My wife & i recently returned from Australia after living there for a number of years. We unfortunetly had to leave one of our family members behind with relatives. Her name is Rollie she is an Akita/Shar pei cross, and one of the best dogs we have ever met.
Our question is can we bring her over to the UK?.
If not why?.
If you could help us with this we would be very gratefull.

Of course you can bring her over. At the worst she would have to do 6 months quarantine. Contact DEFRA and they will let you have the details.
:)

I believe Australia is still Rabies free, so the quarentine laws may not be so strict.

liberty

In the days before Pet Passports, all dogs had to do 6 months quarantine, wherever they came from. Even Oz, which is also rabies-free. It may have changed since Pet Passports, though.
:)

Alternatively you can put her through the pet passport procedures (takes about 7 months) and fly her over on PETs, though if there is no authorised route then he/she may have to do a few days in Quarantine whild papers are checked.

Basically the dog will need an ISO microchip implanted prior to having Rabies Vaccination.  At least 30 days after the vaccination you will have to have a blood sample taken and sent to one of a few Laboratories licensed to do Rabies Antibody tesint underthe scheme.  If the result is good (showing suffiecent antibody levels) then the dog may enter the UK six months after the blood test, but will have to have Tick and tapeworm treatment not l;ess than 24 hours, and not more than 48 hours after the arival time in UK.