Australia, Asbestos and Collector Cars

Australia, Asbestos and Collector Cars

If you’re thinking of sending a car to Australia, think again…

As appeared in: Sheehan-Online—July 15, 2017 issue

by Michael Sheehan


Making rules on the run



Moving to plan “B”



Meanwhile, across the continent



ABF again changes the rules



Back to plan “A”


The good news is that most new cars, world-wide, were asbestos free by 1999, but the bad news is that virtually all cars built before 1999 have asbestos-based components. All imported cars must obtain an asbestos test for their vehicles BEFORE they are shipped to Australia, but few countries have certified collector car asbestos inspectors. If asbestos is identified, it must be removed before the vehicle is shipped and owners must confirm the vehicle is asbestos free. The ABF doesn’t have the time, space and manpower to inspect every car, but no-one should take the risk of being caught up in the costs and damage of a random inspection, the possible seizure and destruction of the car plus the reality of fines because the seized parts were not zero asbestos compliant.

The Australian Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association is lobbying the ABF to standardize a consistent inspection regime, but the extra red tape, inspection costs and uncertainty have slowed imports to a crawl. Additionally, the new rules apply to imports AND exports, which will be another yet-to-be-defined learning curve!

But wait, it gets more complicated

If the asbestos-related import/export restrictions were not enough, the Australian government is also ramping efforts to keep what are described as “culturally significant automobiles” in Australia and is considering the seizure of any vehicle deemed to have been “illegally” exported since 1987. Based on the UNESCO convention in trafficking of illicit cultural property, the proposed legislation would include any vehicle designed by an Australian, built in Australia, altered in Australia, or strongly associated with an Australian. To quote from the proposed legislation, “the best way of promoting the regime would be a couple of high profile actions for the seizure and return of forfeit cultural material”. If you have a car with a significant Australia history, be nervous.

All of this should be a warning of future potential problems for the collector car community. If there’s a way to go overboard on regulations, the government, any government, seems to find a way to make life overtly complicated. While Australia is currently the epicenter of Monty-Pythonesque import (and export) restrictions, others will follow. China, for instance, simply forbids the import of classic cars, Norway wants to eliminate ALL (new and used) gas and diesel powered cars by 2025, while India and Germany want to eliminate all new gas and diesel cars by 2030 and France by 2040. Our children will live in a very different world.

2017-12-06T16:05:31+00:00 December 6th, 2017|Articles|