EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1989 NO. 347
Issued by the Authority of the Minister of State for Primary Industries and Energy
AUSTRALIAN MEAT AND LIVE-STOCK CORPORATION ACT 1977
AUSTRALIAN MEAT AND LIVE-STOCK CORPORATION REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
Section 52 of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation Act 1977 (the Act) provides that the Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with the Act, prescribing all matters that are required or permitted by the Act to be prescribed, or are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the Act.
Subsection 10(1) of the Act provides that the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation (AMLC) may, for the purpose of considering any matter relating to the performance of its functions, make arrangements to consult persons and bodies representative of different sectors of the industry.
Paragraph 10(2)(a) provides these arrangements may include the AMLC agreeing to meet travel expenses reasonably incurred by a person in connection with consultations with the AMLC, and paragraph 10(2)(b) that, subject to written guidelines given to the AMLC by the Minister, the AMLC may agree to meet expenses (other than travel expenses) reasonably incurred by an eligible industry body, or a member of an eligible industry body, in connection with consultations with the AMLC.
Subsection 5(1) of the Act prescribes “eligible industry bodies” as meaning the Cattle Council of Australia, the Sheepmeat Council of Australia, the Australian Meat Exporters’ Federal Council or a body prescribed by the regulations for the purpose of the provision in which the expression “eligible industry body” is used.
The AMLC has requested that the Meat and Allied Trades Federation of Australia (MATFA), representing domestic abattoirs and retail outlets, and the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Association (ALEA), representing the live export sector, be prescribed as “eligible industry bodies” for the purposes of paragraph 10(2)(b) of the Act.
The AMLC considers industry consultation to be an important phase in the development and implementation of its programs and mode of operation. MATFA and ALEA are recognised as federal bodies representing important sectors of the meat and livestock industry and both are in a position to provide the advice and feedback that the AMLC requires for this process.
The proposed regulation will amend the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation Regulations to prescribe MATFA and ALEA as eligible industry bodies for the purposes of paragraph 10(2)(b) of the Act.