Consultation: Kava pilot phase 2: Allowing the commercial importation of kava

A webinar on the Kava Pilot Phase 2 design was held on Wednesday 4 November 2020. The slides from the presentation can be found at Kava Pilot Phase 2 design (easing the restrictions on the commercial importation of kava).

The Department of Health sought comments from interested parties on the options proposed for the commercial importation of kava into Australia. Comment is particularly sought to understand the risks and benefits of commercial kava importation to the Australian community.

The commercial importation of kava into Australia is phase two of the kava pilot program (pilot) announced by the Prime Minister, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, on 11 October 2019.

Phase one of the pilot which allows incoming passengers to bring in four kilograms of kava for personal use was implemented on 17 December 2020.

Document released for consultation on Monday, 23 March 2020.

Responses were previously sought by 4 May 2020. This timeframe has been extended to Sunday 31 May 2020 at the request of interested parties whose businesses and organisations have been impacted by COVID-19. The Department will continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 and further extend the consultation if necessary.

Feedback will be released following consideration of submissions (see What will happen).

On 11 October 2019, the Prime Minister announced that the Australian Government is stepping up its commitment to the Pacific by launching the kava pilot program which allows for the commercial importation of kava into Australia.

This consultation paper has been prepared to enable interested parties to provide feedback on phase two of the pilot which allows for the commercial importation of kava into Australia.

Submissions may address any, or all, of the questions asked in the consultation paper.

Any questions relating to submissions should be directed to the Department of Health by email to ncs@health.gov.au.

All submissions will be placed on this website unless marked confidential or indicated otherwise in the submission form (see Privacy information).

The feedback on the consultation paper will be used to inform decisions on the design of phase 2 of the pilot which allow the commercial importation of kava into Australia.

The Department of Health collects your personal information in this submission in order to:

• contact you if the Department wants to seek clarification of issues raised in your submission or to check whether you consent to certain information that you have provided being made publicly available
• help provide context about your submission (e.g. to determine whether you are an individual or a director of a company or representing an interest group)
• seek feedback about how the consultation was undertaken.

Please do not include personal information about other individuals in the body of your submission. Personal information in this context means information or an opinion about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion.

More information on privacy can be found on our website.

Between 23 March 2020 and 31 May 2020 the ODC sought comments from interested parties on the Consultation: Kava Pilot Phase 2: Allowing the commercial importation of kava.

We thank those individuals and organisations for their valuable feedback.

A total of 66 submissions were received in response to the public consultation, however, 13 of these were discounted, as they did not address the consultation paper.

All submissions that gave permission to be published are now available below.

• Consultation Submission: Mrs Losevati Akauola - name only
• Consultation Submission: Anonymous 1
• Consultation Submission: Anonymous 2
• Consultation Submission: Anonymous 3
• Consultation Submission: Anonymous 4
• Consultation Submission: Dr. Apo Aporosa
• Consultation Submission: Prof. Richard Beyer
• Consultation Submission: Brisbane Tongan Community Inc.
• Consultation Submission: Mr Salvin Chandra - name only
• Consultation Submission: Complementary Medicines Australia - name only
• Consultation Submission: Kamal Deo
• Consultation Submission: Devcorp Management Group
• Consultation Submission: Diam Thomas Co
• Consultation Submission: Feleoko 'a Maui
• Consultation Submission: Mr Aisea Filihia
• Consultation Submission: Mr Carl Gilsenan
• Consultation Submission: Mr Amanaki Halafihi
• Consultation Submission: Lao Provincial Association
• Consultation Submission: Pacific Trade Invest Australia - name only
• Consultation Submission: Samoa Herbs
• Consultation Submission: Mr Daniel Strelan
• Consultation Submission: The Government of the Republic of Vanuatu
• Consultation Submission: Wilex Samoa Limited

View submissions