[nickbraddock]

Hi,
here's a good one for you all. My wife says that her friend told her that you are not allowed to take anything made from Wicker into Australia. :?

My question is does anyone know if this is true and if it counts for New Zealand too??
cheers
Nick

[sarahw]

Hi Nick,

Yes she's right - they aren't keen on you bringing wicker in. You are allowed but I left my wicker clothes basket at home as the packers said that the MAF would definitely want to inspect it & didn't fancy paying them to inspect a £20 basket!!! (actually wish I'd brought the thing with me now as the clothes baskets I've seen aren't too nice!)

Can't speak for wicker conservatory furniture as we didn't have any of that...

[Glenda]

Hi Nick,

I recall Beach Kiwi giving a link to what is allowed and not allowed on a thread about christmas decorations - http://www.emigratenz.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1315

Hope that clarifies it!
:cheers

[Diny]

I agree. We were told by our shippers (White & Co) that we were allowed to take wicker into NZ but MAF would almost certainly check it.

Like Sarah says - it's not really worth it, it's dirt cheap wherever you go so can be easily replaced.

Diny

[nickbraddock]

Thanks for the advice. We seem to have quite a few wicker bits and pieces, I may try and pursuade my other half not to take them, I'm sure the thought of new stuff may sway her!
Cheers
Nick :nice1

[tigerlily]

On that list of prohibited items were some very strange things indeed:

Rubber hot water bottles

PCBs and crayons (um, is there something dangerous that I should know about crayons?)

Children’s nightware, children’s toys, certain pistol crossbows, cots, pedal bicycles, candles containing lead in their wicks, candle wicks, candle wicks containing lead, baby walkers and so on

and a whole lot about a few types of dogs!

all from
http://www.customs.govt.nz/importers/Prohibited+Imports/default.htm

[RoadRunner]

I have a laundry list of items that seem to be either prohibited or that will need special treatment/inspection.

On advice from other forum members, I sent an email to MAF asking for clarification on bunches of items (including wicker). I haven't heard back yet and it's been a few days now. Anyone know on how responsive they are to emails?

RoadRunner

[Diny]

Tigerlily

I've just had a concentrated look at the MAF site which you provided the link for.

I'm now in a state of panic. I don't know what to do about bringing my Antarctic Toothfish and my Chewing tobacco to NZ. Not to mention my diamonds from Liberia and the semen from my American Pit Bull.

What about my selection of Iraqi cultural artifacts and my animal bristles? I guess I'll leave the hazardous waste here and hope I can wear my knuckle duster through customs as jewelry. I can manage without my prison goods but what on earth am I meant to do about my trout?

It makes entertaining reading doesn't it. It's a good site though - with plenty of information. Although some of the categories are rather amusing, it's easy to see why they are on the banned list.

Diny

[Raeven]

Hi, RoadRunner,

When I wrote to them, they responded within a couple of days. I'd re-send yours, with perhaps a gentle nudge for information.

They were very helpful, although English-language challenged!

Best of luck, Rae

[RoadRunner]

Rae,
Thanks for that. My letter to MAF was pretty long and complicated - perhaps too much so if they are English-language challenged! Maybe I should try a simpler version... :?

I really didn't understand that part about some things having to be heat or chemically treated. Didn't know if I was supposed to do that or they did that?

Also was hoping to get an exception for my Native American jewelry that, unfortunately, has a few small pieces of coral...

I appreciate all your posts on the MAF subject - I read them several times! :yes

RoadRunner

[Beach Kiwi]

Those MAF regulations were written with commercial importers in mind, which is why they seem somewhat 'comical'. However, they still apply to the average 'Joe', so make sure you declare anything that you think they may want to know about.

One 'forgotten' apple can cost you a $200 NZ instant fine.

[Moorf]

As all our stuff is in storage we shall (hopefully) be asking the shippers to repack and ship it to us ... will they know what we can and can't take and therefore NOT pack the prohibited items or must I educate my mother so she can, err, "direct" them :?

[jan]

My conservatory furniture is of a tubular structure. It has a high gloss varnished sheen as its protective coating.

I was told the maf will most definately want it steam cleaned when it arrives, and the reason being, there could be bugs inside.

My artificial christmas tree has cones on which also have to be removed as they too could have hidden bugs lying dormant, with the change in temp they could wake up.

Jan xx

[sarahw]

Hmmm I was quite lucky with my Xmas deccies - the only ones I brought were a string of lights with wicker balls around them (totally forgot about that when I packed them but I did remember to declare them on my Customs/MAF form but MAF didn't want to inspect so they don't look at everything :cool

[Jo and Andy]

Wooow, This whole MAF things looks scary, will download a list to help the house declutter.


PCBs and crayons (um, is there something dangerous that I should know about crayons?)

Children’s nightware, children’s toys, certain pistol crossbows, cots, pedal bicycles, candles containing lead in their wicks, candle wicks, candle wicks containing lead, baby walkers and so on

Can't believe you can't take childrens nightclothes, cots etc, Does this mean Rhiannon needs a whole evening wardrobe, toys and her BIKE, what about my bike.

Seems the further you go the more reading there is.

Jo

[Moorf]

No Bikes?? I am sure people I know here have brought their bikes.. power-washed obviously. :?

In fact, I KNOW they brought their bike cos I bought it off them and it's gathering dust in the conservatory :oops:

[RoadRunner]

Does anyone know what this "heat/chemical" treatment is all about?? I've never heard of anyone doing that themselves (I can just see the look on the faces of the teenagers at the local dry cleaners if I took in a wicker basket and asked them to heat treat it). :P

Seriously, is this something that MAF does to items you declare or do they expect you to do it in your home country?

Help! :wah

Has anyone gotten an "exception" to items on their prohibited list??

[Beach Kiwi]

Can't believe you can't take childrens nightclothes, cots etc, Does this mean Rhiannon needs a whole evening wardrobe, toys and her BIKE, what about my bike.



They're simply using broad descriptions of goods for the purpose of brevity. Most of what they are talking about refers to what can, or can't be imported on a commercial basis.

As you can see by this quote from the section on childrens items:


(To) control the importation of unsafe goods

Since some things, like childrens nightwear, can be made of 'unsafe' materials, the importation of them on a commercial basis is either banned, or restricted.

Bringing in your 'personal' examples of such items is unlikely to cause any problems.

This doesn't apply to all examples of 'personal' belongings, of course, especially CITES related items.

[Beach Kiwi]

Does anyone know what this "heat/chemical" treatment is all about??

It's usually something done in a large, autoclave type of thing that can be sealed then pumped full of chemicals or heat. They will use the most appropriate method for the item being treated, that is, the one that will achieve the result they are after, without doing much, if any damage to the items being treated.

[Wannaway]

We decalred wicker laundry basket and garden ornaments and toys etc incl bikes and we were expecting MAF to do an inspection but they didn't bother. We just cleaned ours with soapy water to remove mud etc. They can insist thet they be steam cleaned when they get here.