Anastasia Qvist is an outstanding lawyer. My criminal law situation (family violence order) was difficult, complex and Ana's diligence saved me as I was going through the most difficult period of my life. Ana is down to earth, commonsense and she even kept our costs to a minimum. She is a skilled litigator and knows the ins and outs of the ACT Magistrates Court. She dealt skillfully with the DPP and is an excellent negotiator. You will get a fair representation and she genuinely cares about her clients. She has my complete recommendation. The lady goes to bat for her clients.

- Client

I would strongly recommend Anastasia to anyone who is seeking legal representation. As a first-time offender who was charged with a Level 2 Drink Driving offence, she walked me through every step of the matter and was very upfront and clear on all aspects of my case. She was always accessible when I needed advice. Her approach and advice were excellent. Under her representation, I received the best possible outcome and managed to avoid a criminal conviction. She was a pleasure to deal with throughout the whole matter.

- Client

Anastasia Qvist was very professional and helpful in every step of my matter. I got a very good outcome and I can’t thank you enough for your hard work and the Armstrong Legal team in Canberra. I would highly recommend her!!!

- Client

Throughout Angela has been the consummate professional. She maintained a calm, yet strong demeanour remained informative and completely open in her communication and took complete ownership of the situation. We felt confident we finally had an advocate to steer us out of the nightmare we were in, and she did so with great respect and sincerity. I cannot speak more highly of Angela. She has literally rescued our family from what looked very much like a hopeless future.

- Client

Words can’t describe how grateful I am to Trudie Cameron being my solicitor and to Andrew Tiedt presenting my case in the court. They both have been very supportive and amazingly professional and effective. I’ve got an absolutely fantastic outcome I couldn’t even dream about.

- Client

Soon after meeting Andrew I knew he was the solicitor I wanted to handle my matter. He immediately sprang into action which brought me stability and hope during a tumultuous time in my life. Andrew was never afraid to give me straight answers to my tough questions which is a true mark of integrity. He is clearly at ease in the court environment and I believe his calm and measured demeanour went a long way to helping me secure the best result from my day in court. I would certainly recommend you approach Andrew if you need assistance.

- Client

"Andrew Tiedt was very professional and considerate to personal circumstances and gave sound advice that resulted in the best outcome possible. Highly recommended."

This article was written by Sally Crosswell

Sally Crosswell has a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Communication and a Master of International and Community Development. She also completed a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at the College of Law. A former journalist, Sally has a keen interest in human rights law.

Importation of Wildlife

The main legislation regulating the import of wildlife in Australia is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). This legislation seeks to promote compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

It is administered by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

Criteria for Legality

Australia strictly controls the international movement of wildlife specimens, and in many cases a wildlife trade permit will be required to import.

You will need to check whether the species is on the CITES list in the Act, which contains any conditions or restrictions that may apply to a specimen. If your specimen is on the CITES list, you must apply to the Department for a permit to import.

Plant and animal specimens deemed suitable for live import into Australia are contained in the Live Import List. Part 1 contains specimens that can be brought into Australia without a permit under the Act, and Part 2 contains specimens that require a permit. If a specimen is not included on the list, it cannot be imported.

If a specimen is not CITES-listed and is not live, a permit is not required. If a plant species is not CITES-listed, its importation is governed by the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Under the Act, non-commercial imports of wildlife specimens may be allowed for one of the following purposes:

research;
education;
exhibition;
conservation breeding or propagation;
household pets;
personal items;
travelling exhibition.

A permit is required for each of these purposes and can be made online.

Criteria for Issuance of Permit

Section 303EN(3) states a permit must not be issued unless the Minister is satisfied that:

the proposed import would not be likely to threaten the conservation status of a species or ecological community;
the proposed import would not be likely to threaten biodiversity within Australia;
the specimen is included in Part 2 of the Live Import List;
any restriction or condition applicable to the specimen has been, or is likely to be, complied with;
there is no contravention of any applicable law of the Commonwealth, State or Territory;
any conditions associated with the welfare of the specimen have been, or are likely to be complied with.

The Minister has 40 business days to make a decision on a permit application.

Penalties

Under the Act, it is an offence to import regulated wildlife to Australia without a valid wildlife trade permit. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for 10 years or 1000 penalty units, or both.

Imported wildlife can be seized for other reasons including:

a valid permit was not produced for inspection at the border;
permit conditions were not met;
the existence of evidence that the item was brought illegally to Australia some time ago.

If you require legal advice or representation in any legal matter, please contact Armstrong Legal.

WHERE TO NEXT?

If you suspect that you may be under investigation, or if you have been charged with an offence, it is vital to get competent legal advice as early as possible. Our lawyers are highly specialised in criminal law and will be able to guide you through the process while dealing with the various authorities related to your matter.

WHY CHOOSE ARMSTRONG LEGAL?

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