This isn’t the first time we’ve heard a story like this, and it almost certainly won’t be the last time either…
In this post:
Celebrity fined for not declaring flowers in Australia
Indian actress Navya Nair recently traveled to Australia for the Onam celebrations (a Hindu cultural festival), organized by the Malayali Association of Victoria. She flew from Kochi (COK) to Singapore (SIN) to Melbourne (MEL) in Singapore Airlines business class, and was traveling with a small jasmine flower garland, which was given to her by her dad.
Australia has some of the world’s strictest biosecurity laws, restricting the import of plant materials, food products, etc. The biggest issue was her failure to declare this, as she ticked “no” in the box about bringing in prohibited goods. So she ended up being fined 1,980 AUD (1,312 USD) for “knowingly producing a false or misleading document in compliance or purported compliance with the biosecurity act.”
She had a pretty good attitude about this whole situation, and shared the following:
“Before I came here, it was my father who bought jasmine for me. He cut it into two parts and gave it to me. He asked me to wear one in my hair from Kochi to Singapore, since it would wither by the time I reached. He told me to keep the second one in my handbag so I could wear it on the onward journey from Singapore. I put it in my carry bag,”
“What I did was against the law. It was a mistake I made unknowingly. However, ignorance is no excuse. For bringing a 15 centimer jasmine string, officials asked me to pay a fine of $1,980. A mistake is a mistake, though it was not intentional. They told me the fine must be paid within 28 days.”
Is Australia too strict, or just enforcing the rules?
Countries take varying approaches when it comes to the extent to which they enforce rules, and issue fines vs. warnings for first time offenders. It sure seems like Australia is one of the strictest countries in the world when it comes to fining people for things like this.
For example, a couple of years ago, I wrote about how a rather prolific airline geek flew Qatar Airways to Australia. She received a rose in the Qatar Airways lounge in Doha and traveled with it on her flight to Perth (PER). The exact same thing happened — she didn’t declare it, and ended up facing a huge fine.
I see both sides here. On the one hand, in all of these situations, it’s clearly an honest mistake, and bringing one flower into the country isn’t the same as arriving with a bag of cocaine.
At the same time, if Australia believes it’s important to keep plant materials out, and if people fill out binding government documents without actually carefully reading what they’re agreeing to, then I guess it’s not totally unreasonable that they’d try to hold people accountable for that.
After all, stories of people being fined for things like this probably increases awareness of the country’s regulations, which I imagine is the goal.
Bottom line
An Indian actress has been fined for entering Australia with a small jasmine flower garland, but failing to declare it. Australia has among the strictest biosecurity regulations in the world, and takes this kind of stuff seriously. So as wild as it might seem to fine someone so much for a little flower garland, this is pretty standard for the country.
It’s just a reminder to think twice regarding what you bring into Australia…
What do you make of this fine for bringing a flower garland into Australia — is it fair, or an overkill?
It’s not exactly like we hide the rules when someone flies in or on arrival. There are signs everywhere and multiple announcements made. The country is free from pests and agricultural diseases, and we’d like to keep it that way.
"The problem with Australians is not that so many of them are descended from convicts, but that so many of them are descended from prison officers."
Crocodile Dundee
Back in the 1late 970's Australian authorities took away a can of (cooked) chicken I had. No fine for not declaring it, tho.
If you are unsure, just declare it. You will NEVER be fined for declaring...so just do it. Their country, their rules, their laws and only logical for us to follow, I dont see any issues w that.
A kiwi here, NZ has stricter bio security law as, but takes a far more pragmatic and reasonable approach to imposing penalties. Screening is typically far more thorough and fines are usually imposed only for purposeful concealments.
I hope their interaction at the airport Custom was captured by the TV show “Border Security.” I love watching this show on the UTube.
“ bringing one flower into the country isn’t the same as arriving with a bag of cocaine” - I think the Australian border control would agree and can assure you the consequences for importing a bag of cocaine would be much more severe
Of course it isnt the same. But its their country and their rules, they can do whatever they want and if we dont like to follow these rules then we get fined...or if we dont like them, then then dont travel. Simple as that.
All you have to do is follow the rules. Actually reading the questions on the arrival card and thinking about your answers before you tick the boxes is good practice, and goes a long way to preventing incidents like this. If in doubt, declare it. The customs and quarantine staff are a lot more user-friendly to those who declare than they are to those who don't.
