George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I hope this bill is as uncontroversial as the last one. The opposition supports the Customs Amendment (Strengthening Border Controls) Bill 2008. It is a legacy measure from the previous government. The provisions of the bill were initially included in the Customs Legislation Amendment (Augmenting Offshore Powers and Other Measures) Bill 2006 and the Customs Legislation Amendment (Modernising Import Controls and Other Measures) Bill 2006, which lapsed when the parliament was prorogued last year.

The bill amends the Customs Act 1901 and the Customs Legislation Amendment and Repeal (International Trade Modernisation) Act 2001 to permit a person to surrender certain prohibited imports that have not been concealed; allow for the granting of post-importation permissions for certain prohibited imports; permit infringement notices to be served for certain offences, including importing certain prohibited imports and border security related offences; and enable Customs officers boarding a ship or aircraft to conduct personal searches for, and take possession of, weapons or evidence of specified offences. The bill puts into legislative form practices that Customs are already, in effect, carrying out. The purpose of the bill is to regularise the position. It has the coalition’s support.