TALKING POINTS FOR POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

SLIDE 1

  • This is a short 10 minute presentation provided by the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service to say a few things to studentswho might be travelling overseas for Schoolies celebrations, or who might be heading overseas with some friends sometime later.
  • It’s not meant to preach to you – but given some things that have happened in Bali and other places over the last few years Customs and Border Protection wants to let you know of some of the things to avoid so that your trip isn’t ruined by coming to the attention of authorities in Australia and overseas, or worse by committing a crime at the border.

SLIDE 2

  • It’s a good idea for all Australians travelling overseas to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the Smart Traveller website. This can be found at the address on the screen right now.
  • The registration information on the website will help DFAT to find you in an emergency such as the tsunami (or tidal wave) that hit South-East Asia a number of years ago.
  • Or when there was a big earthquake and the Australian Government was trying to find where all Australians were to make sure they were safe. The website also provides general travel advice for Australians travelling overseas.
  • By registering your travel on the Smart Traveller website means the Government can find you faster in the event a natural disaster occurs. Be smart and register your travel.
  • The Outgoing Passenger Card is a legal document and needs to be completed accurately before you go to the outwards control point. You will be issued with an Outgoing Passenger Card upon check-in or they are available in the Outwards Control Point (Passport Control).

SLIDE 3

  • These are some general tips for keeping safe while travelling overseas. It will go towards making sure that if worst comes to worst you can all be in touch.

SLIDE 4

  • The Australian Government controls the import of certain goods into Australia. The controls are either:

-an absolute prohibition, which means that you are not allowed to import the goods in any circumstances; or

-a restriction where you need to have written permission (via a permit) in order to import the goods.

  • Examples of prohibited or restricted goods include weapons and drugs.
  • The following slides provide some images of these goods.
  • While travelling, you should be aware that the possession or trafficking of drugs is a very serious crime and in many countries could attract the death penalty or life in prison. Many of you would know about the Schapelle Corby case or the Bali 9. Don’t risk carrying drugs across the international border. It’s illegal and you will get caught.

SLIDE 5

  • Customs and Border Protection treats the importation of weapons seriously and detecting illegal imports is one of their highest priorities.
  • Importation of a wide range of weapons is limited to importers who obtain written permission to import such weapons. These include firearms (including BB guns), daggers, flick knives, crossbows, stun guns and laser pointers.
  • Weapons that are imported without a permit will be detained and subject to seizure action. You may be prosecuted (have to go to court) if caught bringing these into Australia.
  • By importing illegal weapons without permission (a permit) means you could faceheavy penalties that may include a maximum fine up to $425,000 and/or ten years in jail.

SLIDE 6

  • A laser pointer is a device that uses a highly focused beam of light, of any colour wave length, but commonly red or green.
  • Laser pointers are popular in a number of countries and any laser pointers with an emission level of over one milliwatt are restricted in Australia.
  • A laser pointer with an emission level over one milliwatt may cause damage to the naked eye or burn the skin if used inappropriately.
  • Some retailers selling laser pointers advertise them as being under the one milliwatt threshold - when in fact they are over that limit and are therefore illegal to import to Australia without a permit.
  • People who intend to bring laser pointers into Australia from overseas, or purchase them over the internet, need to be aware that they risk breaking the law.
  • If you try and import laser pointers without a permit, there’s a high possibility they’ll be found by Customs and Border Protection, seized, and you will face an a $340 fine or prosecution.

SLIDE 7

  • It’s really important to recognise that, even though you think it might be alright to bring these back with you, if you get caught with any of these it might affect your ability in the future to:
  • Work for certain employers and professions
  • Travel to and work in certain countries (America?)
  • Access lines of credit including bank loans

SLIDE 8

  • As you’d probably know it is illegal to carry illicit drugs in and out of Australia.
  • There are also some restrictions on importing performance and image enhancing drugs, such as steroids. Basically the advice is to not do it, ever.
  • A person found to be unlawfully importing or exporting a prohibited substance may be committing a range of offences and can incur a fine of up to $170,000 and/or five years imprisonment under the Customs Act 1901.
  • If importing a border controlled drug or precursor, penalties under the Criminal Code Act 1995 range up to a fine of $825,000 and/or life imprisonment.

