City Index Australia – Do They Even Accept Australian Traders in 2020

Australia Population (LIVE)

Population of Australia (2020 and historical)

Year	Population	Yearly % Change	Yearly Change	Migrants (net)	Median Age	Fertility Rate	Density (P/Km²)	Urban Pop %	Urban Population	Country’s Share of World Pop	World Population	Australia Global Rank
2020	25,499,884	1.18 %	296,686	158,246	37.9	1.83	3	85.9 %	21,903,705	0.33 %	7,794,798,739	55
2020	25,203,198	1.23 %	305,046	158,246	37.3	1.87	3	85.7 %	21,607,414	0.33 %	7,713,468,100	55
2020	24,898,152	1.28 %	313,532	158,246	37.3	1.87	3	85.6 %	21,307,040	0.33 %	7,631,091,040	55
2020	24,584,620	1.33 %	321,908	158,246	37.3	1.87	3	85.4 %	21,003,923	0.33 %	7,547,858,925	53
2020	24,262,712	1.38 %	330,210	158,246	37.3	1.87	3	85.3 %	20,700,043	0.33 %	7,464,022,049	53
2020	23,932,502	1.56 %	355,565	197,875	37.2	1.89	3	85.2 %	20,396,531	0.32 %	7,379,797,139	53
2020	22,154,679	1.89 %	395,228	242,160	36.8	1.95	3	85.0 %	18,842,292	0.32 %	6,956,823,603	53
2005	20,178,540	1.22 %	237,422	117,856	36.5	1.77	3	84.8 %	17,118,434	0.31 %	6,541,907,027	52
2000	18,991,431	1.09 %	199,671	77,684	35.4	1.79	2	84.6 %	16,060,093	0.31 %	6,143,493,823	51
1995	17,993,074	1.19 %	206,495	70,216	33.6	1.86	2	85.3 %	15,346,879	0.31 %	5,744,212,979	51
1990	16,960,597	1.60 %	259,387	130,842	32.1	1.86	2	85.8 %	14,558,985	0.32 %	5,327,231,061	49
1985	15,663,663	1.43 %	215,052	90,714	30.7	1.91	2	85.9 %	13,461,702	0.32 %	4,870,921,740	47
1980	14,588,405	1.16 %	163,023	47,149	29.3	1.99	2	85.9 %	12,532,663	0.33 %	4,458,003,514	46
1975	13,773,288	1.49 %	196,051	51,906	28.1	2.54	2	85.1 %	11,727,714	0.34 %	4,079,480,606	42
1970	12,793,034	2.49 %	295,968	161,239	27.4	2.87	2	84.3 %	10,787,874	0.35 %	3,700,437,046	42
1965	11,313,195	2.01 %	214,224	76,869	28.3	3.27	1	83.4 %	9,439,263	0.34 %	3,339,583,597	42
1960	10,242,076	2.25 %	215,274	79,911	29.6	3.41	1	81.9 %	8,389,125	0.34 %	3,034,949,748	39
1955	9,165,707	2.31 %	197,673	79,201	30.2	3.18	1	79.7 %	7,309,544	0.33 %	2,773,019,936	42

Australia Population Forecast

146,326

Year	Population	Yearly % Change	Yearly Change	Migrants (net)	Median Age	Fertility Rate	Density (P/Km²)	Urban Pop %	Urban Population	Country’s Share of World Pop	World Population	Australia Global Rank
2020	25,499,884	1.28 %	313,476	158,246	37.9	1.83	3	85.9 %	21,903,705	0.33 %	7,794,798,739	55
2025	26,879,753	1.06 %	275,974	135,469	38.9	1.83	3	86.8 %	23,335,357	0.33 %	8,184,437,460	55
2030	28,177,481	0.95 %	259,546	139,877	40.0	1.83	4	87.8 %	24,740,161	0.33 %	8,548,487,400	55
2035	29,410,244	0.86 %	246,553	145,797	40.8	1.83	4	88.8 %	26,110,367	0.33 %	8,887,524,213	57
2040	30,572,489	0.78 %	232,449	145,756	41.3	1.83	4	89.8 %	27,469,166	0.33 %	9,198,847,240	59
2045	31,702,142	0.73 %	225,931	145,991	41.5	1.83	4	90.9 %	28,832,697	0.33 %	9,481,803,274	59
2050	32,814,113	0.69 %	222,394	41.8	1.83	4	92.0 %	30,186,022	0.34 %	9,735,033,990	62

