Import Conditions

Case: Kava powder Effective 29 May 2020 to 04 Dec 2020

1. A Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment import permit is not required.

2. The importation of kava is prohibited under the Customs (prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 unless the person importing the material is the holder of an import licence granted by the Australian Government Department of Health, or meets the requirements set out by the Department of Health for importing kava without a permit.

Warnings and Information Notices


Below is a list of those plant/fungus species and plant products that are prohibited under Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 as at September 30 2010. This list is provided for information only and is subject to change. Refer to the Department of Home Affairs website for current details.



Plants, parts of plants and seeds prohibited under Customs regulations:


1. Argyreia nervosa
   

2. Cannabis sativa (Marijuana) - Cannabis and cannabis resin
   

3. Catha edulis (Khat)
   

4. Erythroxylon spp. (Cocaine)
   

5. Ipomoea hederacea
   

6. Ipomoea tricolor
   

7. Ipomoea violacea
   

8. Lophophora spp. - Any species of this genus
   

9. Papaver bracteatum
   

10. Nicotiana tabacum (Raw and sun-dried)
    

11. Papaver sominferum (Opium poppy)
    

12. Piper methysticum (Kava)
    

13. Piptadenia peregrina (Anadenanthera peregrina)
    

14. Rivea corymbosa
    
    

Fungi and plant products prohibited under Customs regulations:


1. Chewing tobacco and snuff intended for oral use, imported in an amount weighing more than 1.5 kilograms
   

2. Fungi that contain psilocine or psilocybine.
   

3. Certain species of plants/fungi and plant products contain drugs or precursors of drugs that are prohibited under Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956. 

4. Any plants (or parts of plants, including seeds), fungi (or parts of fungi), and plant products that are prohibited under the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 that are found by biosecurity officers will be referred to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

5. Each consignment must be packaged in clean, new packaging and free of biosecurity risk material such as live insects.

6. All consignments must be inspected upon arrival to ensure that they are free of contamination and/or infestation by extraneous materials.

7. If contaminants (e.g. seeds, trash, soil, feathers) are detected and determined to be of biosecurity concern, the consignment will require remedial action to remove or treat the contaminants. If the contaminants cannot be effectively removed or treated, the consignment must be exported or disposed of.

8. Under the Biosecurity Charges Imposition (General) Regulation 2016 and Chapter 9, Part 2 of the Biosecurity Regulation 2016, fees are payable to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment for all services. Detail on how the department applies fees and levies may be found in the Charging guidelines.

9. In addition to the conditions for the goods being imported, non-commodity concerns must be assessed including container cleanliness, packaging and destination concerns, and may be subject to inspection and treatment on arrival. Please refer to the Non-Commodity Cargo Clearance BICON case for further information.

10. Once biosecurity requirements have been met, it is the importer's responsibility to ensure that all imported food complies with the Imported Food Control Act 1992 including Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Consignments of food may be referred for inspection and analysis under the Imported Food Inspection Scheme to verify compliance. Some foods, such as beef and raw milk cheese, are not permitted to be imported without government certification.