Amend the Customs Act 1901 (the Customs Act) to allow for the expedited seizure and disposal of prohibited engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs.

To support the domestic use prohibition on engineered stone, the Government announced a ban on the importation of engineered stone on 18 September 2024, to be implemented from 1 January 2025 by proposed amendments of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 (the Prohibited Import Regulations). Under the Prohibited Import Regulations, engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs imported without a valid permit or exemption would be classed as prohibited import, meaning they can be seized at the border without a warrant. However, the Customs Act currently requires seized prohibited imports to be stored for a minimum of 30 days before they can be disposed of. In order to facilitate an efficient implementation of the import prohibition, the amendments in the Bill will empower the Comptroller-General of Customs to deal with seized engineered stone products in a manner the Comptroller-General considers appropriate, including immediate destruction.

[All sourced from the explanatory memo]