Australia Demographics

Main Cities by Population in Australia

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

#	CITY NAME	POPULATION
1	Sydney	4,627,345
2	Melbourne	4,246,375
3	Brisbane	2,189,878
4	Perth	1,896,548
5	Adelaide	1,225,235
6	Gold Coast	591,473
7	Canberra	367,752
8	Newcastle	308,308
9	Wollongong	292,190
10	Logan City	282,673
11	Geelong	226,034
12	Hobart	216,656
13	Townsville	196,219
14	Cairns	153,075
15	Toowoomba	131,258
16	Darwin	129,062
17	Rockingham	108,022
18	Launceston	106,153
19	Bendigo	100,617
20	Ballarat	97,937
21	Mandurah	83,294
22	Mackay	74,219
23	Bundaberg	70,826
24	Bunbury	68,248
25	Maitland	67,132
26	Armadale	62,296
27	Rockhampton	61,724
28	Adelaide Hills	60,394
29	South Brisbane	60,000
30	Hervey Bay	52,230
31	Reservoir	47,637
32	Tamworth	47,597
33	Wagga Wagga	46,913
34	Albury	45,627
35	Berwick	44,779
36	Port Macquarie	41,491
37	Queanbeyan	40,661
38	Orange	39,329
39	Blacktown	39,000
40	Shepparton	38,773
41	Caloundra	38,706
42	Hoppers Crossing	38,108
43	Werribee	37,737
44	Melton	35,490
45	Castle Hill	35,389
46	Saint Albans	35,091
47	Nowra	34,479
48	Frankston	34,457
48	Frankston East	34,457
49	Rowville	34,145
50	Warrnambool	33,982
51	Baulkham Hills	33,945
52	Albany	33,650
53	Mount Waverley	33,611
54	St Albans	33,511
55	Auburn	33,122
56	Bathurst	33,110
57	Pakenham South	32,911
58	Point Cook	32,413
59	Dubbo	32,327
60	Epping	32,200
61	Wodonga	31,605
62	Kalgoorlie	31,107
63	Bankstown	30,572
64	Mill Park	30,517
65	Gladstone	30,489
66	Kwinana	30,433
67	Lismore	30,086
68	Mildura	30,016
69	Preston	29,925

See also

• Demographics of Australia
  • Median Age(Historical Chart)
  • Total Fertility Rate(Historical Chart)
  • Urban vs. Rural Population (Historical Chart)
• Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Australia
• Oceania Population
• World Population
• World Map
• World Population by Country

Notes

The Australia Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Australia delivered by Worldometer’s RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Australia (1950 – 2020) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2020.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2020. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2020 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Read More Definitions.

Yearly % Change: For 2020: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2020 to June 30 2020). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2020: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2020 to June 30 2020). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2020 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country’s Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by Australia in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Australia asylum: Why is it controversial?

Share this with

These are external links and will open in a new window

These are external links and will open in a new window

Close share panel

Australia’s policy on asylum seekers has come under intense scrutiny. The BBC explains why.

Does Australia get a lot of asylum seekers?

Australia’s humanitarian intake has remained relatively steady over the last 20 years, with around 12,000 to 13,000 people typically accepted every year.

In 2020-16, Australia accepted 13,750 people through its humanitarian programme and committed to a one-time acceptance of an additional 12,000 refugees fleeing Syria and Iraq.

Asylum seekers have attempted to reach Australia on boats from Indonesia, often paying large sums of money to people smugglers. Hundreds have died making the dangerous journey.

