STATUTORY RULES
1967 No. 41
REGULATION UNDER THE CUSTOMS ACT 1901-1966.*
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulation under the Customs Act 1901-1966.
Dated this tenth day of April, 1967.
CASEY
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
(Sgd.) KEN ANDERSON
Minister of State for Customs and Excise.
Amendments of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations †
Importation of certain goods from Southern Rhodesia.
Regulation 4c of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations is amended—
(a) by omitting from paragraph (b) of sub-regulation (2.) the word “or”; and
(b) by inserting after paragraph (c) the following paragraphs:—
“(d) iron ore produced, and pig-iron manufactured, in Southern Rhodesia;
“(e) copper ore produced in Southern Rhodesia;
“(f) copper and articles containing copper, being goods falling within an item in Chapter 74 of the First Schedule to the Customs Tariffs 1966, manufactured in Southern Rhodesia;
“(g) meat, food prepared from meat and food of which meat is an ingredient produced or manufactured in Southern Rhodesia; or
“(h) hides, skins and leather, being goods falling within an item in Chapter 41 of the First Schedule to the Customs Tariffs 1966, produced or manufactured in Southern Rhodesia,”.
* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 1967.
† Statutory Rules 1956, No. 90, as amended by Statutory Rules 1958, Nos. 6; and 67; 1959, Nos. 17, 31 and 93; 1960, No. 22; 1961, No. 177; 1962, No. 82; 1963, No. 26; 1964, Nos. 25; and 39; 1965, Nos. 81, 91, 135, 167, and 190; and 1966, No. 95.
By Authority: A. J. Arthur, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra
3234/67.—Price 5c 9/9.3.1967
Overview
The Customs (Prohibited Imports) Amendment Regulations 1967 were enacted to address the issue of prohibiting imports from Southern Rhodesia in response to international sanctions. This legislative instrument was made under the authority of the Customs Act 1901-1966 by the Governor-General, acting on the advice of the Federal Executive Council. The primary objective of these regulations was to align with international efforts to isolate Southern Rhodesia by restricting the importation of specific goods produced or manufactured there. This was achieved by amending the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations to include new categories of goods such as iron ore, copper ore, meat products, and leather goods originating from Southern Rhodesia. This amendment aimed to support broader foreign policy objectives by discouraging economic interaction with the region.
Scope and Application
The Statutory Rules 1967 No. 41, made under the Customs Act 1901-1966, amends the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations to prohibit the importation of certain goods originating from Southern Rhodesia. These goods include iron ore, pig-iron, copper ore, copper and articles containing copper, meat and related food products, as well as hides, skins, and leather. This regulation applies to all persons and entities involved in the importation of these goods into Australia. The scope of the amendment is geographically targeted at Southern Rhodesia, thereby affecting international trade practices and compliance requirements for importers. The regulation is part of a broader set of statutory rules and regulations that may be further extended or restricted through subordinate instruments. The specific exclusions or exemptions within the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations are not detailed in this particular legislative instrument, but they can be found in the referenced schedules and chapters of the Customs Tariffs 1966.
Key Provisions
The Statutory Rules 1967 No. 41, made under the Customs Act 1901-1966, amends the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations to further restrict the importation of certain goods from Southern Rhodesia. Specifically, Regulation 4c has been amended to include new categories of prohibited goods. These additions, detailed in paragraphs (d) to (h), explicitly prohibit the importation of iron ore and pig-iron produced or manufactured in Southern Rhodesia (Regulation 4c(d)), copper ore produced in Southern Rhodesia (Regulation 4c(e)), copper and articles containing copper falling under Chapter 74 of the Customs Tariffs 1966 and manufactured in Southern Rhodesia (Regulation 4c(f)), meat, food prepared from meat, and food of which meat is an ingredient produced or manufactured in Southern Rhodesia (Regulation 4c(g)), and hides, skins, and leather falling under Chapter 41 of the Customs Tariffs 1966 and produced or manufactured in Southern Rhodesia (Regulation 4c(h)).
This amendment imposes clear obligations on importers and customs authorities. Importers are now legally prohibited from importing the specified goods from Southern Rhodesia, and must ensure compliance with the updated regulations to avoid penalties. Customs authorities are mandated to enforce these restrictions, which involves inspecting and verifying the origin of goods entering Australia to ensure compliance with the new prohibitions. This includes detailed scrutiny of documentation and physical inspection of goods to ascertain their origin and compliance with the updated regulations.
Failure to comply with these amendments can result in serious consequences. Importers found in breach of these provisions may face substantial penalties. While the exact penalties are not specified in the regulation itself, under the Customs Act 1901-1966, penalties for contravening customs regulations can include fines and potential imprisonment. The severity of the penalty may depend on factors such as the value of the goods involved and whether the contravention was deliberate. These amendments underscore the importance of adhering to the updated import restrictions to avoid legal repercussions.