SLIDE 9

  • “Legal highs” is a term commonly used for substances which are designed to mimic or produce similar effects to common illicit drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy, but have a different chemical structure.
  • By importing “legal highs”, you may be breaking the law, as they often contain ingredients which are illegal to possess or import into Australia (even though they may be reported as legal overseas).
  • Without taking measures to ensure that the website or business supplying ‘Legal High’ products is legitimate, Australian importers face risks that purchased products may:
  • be fake (counterfeit)
  • be too strong or too weak
  • be past their use-by date
  • becontaminated or not manufactured to appropriate standards and include undisclosed, illegal or dangerous ingredients; and
  • have very serious side effects
  • Recent detections of controlled substances include professionally packaged products labelled as ‘herbal highs’, ‘research chemicals’, ‘smoking blends’, ‘incense blends’, ‘bath salts’, ‘plant food’ and ‘not for human consumption’.
  • Remember, its ‘buyer beware’, and as the importer it is your responsibility to know if the goods you are importing require an import permit or approval.

SLIDE 10

  • Products marketed as ‘Legal Highs’ often claim to provide a ‘safe’ and ‘legal’ alternative to illegal drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine and ecstasy.
  • In reality, many of these products contain controlled analogue drugs which are illegal to import and possess in Australia,and other unlisted ingredients.
  • If you import a product which is found to contain a controlled substance without an appropriate licence or permit it will be seized and you may be subject to a significant fine and/or imprisonment.
  • A person found to be unlawfully importing or exporting a prohibited substance may be committing a range of offences, both criminal and civil.
  • If you are unsure, you should check Australian import requirements before you buy. For more information visit phone 1300 363 263.

SLIDE 12

  • It’s very important to understand that if you’re caught in an overseas country, even with a small amount of drugs, you can potentially spend years in jail or receive the death penalty. For example, I am sure most (if not all of you) have heard about Schapelle Corby or the Bali nine who are currently in jail overseas and have been for many years. Some facing the death penalty.
  • It is also important that you never carry a package or parcel into Australia for someone else, unless you know what it contains. You will be responsible for anything in your possession.

SLIDE 13

  • Customs and Border Protection officers play an important role in protecting Australia’s borders from the entry of illegal and harmful goods and unauthorised people. It’s what they do 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
  • In performing this role, one of the tasks they undertake is that they check travel documents of arriving and departing travellers.
  • They also:
  • question and search arriving travellers and their baggage for prohibited or restricted goods;
  • seize prohibited or restricted goods;
  • use detector dogs to search people and baggage for drugs and other prohibited or restricted goods; and
  • collect duty and tax on imported goods.
  • As a matter of routine, you may encounter any of these interventions on your return to Australia.
  • If you want to find additional information on prohibited and restricted imports this can be found on the Customs and Border Protection website at:

SLIDE 14

  • On arrival into Australia you will need to present your passport with a completed Incoming Passenger Card, which is usually handed to you on board your flight.
  • You should read every question on the front and back of the Incoming Passenger Card carefully and complete the questions accurately and truthfully.
  • When proceeding to the Inwards Control Point (Passport Control), there are restrictions on the use of electronic devices (phones, cameras, video cameras and recording devices) when in Customs and Border Protection controlled areas. Unauthorised use of an electronic device may result in a $340 fine.
  • Your documents will be returned to you after they have been processed. You may then collect your luggage from the baggage carousel.
  • Remember that the Incoming Passenger Card is a legal document, and making false declarations could attract severe penalties.
  • If you are unsure whether you should declare items, answer ‘yes’ or ask a Customs and Border Protection officer for advice.
  • On the Incoming Passenger Card you will also be asked if you are bringing goods into Australia with a combined total price of more than AUD$900 or AUD$450 if you are under 18 years of age.
  • If you do not declare goods in excess of your duty-free limits, you may be fined. You may also have to pay duty and/or tax on the goods.

SLIDE 15

  • Note that if you exceed the duty-free concession limits, you will be charged duty and tax on all items of that type (including general goods, alcohol or tobacco), not just the items that exceed the limits. It is therefore advisable that you carry receipts for purchased goods.
  • Duty-free concessions do not apply to goods that you have sent by mail.

CONCLUSION

  • For more information on check out the:
  • Customs and Border Protection website
  • Department of Agriculture website
  • Smart traveller website