At its peak, 18,000 people arrived in Australia illegally by sea. However the numbers plummeted after the government introduced tough new policies to “stop the boats”.

So why does Australia have tough asylum policies?

Australia’s two leading political parties, the ruling Liberal-National coalition and the Labor opposition, both support tough asylum policies.

They say the journey the asylum seekers make is dangerous and controlled by criminal gangs, and they have a duty to stop it.

The coalition government made Australia’s asylum policy even tougher when it took power in 2020, introducing Operation Sovereign Borders, which put the military in control of asylum operations.

Under this policy military vessels patrol Australian waters and intercept migrant boats, towing them back to Indonesia or sending asylum seekers back in inflatable dinghies or lifeboats.

The government says its policies have restored the integrity of its borders, and helped prevent deaths at sea.

However, critics say opposition to asylum is often racially motivated and is damaging Australia’s reputation.

What’s the deal with offshore processing?

When asylum seekers reach Australia by boat, they are not held in Australia while their claims are processed.

Instead, they are sent to an offshore processing centre. Currently Australia has one such centre on the Pacific island nation of Nauru and another on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

Even if these asylum seekers are found to be refugees, they are not allowed to be settled in Australia. They may be settled in Nauru or Papua New Guinea, and four were settled in Cambodia at a reported cost of A$55m (£28m, $42m).

Rights groups say conditions in the PNG and Nauru camps are totally inadequate, citing poor hygiene, cramped conditions, unrelenting heat and a lack of facilities.

Holding asylum seekers in indefinite detention has caused widespread psychological harm, and exposed them to dangers including physical and sexual assaults, the critics say.

Manus Island closure: What happens next?

Papua New Guinea’s Supreme Court ruled last year that restricting the movement of asylum seekers who have committed no crime was unconstitutional. Australia responded by confirming it would shut down the centre by 31 October.

Canberra has set up transit centres elsewhere on Manus Island. But many refugees and asylum seekers are resisting efforts to be moved there, saying they do not feel safe in the local community.

Australia is not prepared to accept the more than 700 men still on the island.

Up to 1,250 refugees in PNG and Nauru could be accepted by the US under a resettlement deal, but America is not obliged to take them all.

In October, the UNHCR said 1,700 detainees in the two centres had either been granted refugee status or were awaiting a determination. The claims of a further 400 had been rejected, it said.

It remains unclear whether the men on Manus Island will stay there, be relocated to Nauru, or go to a new location.

However, Australia’s hard line on immigration is unlikely to change.

European Commission Directorate-General for Trade

Accessibility tools

Service tools

Language selector

• Current language: en

Current portal location

Site navigation

Website content

Countries and regions

Australia

On 22 May 2020, the Council of the European Union adopted the decision authorising the opening of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Australia.

So far the EU and Australia have been conducting their trade and economic relations under the 2008 EU-Australian Partnership Framework. This aims to facilitate trade in industrial products between the EU and Australia by reducing technical barriers and improve trade in services and investment.

Trade picture

• Australia ranked as the 19th-largest trade in goods partner of the EU, while the EU represented Australia’s 3rd-largest trading partner in 2020, after China and Japan and before the US. Total trade in goods account for 47,6 billion € in 2020 (EU surplus of 24.4 bn €), and total trade in services add another 33 billion € in 2020 (EU surplus 14 bn €).
• EU bilateral trade with Australia and New Zealand together is about roughly the same size as with Mexico or Canada. To be noted that the EU has a longstanding trade surplus with Australia also for agricultural and processed agricultural products when taken together (1,310m € in 2020) so is not in all areas defensive on agricultural products.

EU-Australia: Trade in goods

Trade in goods 2020, € billions

Year	EU imports	EU exports	Balance
2020	13.1	32.4	19.3
2020	13.0	34.7	21.7
2020	11.6	36.0	24.4

EU-Australia: Trade in services

Trade in services 2020, € billions

Year	EU imports	EU exports	Balance
2020	10.1	21.1	11.0
2020	8.9	20.6	11.7
2020	9.5	23.5	14.0

EU-Australia: Foreign direct investment

Foreign direct investment 2020, € billions

Year	Inward stocks	Outward stocks	Balance
2020	25.8	162.4	136.5

Date of retrieval: 17/04/2020

EU and Australia

The EU and Australia concluded the negotiations for a political Framework Agreement which contains a number of economic and trade cooperation arrangements.

