The Customs Brokers Functions and Responsibilities in Australia

In Australia, the role of the Licenced Customs Broker is very important. The Customs Broker, after completing a high level of specialised education, and after passing a very stringent examination, is issued with a licence by the Australian Government.

The licence authorises the Customs Broker, amongst other things, to classify goods and make the assessment of the import duties and taxes, and to make the declarations on behalf of the Importer and/or exporter.

This job carries a great responsibility and is not limited to the Harmonised classification of goods and tax assessment. The Customs broker must also be familiar with every law relating to the import and export of goods and must assess every product that their client imports or exports to discover if some other restriction or prohibition applies to the cargo. The Customs Broker has the responsibility to ensure that their Importer and Exporter clients comply with the law.

The Australian Freight Forwarder

In Australia, in contrast to the strict licensing system for customs brokers, there is no government licensing regime for Freight Forwarders. However, the complexities associated with the international and domestic movement of goods, and the great variety of risks involved demand that the freight forwarder is knowledgeable and very diligent in their approach to every shipment.