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@ringinthedingding wrote:

Thanks Lyndal and curraone .. have downloaded this here:

 

https://auspost.com.au/content/dam/auspost_corp/media/documents/dangerous-and-prohibited-goods-guide...

 

You'll find lithium batteries or cells in portable electronics. They're a dangerous good and present a fire and safety risk if transported incorrectly. Australia Post limits how lithium batteries can be sent, and you're required to send these items in compliance with Australian and international regulations.

What types of lithium batteries can be sent?
Regardless of what domestic or international mail service you use, Australia Post can only carry the following types of lithium batteries:

Lithium ion (rechargeable) - 20 watt-hour per cell or 100 watt-hour per battery
Lithium metal (non-rechargeable) - one gram per cell or two grams per battery
Lithium batteries can only be sent internationally (air or sea), or domestically by air if the battery or cell (maximum of two batteries or four individual cells) are installed in the device and meet all the packaging requirements.

Recalled, damaged or non-conforming cells or batteries are also prohibited from being sent by Australia Post.

How to package lithium batteries
Make sure that the electronic device you're sending can't be turned on accidentally, and you have used strong internal and external packaging. Under no circumstances should lithium batteries be packed by themselves, or alongside a device. To find out more on how to package your batteries correctly refer to the Dangerous and Prohibited Goods and Packaging Guide (1.21mb).

Sending lithium batteries overseas
Shipments of electronic items containing lithium cells and batteries are prohibited when sent using the International Courier product.

You cannot send lithium batteries to Germany, Italy, Laos or Macao. If you do, your item will be refused or returned to sender.

Check our International Post Guide for any local restrictions in place before sending Lithium batteries overseas.

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So just to help the less tech savvy, the highlighted sections mean that a smart phone, or even a laptop can be sent providing it is properly packed, and not some unusual item like a laptop with 2 batteries, or a torch with 4 batteries.

• A typical laptop has 1 battery containing 3-4 cells with a watt hour rating of about 50-100 watts.
• A smartphone typically has 1 battery containing 1-2 cells with a watt hour rating of about 10-20 watts.

Sufficient packaging means prefereably you kept the original retail box and put that into a second shipping carton. Alternatively, you would have to devise a way to cover the power button so that it cannot get bumped in transit and put it in 2 boxes, packing material etc.

At first AP were so vague in their requirements after the lithium battery fires that made the news a few years ago that people (myself included) interpretted it to mean a global ban. This information that ringinthedingding was gracious enough to post I first spotted fairly recently, maybe 6 months ago? I had looked before and could not find this info, maybe a year ago? So this seems to be new information.