The annual senior official-level Trade Policy Dialogue regularly meets to discuss bilateral trade relations.

There is a Mutual Recognition Agreement between the EU and Australia to facilitate trade in industrial products by reducing technical barriers. The agreement creates mutual recognition of conformity assessment procedures. This is done to reduce the cost of testing and certifying of exports and imports.

Australia is part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Exporting to Australia

A guide for British businesses interested in selling goods and services in Australia.

This guidance was withdrawn on 30 January 2020

Department for International Trade withdrew this publication because it was out of date.

See current information to:

Managing risk

Export opportunities and advice

Australia in world business rankings

Doing business in Australia

Australia is the 13th largest economy in the world. With 26 years of economic growth, it’s a prosperous market with high disposable income per head.

If your product or service is successful in the UK, there’s a good chance of success in Australia. However, even though the markets are very similar, there are differences to take into consideration. For example, you must consider how you adequately service your customers thousands of miles away.

Benefits for UK businesses exporting to Australia

Australia is similar to the UK because of the common language and similarities in business and legal practices such as intellectual property (IP ) protection.

It is, therefore, a good place to test a new market for a product, especially as the country has 1.2 million Britons who are permanent residents. Australia welcomed over 700,000 UK visitors in 2020 according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Challenges and overseas business risk in Australia

Australia has strict biosecurity regulations for imports of certain products and packaging.

The sheer size of Australia and shipping distance to market leads to some unique challenges. These include:

• visiting Australia, which takes about 24 hours from the UK by plane
• time to ship or send products to market
• increased costs to get your products to market, due to the distance
• the time difference (+7 to 11 hours ahead of the UK) which can make business calls difficult
• the vast distances between states and cities in country

Read the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) Overseas Business Risk report for Australia.

Top goods and services imports into Australia

UN Comtrade ranks Australia’s top goods imports from the rest of the world during 2020 as:

1. machinery, including boilers
2. vehicles (other than railway or tramway vehicles)
3. electrical and electronic equipment
4. distillation products and mineral fuels, including oil
5. optical, technical, photographic and medical apparatus
6. pharmaceuticals
7. gems and precious metals
8. plastics and plastic products
9. furniture, lighting, sign, and prefabricated buildings
10. iron or steel products

UN Comtrade ranks Australia’s top services imports from the rest of the world during 2020 as:

1. travel
2. transport
3. other business services, such as consultancy, technical services and research and development (R&D)
4. royalties and licence fees
5. financial services
6. personal, cultural, and recreational services
7. government services
8. insurance services

UK exports to Australia

Australia was the UK’s 16th largest export market in 2020, accounting for 1.6% of total UK exports. UK exports comprised:

• £4.1 billion (47.7%) goods
• £4.5 billion (52.3%) services

Researching the Australian market

Market research and planning are essential before starting to sell your products and services in Australia. It will help prevent costly mistakes and maximise the potential for profits.

There are some regulatory differences between the Australian states and territories. Australia’s 4 major cities cover around half its population, so can be prioritised when doing market research for your product or service. A combination of desk research and visits to the market will help you determine whether:

• there is a market for your product or service
• your pricing is competitive
• you need to localise your product
• you need to adapt your business model
• you have the resources in place to tackle a market this size

DIT ’s trade specialists can help you commission services from local experts in Australia. This includes:

• country and sector advice
• local market research
• support during overseas visits
• identification of possible business partners
• preparation for exhibitions and events

Opportunities for UK businesses in Australia

Set up a trade profile on DIT ’s Find a buyer service to connect with international buyers.

Government tenders in Australia

Visit AusTender for government procurement opportunities. You will need to set up a business in Australia or have a local business partner to successfully access opportunities to sell to the Australian government.

