BRISBANE TONGAN COMMUNITY INC. IA58304 Submissions in support of the Pilot Program to ease restrictions on the importation of kava for personal use 22 March 2019 These submissions are provided on behalf of the Tongan community residing in Brisbane, State of Queensland, to the: Office of Drug Control Department of Health GPO Box 9848 Canberra ACT 2601 © 2019 Brisbane Tongan Community Inc. | ABN 61122016295 | C/- 38 Kiltie Street, Moorooka QLD E:
[email protected] | W: www.brisbanetongancommunity.com 2 A. Introduction 1. Brisbane Tongan Community Inc. (BTC) represent the Tongan nationals and migrants residing in Brisbane, Queensland. 2. We wish to make these submissions in response to the invitation to comment from the Office of Drug Control (ODC) on the options concerning the announcement by the Prime Minister, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, to put together a pilot program easing some of the limitations on importation of kava into Australia for personal use. B. Consultation 3. For ease of reference, particularly for members of our community, we note that the ODC seeks feedback on: (a) A proposal to increase the quantity of kava that may be imported for personal use to 4kg. (b) Approach to evaluate the pilot program after two years; and (c) The duration of the pilot program. 4. BTC members are predominantly Australian citizens of Tongan heritage, and represent a number of key stakeholders, frequent travellers to and from the Pacific, in particular to the Kingdom of Tonga. C. BTC Supports the proposal 5. On behalf of the greater Tongan community in Brisbane, BTC supports the proposal as detailed above at [3], to increase the quantity of kava that may be imported for personal use from 2kg to 4kg.