes. Wine is an alcoholic beverage produced by the complete or partial fermentation of grapes and/or products of grapes. The fermenting includes the skins and pips and sometimes small amounts of stalk.
Consequently the reference in Item 20 to the fermented juice of fresh grapes is obsolete.