Getting started in the Australian market

Once you’ve done some initial research you should create an export plan and identify your best route to market.

Consult local lawyers when you enter a new market to avoid costly mistakes and ensure you start out in the way that is best suited to your sector of activity.

Direct exports and sales in Australia

Selling directly to customers means you handle all the processes involved in marketing, selling, sending overseas and getting paid. Direct exports are possible if you’re selling online or responding to enquiries from Australian companies.

Selling in Australia through local agents, distributors or wholesalers

Distance and time zone issues may mean it’s more effective to use local representation.

A local point of contact is particularly important if you need to service customer queries and problems regarding your product or service. Options include using an agent, distributor or wholesaler.

DIT ’s trade specialists can help you identify local representatives for your products in Australia.

Setting up a company or office in Australia

A business enterprise in Australia can operate as a:

• company
• foreign branch
• trust
• joint venture
• partnership
• sole trader

Business formation is most commonly done through registration as:

Taxation and legal obligations differ depending on which business structure you choose.

Online selling to Australia

A digital presence can help you gain new customers 24 hours a day, often at low cost.

Use the DIT ’s selling online overseas tool to get exclusive deals for your business, negotiated by the UK government.

Find out how the DIT ’s E-Exporting programme can help you export your products overseas.

Licensing or franchising in Australia

If you have a suitable product or service you can license them to be sold in Australia. It’s is a cheap way to enter the market as there are no set-up costs apart from the cost of a legal agreement.

You should undertake due diligence on licensees to ensure your intellectual property (IP ) rights are protected.

Find out more about licensing IP .

The franchise industry is heavily regulated in Australia.

Franchises must comply with the Australian Franchising Code of Conduct and be registered at the Australian Franchise Registry.

Getting finance to fulfil an export contract to Australia

To make it easier to fulfil an export contract and grow your business, schemes are available to UK companies selling products and services in Australia. Contact your bank or specialist financial organisation for assistance.

Contact one of UKEF ’s export finance managers for a free and impartial consultation. They can help check you are getting the appropriate financial support and, if not, explore how to bridge any gaps.

Getting paid in Australia

You may wish to talk to a specialist about finance, including how to get paid in Australia. This could be a bank, accountant or you can contact the DIT team in Australia who can help you find a financial adviser in Australia.

Your contract should specify the terms for payment. You need to use secure terms of payment in Australia through a letter of credit, cash, or partial payment in advance.

You should only use open account payment terms (delivery of goods or services before payment) when you have an established trading relationship.

Customers in Australia may require credit terms to buy your products and services.

Payment conditions must be factored into prices. For business-to-business transactions these can range from immediate payments on receipt of goods (often with a negotiated small discount) to a negotiated 60-day payment.

Payment risks in Australia

Speak to one of UKEF ’s export finance managers for free and impartial consultation on your insurance options or contact one of UKEF ’s approved export insurance brokers.

Currency risks when exporting to Australia

If you have not fixed your exchange rate you have not fixed your price.

You should consider whether the best option for you is to agree terms in sterling or Australian dollars in any contract. You should also consider getting expert financial advice on exchange rates (sometimes called FX).

Transferring money from Australia

Capital can be moved in and out of Australia without any restrictions in principle.

Currency transfers of A$10,000 or more must be reported to the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC).

Legal considerations of doing business in Australia

The federal government of Australia legislates in areas such as trade and commerce, banking and taxation.

Contact the DIT team in Australia to help find tax and legal advisers before entering into agreements in Australia.

Controlled goods export licences for Australia

You must have a licence to supply any goods, software, technical information and technology to Australia which are on the UK Strategic Export Control Lists.

There are a number of open licences available for exporting military and certain dual use controlled items to Australia and it’s a straightforward registration process. If you can’t use an open licence you’ll have to apply for a standard licence.

Check if you need an export licence and apply on SPIRE.

Some other products, including consumer items, may need additional certification or licensing.

