Customs new INS (Infringement Notice Scheme) a cause for real concern

There has been some recent commentary in which some have expressed little concern over the new Infringement Notice Scheme ("INS") from the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service ("Customs") which is due to commence later this month.

Unfortunately I do not share that lack of concern. In the current climate of Government efforts to tighten control of the supply chain, reduce revenue leakage and to improve compliance, the significant changes to the INS to assist Customs' ability to issue Infringement Notices ("INs"), to introduce new offences subject to the INS and to increase the penalties payable all point to a new environment where the risks for importers, exporters and their service providers have been significantly increased.