EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1982 NO. 102
CUSTOMS (PROHIBITED IMPORTS) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
Issued by the Authority of the Minister of State for Business and Consumer Affairs
The purpose of the accompanying Regulation is to amend the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations to provide that jute wool packs entered for import into Australia under regulation 4K of the Regulations must comply with a new Australian Wool Corporation Standard published on 24 February 1982. The existing regulations require jute wool packs to conform to the Australian Wool Corporation Standard published on 18 May 1979.
The amendment stems from a request by the Minister for Primary Industry following advice from the Australian Wool Corporation that it is becoming common practice to press wool to super-high densities in dumping prior to shipment because of the significant freight savings which result through the more complete utilisation of the load capacity of containers. A device known as a 3-bale compactor, which compresses and bands three bales together in a reduced volume is commonly used for the super-high density dumping of farm bales of wool.
It has been found that, although the standard synthetic pack is sufficiently robust to withstand such treatment, the existing standard jute pack is prone to being cut along its base by the bands, with a resultant risk of contamination of the contained wool.
The new standard calls for a jute pack made of material with the same bursting strength as the synthetic pack and with a double thickness of material in the base to withstand the sheering effect of bands applied during pressing in the 3-bale compactor.