We'll be waking Slim Dusty up soon:hmm

Slim Dusty?  You've got me there, Kev :???::question:oops:

 

 I will give you a clue Tim

 Ever heard of a record called "A pub with no beer"


 

Sorry - no!

 

 One of Australia's legendry singers

 It was released in 1957

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EdyQjvACPQA

 

Just watched that clip - brilliant!  Just wonderful!  I'm now going to buy the album:cool:

I'm not modelling a pub with no beer for anyone be they slim, dusty or otherwise!

As for hats with corks - I've never seen anyone wearing one out here though I hear tell there might be a guy out bush somewhere who does …..

I did have an issue with an imported package once; it was described as "Toys" and was opened by AQIS (Customs) as they needed to check they were not made of wood, which can be a prohibted or restricted import.  There was a nice little note inside the package explaining what had happened and why, and confirming nothing had been removed.  It was also resealed very professionally.

A swift email to the supplier concerned has resulted in all future items being more accurately described as "Model railway components" !

That's interesting Rick as we often describe our parcels as "Toys" because we have been told by many international customers that it often avoids import duty at the other end!

As far as I know, here in Australia we can receive parcels to the value of $999 without paying any duty.

 Mike

Mike, that is correct.

I would just like to publicly thank Owen for helping me out with the "you know what".

It arrived today, safe and well.  Thanks Owen.  Now, where's that "How to"?

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

I would just like to publicly thank Owen for helping me out with the "you know what".

It arrived today, safe and well.  Thanks Owen.  Now, where's that "How to"?

Subterfuge Max ? !!!

I wonder if there are any Ozzie customs guys (or gals) as members on here !!:roll::roll:

Don't tell them your name Max !!

Chris - my reference to "toys" was not actually to anything of yours but to an eBay seller.

It is correct that under AU$1000 there is no import duty; it is also correct that AQIS will in co-operation with Australia Post, inspect the contents of any package in the mail which they reasonably believe might contain anything restricted or prohibited.

The most common substance they remove is wood.  It is not perhaps widely known that wood (particularly new wood) is a restricted import, the reason being that some woods from some sources contain (or have the potential to contain) critters which could devastate Australian flora and agriculture.

The other thing I have to be wary of importing is ballast as any form of soil or rock is also a restricted category and may be removed and destroyed, however harmless.  I don't think packs of Woodland Scenics would interest them but something described as "rock chips" might.

I can't even legally re-import my hiking boots after a week on the South West Cost Path if they have any soil residue on them without first having them sterilised and sealed in a plastic bag!

Hi Max           You can see a wall fitting in  "Butchers Shops" all over the UK, just to electrocute the flies. And from the Four X adverts I have seen, supposedly in Australia they would do anything to keep the flies off their beer.   But, maybe not electrocute them, just use a newspaper.                    Kevin

That's a very old thread now, Kevin.  The import Regulations have changed to allow the electronic fly swatters in.

I asked my daughter for a newspaper the other day and got berated about how technology has moved on, etc., etc., and how I should use her iPad.

That f******ng fly never knew what hit it! 

Now our Government has announced that from 2017 (July 1st) that GST (VAT) will be warranted on all imports from online shopping. Now retailers from abroard will be asked to provide the 10% GST (or will that be 15% soon ?) to the Australian Taxation Office  How that will be done will be a hard one to work out. In fact, if you purchase a £10.00 item, it will cost the ATO more to retrieve their 10%, than the full cost of the item…

See here : http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2015/08/all-goods-bought-overseas-to-incur-10-per-cent-gst-charge/

I bet that they will attach an import duty on that as well in the not too distant future !

Cheers, Gary.

According to our media reports, our Federal Government is going to ask overseas companies with an Australian turnover of $75000 or more to register & charge the GST which in time will get to our Tax Office.
In our hobby, there are items sold in the UK which are not available here in Aust such as rolling stock made for specific UK shops so how that is supposed to save Australia jobs & business is ???  Of course the big businesses here that have been complaining like Harvey Norman, are not at all concerned about small fry like us.

I read in a news report yesterday GST will be charged in online imports of $1000 or more?

Not often I buy $1000 of model railway gear.

Cheers

Marty

There is already a charge on imports of $1000 or more, Marty.

The report should have read $1000 or less.

As I see it, if I buy something from, say, Hattons, I ave the 20% VAT but will now pay 10% GST plus postage. If the item is approximately half the cost of the same thing over here in local model shops, then I am still well ahead on the cost to me.

Some years ago, I worked out that I could buy two Heljan locos from the UK for the price of one in a local hobby shop. Now even if that costs me 10% more, I think I have done well. The local prices are not the fault of the local hobby shops but of the greedy importers and middlemen. However, if I can get two models for a bit over the price of one, there is no question about who I will deal with and what I will choose to buy, GST or no GST.

Of course, as Ron (Sol) said, if the item is not available here at all, there is no choice in the matter.