Import restrictions in Australia

Australia has very strict sanitary (animal-related) and phytosanitary (plant-related) restrictions for products that may contaminate its agricultural industry or environment.

Before entry into Australia import risk analysis (IRA) must be undertaken on:

• animals, their genetic material and animal products
• plants (including for potential weed assessment)
• biological control agents for control of pests

Some goods can be imported, but use might be restricted under state laws.

Australia applies its rights under the World Trade Organization (WTO) to apply a quota on imports of cheese and curd.

Quarantine regulations in Australia

Australia’s biosecurity measures aim to prevent disease and pests entering the country through a strict inspection or treatment regime.

Check whether your goods are subject to biosecurity import conditions in Australia and its external territories, including Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

There’s very little recourse if your shipment encounters quarantine issues at Australian customs.

Quarantine measures could affect a number of products including:

• animals
• food
• farming, mining and construction machinery
• minerals
• packaging goods
• plants

All required documents must accompany your shipment to reduce the likelihood of inspection.

Find out more about Australian quarantine requirements.

Consumer protection law in Australia

If you’re selling to consumers you must comply with Australia’s consumer protection law which guarantees consumer rights when buying goods and services.

Consumer rights across Australia can be different as legislation is set at federal, state and territory level. You must check with fair trading offices in Australian states to see if you’re complying with legislation.

Professional indemnity insurance for doing business in Australia

If you provide a service and want to protect yourself against negligence claims from clients or third parties, you may wish to consider taking out professional indemnity insurance.

Standards and technical regulations in Australia

Australia has taken on international standards where possible. However, there are Australian standards with no international equivalent which may require your product to be modified, or impact how your product enters the market. Standards Australia has responsibility for Australian standards.

Check Australia’s voluntary standards, mandatory standards and codes of practice to make sure you’re meeting legal requirements for products.

Both mandatory and voluntary ‘conformity marks’ are in use in Australia. They indicate if a product, process or service fulfils specified legal requirements in Australia

You may need to comply with environmental standards in Australia which can be affected by both federal and state legislation.

Product Safety Australia provides an overview of Australia’s product safety law and mandatory standards.

If you don’t comply with mandatory standards, you risk action under the Competition and Consumer Act 2020.

All units of measurement must be expressed in the metric system. All pre-packaged goods must comply with Australia’s trade measurement laws.

Local state or territory regulations can affect product safety requirements.

Product liability insurance for doing business in Australia

You should consider taking out product liability insurance if you manufacture or supply a product.

Packaging regulation in Australia

Packaging must meet Australian consumer health and environmental legislation. Imports of some consumer goods must meet state government packaging requirements.

Quarantine regulations require:

• a certificate of fumigation to accompany packaging and pallets
• that packaging made of wood or plant matter is subject to phytosanitary controls

Find out more about regulations for wood packaging.

Labelling your products for Australia

Specific labelling requirements apply to:

• chemical products
• cosmetics
• electronic goods
• foodstuffs
• most therapeutic products

All labelling must use the metric system. ‘Net’ must be used to express mass.

A ‘Made in’ mark of origin label is required by Australian Customs.

Read Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) guidance for food labelling.

Mandatory changes to country of origin food labelling take effect on 1 July 2020.

Protecting your intellectual property (IP ) in Australia

Read the UK Intellectual Property Office’s (IPO) guidance on exporting your IP .

Taxation in Australia

The UK and Australia have signed a double taxation agreement.

This agreement should, in most cases, prevent any double tax liability from UK and Australian authorities over the same income. If you, or your UK company, earn money from your exports that’s been taxed in Australia it shouldn’t be taxed again in the UK.

UK companies operating in Australia will be subject to local taxation requirements.

Value Added Tax (VAT ) on goods exported to Australia

You can zero-rate the sale of goods exported to Australia. You must get evidence that the goods were exported and keep it as part of your records.

Find more information on VAT in non-EU markets.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Australia

Australia’s Goods and Services Tax is a 10% tax on the sale of most goods and services in Australia.

