Lots of red tape
Have not read the various rules/regs but this seems to be the "core" part that covers importation
Reg' 12 says that if you can prove that a vehicle manufactured o'seas did meet Oz standards when manufactured then the Minister must allow import.
Reg' 13 is about importing vehicles that have been owned/used o'seas by the applicant
Reg' 15 is probably what Deus use to import limited numbers
Reg' 16 says the must allow you to import a vehicle manufactured before 31/12/89, do not know how that allows you to register but if I recall there is no probs.
and there is a lot more to be gleaned from the regs and some cross referencing, no time -- back to work....
Motor Vehicle Standards Regulations 1989
9 Approval to import vehicles without identification plates
For the purposes of section 20 (1) (b) of the Act, a person may import a nonstandard road vehicle or a road vehicle that does not have an identification plate if the Minister has approved an application by the person to import the vehicle.
10 Applications for approval to import vehicles without identification plates
A person may apply to the Minister for approval to import a nonstandard road vehicle or a road vehicle that does not have an identification plate.
11 Minister’s approval to import vehicles without identification plates
(1) The Minister may approve an application to import a nonstandard road vehicle or a road vehicle that does not have an identification plate.
(2) An approval may be given subject to conditions specified in the instrument of approval.
(3) Without limiting the generality of subregulation (2), the Minister may require that a plate in such form and containing such information as the Minister determines be placed on the vehicle.
(4) An approval must be given by signed instrument.
12 Approval to import complying vehicle without an identification plate
The Minister must approve an application to import a road vehicle that complies with the national standards but does not have an identification plate if:
(a) the vehicle complied with the national standards when it was first manufactured and delivered for use in transport; and
(b) the applicant is of an age that entitles him or her to hold a licence or a permit to drive a road vehicle of that type; and
(c) the applicant has not imported a road vehicle within the year ending on the day on which the vehicle in respect of which the application is made is landed in Australia.
13 Approval to import vehicle without an identification plate if owned and used by applicant overseas
The Minister must approve an application to import a nonstandard road vehicle or a road vehicle that does not have an identification plate if:
(a) the vehicle has been owned and used by the applicant for a continuous period of at least:
(i) for a vehicle owned by the applicant before 9 May 2000 — 3 months; or
(ii) in any other case — 12 months; and
(b) at the time the vehicle is imported, the applicant is:
(i) an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident; or
(ii) a person who has applied to become an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident; and
(c) the applicant is of an age that entitles him or her to hold a licence or a permit to drive a road vehicle of that type; and
(d) the applicant undertakes to comply with any requirements as to road safety that are imposed in respect of the vehicle by the Minister; and
(e) the applicant has not imported a road vehicle owned by him within the year ending on the day on which the vehicle in respect of which the application is made is landed in Australia.
14 Approval to import vehicles of a type for which limited approval for identification plates is given
Without limiting the generality of subregulation 11 (1), the Minister may approve an application to import a new vehicle that does not have an identification plate if:
(a) an approval to place identification plates on vehicles of that type has been given under section 10A of the Act; and
(b) the importer of the vehicle is the person to whom the approval has been given.
15 Approval for registered automotive workshop to import certain used vehicles
(1) The Minister may approve an application to import a road vehicle other than a new vehicle if:
(a) the applicant is a registered automotive workshop; and
(b) the vehicle was first manufactured after 31 December 1988; and
(c) the make and model of the vehicle is included in the schedule of approved vehicles for the applicant; and
(d) the application to import is accompanied by an application for approval to place a used import plate on the vehicle; and
(e) for a vehicle other than a two-wheeled or three-wheeled vehicle — approval has not been granted to the applicant to import more than a total of 130 vehicles in the vehicle category to which the vehicle belongs in the period of 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the application; and
(f) for a restricted volume two-wheeled or three-wheeled vehicle — approval has not been granted to the applicant to import more than a total of 130 vehicles in the vehicle category to which the vehicle belongs in the period of 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the application.
(2) This regulation does not apply to an unrestricted volume two-wheeled or three-wheeled vehicle.
16 Approval for registered automotive workshop to import certain used two-wheeled and three-wheeled vehicles
The Minister may approve an application to import a road vehicle other than a new vehicle if:
(a) the applicant is a registered automotive workshop; and
(b) the vehicle is an unrestricted volume two-wheeled or three-wheeled vehicle of a make and model included in the applicant’s schedule of approved vehicles; and
(c) the vehicle was first manufactured after 31 December 1988.
17 Approval to import vehicles of a certain age without identification plates
The Minister must approve an application to import a nonstandard road vehicle, or a vehicle that does not have an identification plate, if the vehicle was manufactured before 1 January 1989.
