• Bicycle Helmets Reminder
  
• Board Communique
• Productivity Commission Inquiry
• Customs and Border Protection
• Bicycle Import Data
  

• 2010 Australian Bicycling Achievement Awards
  
• Government Relations Manager
• Australian Bicycle Dates  

Only bicycle helmets that have been constructed and tested to AS/NZS 2063:2008 can be supplied in Australia after 30 June 2011.

In November 2010, the ACCC granted an extension for the sale of helmets that had not been tested to, but would pass, the 2008 standards to the 30th of June 2011. The 30th of June is approaching and all wholesalers and retailers need to be aware that these helmets cannot be supplied after this date.

The supply of the helmet means sell, donate, rent or any way provide a helmet and refers to any customer, including if it is from a business to another business.  The penalty for supply of a helmet which does not meet current standards is up to $1.1million for a business and $220,000 for an individual. The full ACCC statement is attached for reference.

• ACCC: Letter to Stakeholders, 24 November 2010 (1.45M, pdf file)

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Please download the latest notes from the April 2011 BIA board meeting.

• Board Communique: April 2011 (PDF, 88kb)

The BIA will submit a response to the Productivity inquiry by the 20th of May. I have previously asked for feedback from the industry to support our response and thank you to those that have completed the attached survey. Some wholesalers have indicated they were uncomfortable with questions relating to financial matters, and although there was no way the any individual organisation data could be identified, we have removed all questions relating to financials. I ask for your support again in responding to the 5 questions in the attached survey.

• Survey link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Bicycle_Industry_wholesale

Customs and Border Protection has developed a webpage on the Customs website to provide additional information on the Low Value Threshold. The information includes data compiled by Customs and Border Protection on the use of the low value threshold for air cargo. This data covers the periods 2009-10 and July 2010 to March 2011 for air cargo reported to Customs and Border Protection as Self-Assessed Clearances (SAC)s (which are used to declare and report goods valued less at or less than $1,000).

Customs and Border Protection has also provided contact details for reporting non-compliance. You can access this webpage by clicking on the following link Low Value Threshold or http://www.customs.gov.au/site/low-value-threshold.asp

Customs and Border Protection is currently finalising the results from a three month campaign to ensure compliance with the low value threshold.  Further information will be available following the completion of this analysis. 

The BIA is a member of the Fair imports Alliance (FIA). The FIA released the following media report last week: Customs admits no proof to back up GST threshold advice - Up to $700 million in Commonwealth revenue down the drain  (6 May 2011)

 March import figures continued to demonstrate a slow trend in the importation of children’s bikes. The first quarter of 2011 has seen 41,000 children’s bikes imported against 62,000 for the same period last year. Adults bikes have remained steady, with over 113,000 bikes imported for the first quarter of 2011, on par with 2010.

• Download Bicycle Import Data (xls file,130kb)

The CPF introduced the Australian Bicycling Achievement Awards commenced in 2002 to acknowledge and celebrate the work of many individuals and groups from around Australia demonstrating initiative and commitment to promote cycling.  The awards celebrate volunteers, politicians, businesses, professionals, schools, groups and local governments. 

This year we have also introduced a media category to celebrate those in the media, who often against great challenges, promote cycling and the benefits it brings to the community.

This year’s awards will be held: 7:00 am - 8:45 am (Breakfast available at 7:15 am) Wednesday, 1st June 2011, Old Parliament House, Canberra.  The CPF will be arranging a series of meetings with key political figures to coincide with the awards. Please check the Australian Bicycling Achievement Awards website for additional details and news updates.

During the month of April, Stephen Hodge has been busy meeting with politicians relating to a range of issues. A summary of those meetings are highlighted in the table below:

Australian Bicycle Dates

For a comprehensive listing of International bicycle shows, see the Bike Europe calendar.