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Old 25-08-2011, 03:26   #646
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Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

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Originally Posted by meyermm View Post
Rather than argue with you just read D & Ds reply as he is on the money. I was not referring to state registration as the poster PeterC sounded like he was not in Australia.
So what Australian government edict/law/proclamation/regulation etc etc gives support to your allegation ? I would like to read it.

And don't delete the banghead on my account.
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Old 25-08-2011, 04:06   #647
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Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

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FWIW, WA fisheries officers, WA water police (and probably other WA public officers) regularly check boats in WA for current state registration.
...and, in SA at least, the fine for being unregistered is much more than the annual rego. Poster TrevC might have got away with it but not worth the risk imo.
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Old 25-08-2011, 04:32   #648
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Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

Savoir maybe others understand what your problem is but I am too stupid.
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Old 25-08-2011, 04:34   #649
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Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

My guess (thats all it is) is that if you bought the boat in the name of a company, and that company was not Australian then you could likely bring it to Australia without Au registration or import issues.

But other issues would arise: it would need to be registered in the same country as the company was domiciled. As skipper you would need written Authority from the company (of which it might be best if you were not a Director) to be in charge of the vessel. The boat would be subject to regs applying to visiting foreign boats (cruising permit etc). Now the authorities might well figure out the underlying story, and give you a fair bit of hassle even if they couldn't pin any breach on you. So I wouldn't go to the trouble - sooner or later you'll get a bite on the bum that hurts! And it might be a bigger bite than GST+Duty+Au registration.

If you really intended on cruising the South Pacific and not spending much time in Australia then you could say that you are not importing. As others have noted, under some circumstances you can get 1 year max. But then the vessel is not allowed back in Australia for 3 years (without paying import costs).
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Old 25-08-2011, 04:43   #650
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Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

What you are is too patronising.

Rather than mock TrevC with your post #631 and rather than mock me with your post #648 (banghead deleted) could you please either post some facts or admit that you don't have a clue ?
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Old 25-08-2011, 05:16   #651
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You can get the 12 months "tax free" in Aus as a citizen only if you are genuinely non-resident and have documentation to prove that you are resident in another country.

Saying you live on your boat and travelling the world wont cut it
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Old 25-08-2011, 05:25   #652
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We have not imported or sailed our US-bought boats in Oz. So far we have only sailed them in the Caribbean. When we do bring our current boat to Oz in a couple of years, we will have to choose between:
A) leaving it there for a maximum of 1 year, cruising permit etc, and then sailing away again,
B) importing it, paying GST, import tax, Aussie rego, etc.
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Old 25-08-2011, 05:28   #653
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Originally Posted by Jimbo485
We have not imported or sailed our US-bought boats in Oz. So far we have only sailed them in the Caribbean. When we do bring our current boat to Oz in a couple of years, we will have to choose between:
A) leaving it there for a maximum of 1 year, cruising permit etc, and then sailing away again,
B) importing it, paying GST, import tax, Aussie rego, etc.
A) is not an option if you do not have foreign residency
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Old 25-08-2011, 05:43   #654
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Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

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You must have flag registration -- If you intend the vessel to 'live' Australia, that's through AMSA and the Australian Register of Ships -- to travel internationally. It's the vessel's passport.

There seems to be some uncertainty about whether, if you have Australian/AMSA Registration, you also require State registration. The State agencies tend (not surprisingly, of course, as it's their jobs) to say State registration is required, but it is the clear intention of the overall regime to phase out the state intermediaries and end up with a single, Federal maritime system under AMSA, similar to what applies in the UK and the USA. The current date for the AMSA take-over is 2013, but that date is in fact an adjusted/deferred date for several previous attempts that did not make it -- The states weren't ready -- in time.

Australian Registration is more complex and expensive than State registration, but it is a one-ff process. State Registration is renewed annually.


Yes, a boat must have a country registration with a 'home' port to travel and clear in and out of every island nation you visit. And of course, you must be flying your registration countries flag! In the Caribbean you're doing that constantly! As you are in the Pacific! If your papers aren't in order, good luck.... once, you arrive back in Oz, same thing. Trying to dodge Aussie authorities is false economy - the grief and fines aren't worth it and if you sell the boat after bringing it in, you will easily recoup the GST & duty and then some (if you bought wisely, that is).

