Classic cars are being dismantled “almost to destruction” in bid to stop asbestos crossing Australia’s borders.
Asbestos has been phased out of the vehicle manufacturing network over the decades. One manufacturer was caught in recent years trying to bring asbestos brake pads through the docks in its vehicles.
But increasingly, classic cars are being stopped and stripped in a blanket Customs crackdown on any asbestos in even the smallest of parts in cars from foreign shores.
Australian Border Force (ABF) has stopped roughly 50 vehicles this year alone, double the rate of previous years, according to News.com.au.
Individuals risk fines of up to $3000 for each offence and, as well as paying to replace asbestos-containing parts before the car can leave customs, importers must also pay for the inspection forced upon them by law.
But the damage doesn’t stop there.
Private importer Clem Rogers from Western Australia has been lobbying in a bid to get his voice heard.
As he was in the process of trying to import a Bentley Mulsanne from the United Kingdom, as many others have done from countries such as the United States, Canada, South Africa, Germany, Italy and France, the restrictions tightened and Rogers’ beloved Flying B never left Blighty.
“On the day I was due to set up shipping arrangements on March 6 this year, ABF announced without notice its intention to inspect vehicles and it would require a declaration of ‘zero asbestos content’ by the shipper at point of entry,” Rogers says.
ABF has been criticised for makeshift procedures and systems for the stoppage, detection and removal of asbestos and asbestos-containing material such as gaskets and washers, and for the penalties it imposes.
Rogers has found it’s not just himself who has been caught in the net.
“There have been a couple of cases here in WA where the vehicles have been impounded for a period of time and searches made,” he says.
“This has meant some dismantling of the vehicles, including a Mark IV Jaguar, and an E-Type was temporarily detained but the owner spent some $10,000 or more in the UK prior to export and exchanged gaskets etc.”
Considering the age of most pre-1989 vehicles, allowed in under the private imports regulations, the danger isn’t as great as it’s made to appear, Rogers says.
“Any vehicle pre-1989 should be omitted from the inspection process as [ABF] already accepts the importation of those vehicles and the likelihood of them causing issues is very limited.
“In many cases, the potential items will have been replaced in their history anyway.”
Submissions by local motor clubs performing their own research suggest motor vehicles might be being used as a scapegoat by ABF in its fight against asbestos.
The Council of Motoring Clubs, WA, made a submission to Workplace Health and Safety minister Bill Johnston’s office; as did Clem Rogers to employment minister Michaelia Cash, highlighting legislation around border protection inconsistencies, both with asbestos and the powers given to ABF at the docks.
“The ABF have been criticised for their lack of process and diligence in dealing with the matter due to evidence of considerable quantities of asbestos-containing materials found to be present in current building projects, noticeably hospitals under construction,” the submission states, referring to the Yuanda hospital in Perth, an aborted Brisbane construction site and two government-funded constructions in Adelaide.
“This action by the ABF has created turmoil in the classic and vintage car market for owners, with the potential to decimate it entirely,” it says.
“Rare motor vehicles older than 1989 have been dismantled almost to destruction by ABF officers in their quest to enforce the zero asbestos policy declared in 2003.”
Although a review found the ABF’s measures “effective” in preventing asbestos entering the country, particularly from China, others think classic cars are an easy target.
The Australian Imported Motor Vehicles Industry Association (AIMVIA) has been deliberating on ways to restore balance to the importation of classic vehicles.
“We are looking at a few options and obviously we’re looking to have quiet government discussions,” says member and Auto Services Group director Kristian Appelt.
“There’s literally no consistency whatsoever in the procedures and they just decided overnight they were going to start testing. There’s going to be consequences.”
Appelt describes situations where customers whose cars were still on the water have been expected to sign a declaration of zero asbestos.
“Because of the power we’ve given Border Force over the years, they don’t really answer to many people,” Appelt says.
“The hygienists who come in and test have no training in automotive – they just walk in and start cutting into roof linings. One was a Shelby Cobra – you can imagine how well that went down.
“And it’s a minimum $600 per test, plus the huge fines if they find anything – some are around $9000.
“I’ve read through the Border Protection Act and they literally have ability to choose whatever fine they want to give.
“One guy I know was fined double the value of his Nissan Skyline. Another copped $9500 because of a $15 exhaust bracket – this isn’t loose fibre asbestos, this is asbestos-containing material, it’s nothing.”
Appelt says AIMVIA plans to lodge a freedom of information request to find out how many cars tested actually contain asbestos.
“I agree with zero tolerance for asbestos but you’re talking about parts that are such low risk the danger to the public is negligible.
“It’s policy on the run and they need to be consistent.”
After a series of disjointed official directions from ABF, mechanic Wayne Coles from Classic Gasoline was assigned the task of dismantling a rare 1953 DKW F89.
He was forced to strip even the head gasket and brake linings in the Fremantle Port before the car was allowed on to dry land.
“That whole process, including the independent inspection, cost the owner nearly as much as the car,” he told The West last month.
“We were one of the first in Australia to go through this whole process.”
The owner, Paul Markham, wrote a blog about the experience of trying to get his post-war rarity home all the way from Portugal.
ABF acting customs compliance commander Stephen Hledik says rules are rules and no tolerance will be accepted.
“If the Australian Border Force suspects there is asbestos present in the goods being imported, we will instruct the importer to arrange for testing at their cost,” Hledik told News.com.au.
“That involves extra cost to them as well as delays as the testing is conducted.
“It’s the responsibility of the importer to make sure the asbestos parts have been removed before importing the car into Australia.
“Importers need to be aware that Australia’s total ban on asbestos (introduced in 2003) means zero per cent asbestos content.”
Last week the Australian Government’s Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency held its annual summit at Old Parliament House in Canberra as past of Asbestos Awareness Week.
AutoTalk will continue to follow this issue as information comes to light.
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