EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Statutory Rules 1987 No.98
Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations (Amendment)
Issued by the Authority of the Minister of State for Industry, Technology and Commerce
These Regulations have two purposes:
(i) to extend economic sanctions currently imposed on South Africa to the area known as “Namibia” (formerly South-West Africa); and
(ii) to remove the current restrictions regarding the importation of potatoes into Australia
On 14 May 1987 the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs issued a news release announcing the extension of economic sanctions on South Africa to include Namibia. The decision to extend these measures to Namibia was taken to guard against the possibility that the South African Government might exploit its illegal occupation of Namibia by using Namibian territory as a trading point through which it could circumvent international trade sanctions. Further, the decision, which has effect from 1 June 1987, is in keeping with Australia’s responsibilities as a member of the United Nations’ Council for Namibia to implement resolutions and decrees of the United Nations calling for the protection of Namibia’s natural resources.
The Government’s decision to remove import controls on potatoes was announced by the Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce in a news release dated 7 May 1987. This decision is part of the Government’s response to a recent Industries Assistance Commission Report on Vegetables and Vegetable products.
Details of the Regulations are as follows:
Regulation 1 provides that Regulations 2 and 4 dealing with the extension of the economic sanctions against the Republic of South Africa to Namibia, shall come into operation on 1 June 1987, the date when the South African sanctions commence.
Regulation 2 amends Regulation 4Q of the Regulations by inserting the word ‘Namibia’ in subregulation 2. This amendment has the effect of prohibiting the importation of the goods described in Schedule 7A of the Regulations from South Africa or Namibia, unless permission has been granted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, or an authorised person.
Regulation 3 amends the Second Schedule to the Regulations by omitting item 29, “potatoes”, from the Schedule.
Regulation 4 makes the necessary amendments to Schedule 7A to the Regulations to include Namibia with South Africa as the countries from which to goods listed in the Schedule may not be imported without the permission referred to in Regulation 2 above.
SR 117/87