We bought a yacht with French rego in Guadeloupe in 2003. I had it registered as Australian by providing certified copies of paper work (French export papers, Bill of Sale, vessel details HIN numbers, etc and paying a fee to AMSA and Australian Register of Ships). It wasn't too hard to do. We flew from Oz to the Caribbean, stripped off the old name (I'm not superstitious) and home port from the transom and placed ours there instead, flew the Aussie flag and we were good to go.

As far as State rego, it is very clear ( I used to work for NSW Maritime)! If you are an Aussie and reside in an Australian State then your vessel must be state registered.

At the end of the day, trying to out smart officialdom (anywhere in the world) is just not worth it. Sure the fees are a pain but the consequences of not having the right paper work can be way more of a pain (try arguing with customs/immigration officials in a third world country - it ain't fun and can end up pretty ugly). At the end of the day, when you're living on a yacht you want peace of mind and minimal hassles - isn't that the point!
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Old 25-08-2011, 06:04   #655
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hoppy

A) is not an option if you do not have foreign residency
Yes, we have foreign residency with about 15 years living OS.

This is not a concern for us ATM. We are cruising and will probably finish in Oz but ...... Maybe not..... Who knows?... who cares?
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Old 25-08-2011, 06:07   #656
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Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

There's a certain symmetry in that post.
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Old 25-08-2011, 07:23   #657
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Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

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Originally Posted by dennisail View Post
When I am sailing international waters does my vessel have an Australian home? I would transfer over to state rego and pay my import tax etc when I "import" it. This is OK isn't it?
With great respect to Wotname, we would answer 'Yes'...

Yes...if you (generally) intend the vessel will reside in Australia, then it should have an Australian 'home port', part of the process of being entered on the Australian Register of Ships. You will definitely need SOME flag to travel in international waters...and, if you're an Aussie, we say "Fly the flag proudly!"

Yes...you can then pay the import duty and proceed with State registration (or not...there is a view that suggests it may not be required...and the prospect of the single, Federal system in 2013 seems to confirm that view) after you arrive in Australia...although your vessel will then still/always be an Australian Registered/Flag vessel as well.
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Old 25-08-2011, 07:27   #658
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Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

I am at a loss to understand why some find this is so difficult.

As Surfer Girl inferred (along with some others), you got only two choices:

1. Do it by the book
or
2. Do it you own way and take your chances that the "book writers" either won't find out or won't care.

If you want to do it by the book, here is the link to the only book that matters.

Shipping Registration Act 1981

It just isn't that hard.
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Old 25-08-2011, 08:02   #659
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Re: Importing a Boat to Australia

Quote:
Originally Posted by meyermm View Post
You need it for international entry exit
Quote:
Originally Posted by savoir View Post
Where does it say that ? ? ?

Just to clear up this point, Australian national registration (for Australian owned vessels) is required when departing Australia to a foreign port. State registration is irrelevant in this matter.
From the shipping act:
68 Unregistered ships not to leave Australia
(1) An unregistered ship shall not depart from an Australian port to a place outside Australia.
(2) The master and owner of a ship that departs from an Australian port in contravention of subsection (1) are each guilty of an offence punishable upon conviction:
(a) if the offender is a natural person—by a fine not exceeding $2,000; or
(b) if the offender is a body corporate—by a fine not exceeding $5,000.
(2A) An offence under subsection (2) is an offence of strict liability.
Note: For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
(3) A Collector of Customs shall not grant a Certificate of Clearance in respect of an unregistered ship that is about to depart from an Australian port to a place outside Australia.
(4) Subsections (1) and (3) do not apply to a prescribed ship, or ships included in a prescribed class of ships.

[
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Old 25-08-2011, 12:15   #660
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimbo485

Yes, we have foreign residency with about 15 years living OS.

This is not a concern for us ATM. We are cruising and will probably finish in Oz but ...... Maybe not..... Who knows?... who cares?
Damn, you beat me by 2.
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