From 1 July 2020, the GST will apply to sales of low value goods imported by consumers into Australia. The registration threshold is now A$75,000. This may require non-resident businesses selling goods to Australia to register for GST.

Excise duty in Australia

You should check you’ve paid excise duty on any alcohol, fuel, tobacco or other excise equivalent products you send to Australia.

Company and corporate tax in Australia

The company tax rate for an Australian resident company is currently 30% of its taxable income, or 28.5% for SMEs for income years commencing on, or after, 1 July 2020.

Customs and documentation in Australia

Complying with HMRC regulations to export to Australia

You must classify your goods as part of the declaration, including a commodity code and a Customs Procedure Code (CPC).

Find commodity codes and other measures applying to exports in the UK Trade Tariff.

You must declare any goods that you take with you in your baggage to sell outside the EU.

Temporary export of goods to Australia

You can use an ATA (temporary admission) Carnet to simplify the customs procedures needed to temporarily take goods into Australia. Temporary exports mean you can take your products into another country under strict time limits, usually as commercial samples or for display at exhibitions.

You’ll need a licence to temporarily take any goods on the UK export controls lists to Australia. This includes goods for:

• demonstration
• exhibition
• use in repair or maintenance

If not, use the SPIRE system to apply for a temporary export licence.

If the items aren’t being returned to the UK, you’ll need a permanent export licence.

Customs in Australia

The DIBP regulates all goods imported into Australia. Import requirements include:

• import declarations and documents
• payment of relevant duties and taxes

Imports of goods valued at A$1,000 or less (excluding excise goods) are not liable for duty and taxes, but must have a self-assessed clearance (SAC ) declaration. The SAC is normally the responsibility of a freight forwarder.

The EU’s Market Access Database provides information on import conditions into Australia, including:

• customs clearance formalities and documentation
• import tariffs
• sanitary and phytosanitary restrictions

Documentation in Australia

Import documents required include a:

• bill of lading / air waybill
• commercial invoice
• fumigation certificate (if applicable)
• manufacturing declaration (if applicable)
• packing declaration form
• packing list permits and licences for regulated products

Help with shipping your goods to Australia

If you’re not knowledgeable about international shipping procedures you can use a freight forwarder to move your goods. A forwarder will have extensive knowledge of documentation requirements, regulations, transportation costs and banking practices in Australia.

Find freight forwarding companies to help you transport your goods to Australia via the British International Freight Association (BIFA) or the Freight Transport Association (FTA).

Posting goods to Australia

Shipping dangerous goods to Australia

Special rules apply if you’re shipping dangerous goods to Australia.

Terms of delivery to Australia

You must have a clear written contract to minimise the risk of misunderstanding in international commercial transactions.

Incoterms are a series of widely used commercial terms for international trade in goods, which set out:

• where the goods are being delivered
• who is responsible for each stage of the journey, including customs clearance
• what insurance is required
• who pays for each cost

Find out more about agreements on terms of delivery using Incoterms.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) publishes the Incoterms Rules.

Incoterms do not cover contracts for delivery of services.

Contracts for international delivery of services should focus on desired outcomes – ie what the service should achieve. This should be part of a service level agreement in your contract.

Reporting a trade barrier in Australia

Regulatory, tariff or technical barriers in an overseas market can make imported goods and services less competitive than those produced locally.

Language and culture in Australia

Australians are informal in their business interactions. First-name terms tend to be the norm in most business situations. Directness and plain speaking are valued.

Entry requirements for Australia

You must have a valid passport and visa.

UK citizens can get an eVisitor visa direct from the Australian DIBP , or an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) for a service fee of AU$20.

Find out more about the types of visa available from the DIBP .

Travel advice for Australia

If you’re travelling to Australia for business, check the FCO’s travel advice first.

DIT contacts for Australia

Contact a local DIT trade adviser in the UK if you are interested in finding out more about doing business in Australia.

Contact the DIT team in Australia for more tailored information and advice on opportunities for doing business in Australia.

1. 2 July 2020

Change in tax rules for GST which now has a registration threshold of A$75,000.