Exactly! Last year, my daughter and I went there via Fiji, where we received a small shell necklace at our hotel. I didn't know if it was ok to bring into Australia, so I declared it just to be safe. Turns out, it was the correct call. Their country = their rules. And it's not like this is a new thing.
Australia is weird: you can’t bring in fruit and vegetables in your pocket, but you can eat them an hour before landing, then crap them out into their sewer system at your hotel.
What’s the difference when it comes to spreading seeds from elsewhere???
Dunno, but they're doing seems to work.
Because your digestive system kills basically all the dangerous aspects of the fruit/seed…? Lol
It is then processed food.
I think these rules are indicative of how routine air travel has become that people forget what a novel thing it is. An honest mistake of not thinking about these rules could actually ruin the ecosystem of another country.
Also, pro-tip: If you have muddy hiking boots, declare them at customs in New Zealand or Australia and the customs agent will clean them for you.
I remember a few years ago on one of your flights that you had to throw something out because of Australia's strict regulations. I forgot exactly what exactly and when, but I do remember you mentioning something along those lines.
Moving on, a small pest can cause wreck the entire country's ecosystem as well as biodiversity. And that apple you eat? There can be a pest inside and once it gets loose, it can...
I remember a few years ago on one of your flights that you had to throw something out because of Australia's strict regulations. I forgot exactly what exactly and when, but I do remember you mentioning something along those lines.
Moving on, a small pest can cause wreck the entire country's ecosystem as well as biodiversity. And that apple you eat? There can be a pest inside and once it gets loose, it can cause damage in the millions if not billions.
So when in doubt, throw it out.
About eight years ago I was flying into Sydney and was scared senseless by the customs video which is shown prior to landing. I was carrying with me my prescription Adderall, and it was made very clear, that even with the prescription, I could be fined heavily or even jailed.
Not worth the risk - I destroyed my medication on the plane.
I feel like you have to be completely checked out not to...
About eight years ago I was flying into Sydney and was scared senseless by the customs video which is shown prior to landing. I was carrying with me my prescription Adderall, and it was made very clear, that even with the prescription, I could be fined heavily or even jailed.
Not worth the risk - I destroyed my medication on the plane.
I feel like you have to be completely checked out not to get the message about what is and what is not allowed into Australia. And that’s their right and I respect it.
Adderal is just fine in Australia with a prescription. It is not I many Asian countries (Japan, Singapore, Korea) some places you have to get a permit to bring it in, some places it’s completely prohibited.
It always pays to check, and make sure all medicines are in the original packaging with the pharmacy dispensing label attached. Naturally this should be the name that matches the one in your passport ;-).
Australia's $1,300 fine for a jasmine flower garland reveals bureaucracy at its most tone-deaf. Yes, biosecurity matters - but surely common sense should distinguish between a sentimental keepsake and genuine contraband. When the penalty for an elderly father's flower gift exceeds most speeding fines, the system has lost all sense of proportionality. A brief educational chat and confiscation would achieve the same deterrent effect without the Kafkaesque cruelty.
"A brief educational chat..."
Obviously you've never been to Australia.
There is a five minute "chat" (video) BEFORE LANDING, TELLING EVERYONE NOT TO BRING IN VEGETATION.
But never having arrived into Oz, you wouldn't have known that.
Mate, seriously just piss off.
Every airline that flies into Australia must screen a video just before descent onto Australian soil about what to do, snd what not to do, regarding Australian biosecurity. Every pax is given a paper (for the time being) declaration where they are asked very clear questions regarding biosecurity compliance. As they exit into the quarantine halls, there are massive bins and signs with pics of food, wood and flowers...
Mate, seriously just piss off.
Every airline that flies into Australia must screen a video just before descent onto Australian soil about what to do, snd what not to do, regarding Australian biosecurity. Every pax is given a paper (for the time being) declaration where they are asked very clear questions regarding biosecurity compliance. As they exit into the quarantine halls, there are massive bins and signs with pics of food, wood and flowers as a last-minute option, telling pax, “If in doubt, declare it”, or, “If in doubt, bin it”. Our farmers’ families and their entire livelihoods, and indeed our country’s precious foodbowl, are totally dependent upon remaining pest-free.
Our country, our rules; OK?
These are valuable regulations for the protection of native species. Heck if we paid more attention in the US, we would have been spared of the invasive china berry and other plants I curse every time I weed my garden. Many countries offer certified flowers that can be exported