Australian Meat and Live-stock (Quotas) Act 1990

Administered by Department of Agriculture

Legislation au C2004A04048 Not in force Act

Legislation content

Australian Meat and Livestock (Quotas) Act 1990

Act No. 117 of 1990 as amended

This compilation was prepared on 2 February 2000
taking into account amendments up to Act No. 146 of 1999

The text of any of those amendments not in force
on that date is appended in the Notes section

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting,
Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra

 

 

 

Contents

1 Short title [see Note 1]...........................

2 Commencement [see Note 1].......................

3 Definitions..................................

4 Object of this Act..............................

5 Limitation on exports............................

6 Quotas.....................................

7 Secretary not obliged to grant quota...................

8 Act to have effect subject to Division 3 of Part 2 of the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act 1997

8A Delegation..................................

9 Regulations..................................

Notes 

 

An Act relating to the establishment of systems of quotas to protect the orderly export of Australian meat and livestock

 

 

1  Short title [see Note 1]

  This Act may be cited as the Australian Meat and Livestock (Quotas) Act 1990.

2  Commencement [see Note 1]

  This Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

3  Definitions

 (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:

class has a meaning affected by subsection (3).

country includes a part of a country.

export means export from Australia.

goods means meat or livestock, as the case requires.

quota means a quota referred to in section 6.

restriction includes an economic disincentive, such as a tariff.

 (2) Unless the contrary intention appears, expressions used in this Act have the same meanings as in Part 2 of the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act 1997.

 (3) For the purposes of this Act, the factors by reference to which a class of goods may be determined include, but are not limited to, the following:

 (a) the quality, standard or grade of goods;

 (b) the period during which the goods are to be exported;

 (c) the way in which a restriction on export is to apply to goods (for example, the rate of tariff or other similar charge that is to apply to goods).

4  Object of this Act

  The object of this Act is to enable the Secretary to establish systems of quotas to protect the orderly export of goods:

 (a) where restrictions on exports of meat or particular classes of meat to particular countries are imposed, or in the opinion of the Secretary will be imposed, either by Australia or the countries concerned; or

 (b) where, in relation to live sheep and lambs, the Secretary otherwise considers it in the best interests of the industry to do so.

5  Limitation on exports

 (1) The Secretary may, by notices in writing given to licensees, impose a limitation on the total quantity of goods, or a specified class of goods, that may be exported to a specified country.

 (2) A licensee who has been given a notice under subsection (1) must not export goods, or goods of the class specified in the notice, as the case may be, to the country referred to in the notice, except in accordance with a quota held by the licensee.

6  Quotas

 (1) Where a limitation has been, or is to be, imposed under section 5 in relation to particular exports, the Secretary may grant:

 (a) a single quota authorising the holder to make all those exports; or

 (b) 2 or more quotas authorising each of the holders to make a specified proportion of those exports.

 (2) The Secretary may grant a quota:

 (a) by allocating it to a licensee on application by the licensee and on payment of the prescribed fee; or

 (b) by selling it to a licensee by auction, sale by tender or private sale.

 (3) A quota has effect for the period, not exceeding 2 years, specified in the quota document, but this subsection does not prevent the grant of other quotas.

 (4) A quota is subject to the conditions, if any, specified in the quota document.

7  Secretary not obliged to grant quota

  The Secretary is not obliged:

 (a) to sell or allocate a quota of a particular amount or kind; or

 (b) to sell or allocate a quota to a particular person;

if the Secretary is satisfied that it is not in the best interests of the industry to do so.

8  Act to have effect subject to Division 3 of Part 2 of the Australian Meat and Live‑stock Industry Act 1997

  This Act has effect subject to Division 3 of Part 2 of the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act 1997.

8A  Delegation

  The Secretary may, in writing, delegate all or any of the Secretary’s powers under this Act to a person engaged under the Public Service Act 1999, who is employed in the Department.

9  Regulations

  The GovernorGeneral may make regulations prescribing all matters:

 (a) that are required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed; or

 (b) that are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.

Notes to the Australian Meat and Live-stock (Quotas) Act 1990

Note 1

The Australian Meat and Livestock (Quotas) Act 1990 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 117, 1990 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

Table of Acts

Act

Number
and year

Date
of Assent

Date of commencement

Application, saving or transitional provisions

Australian Meat and Livestock (Quotas) Act 1990

117, 1990

28 Dec 1990

28 Dec 1990

 

Australian Meat and Livestock (Quotas) Amendment Act 1993

75, 1993

25 Nov 1993

25 Nov 1993

Australian Meat and Livestock (Quotas) Amendment Act 1995

68, 1995

30 June 1995

1 July 1995

S. 13

Australian Meat and Livestock Industry (Repeals and Consequential Provisions) Act 1997

207, 1997

17 Dec 1997

Schedule 1 (item 11): Royal Assent Schedule 1 (items 1–10): 1 July 1998 (see (a) and Gazette 1998, No. GN22)

Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999

146, 1999

11 Nov 1999

Schedule 1 (item 210): 5 Dec 1999 (see Gazette 1999, No. S584) (b)

 

(a) The Australian Meat and Livestock (Quotas) Act 1990 was amended by Schedule 1 only of the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry (Repeals and Consequential Provisions) Act 1997, subsections 2(2) and 2(3) of which provide as follows:

 (2) Item 11 of Schedule 1, item 20 of Schedule 2, Part 1 of Schedule 5, Divisions 1, 4 and 8 of Part 4 of Schedule 5 and Part 6 of Schedule 5 commence on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.

 (3) Subject to subsection (5), Schedule 1 (other than item 11), Schedule 2 (other than item 20), and Part 2 of Schedule 5, commence on the same day as Part 2 of the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act 1997.

(b) The Australian Meat and Livestock (Quotas) Act 1990 was amended by Schedule 1 (item 210) only of the Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999, subsections 2(1) and (2) of which provide as follows:

 (1) In this Act, commencing time means the time when the Public Service Act 1999 commences.

 (2) Subject to this section, this Act commences at the commencing time.

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted     am. = amended     rep. = repealed     rs. = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

Ss. 36...........

am. No. 68, 1995; No. 207, 1997

S. 6A...................

ad. No. 68, 1995

 

rep. No. 207, 1997

Heading to s. 7............

am. No. 68, 1995; No. 207, 1997

S. 7....................

am. No. 68, 1995; No. 207, 1997

S. 8....................

rs. No. 68, 1995; No. 207, 1997

S. 8A...................

ad. No. 68, 1995

 

rs. No. 207, 1997

 

am. No. 146, 1999

S. 9....................

am. No. 75, 1993; No. 68, 1995

 

rs. No. 207, 1997

 

 

Overview

The Australian Meat and Livestock (Quotas) Act 1990, as amended, was enacted to establish systems of quotas for the protection of the orderly export of Australian meat and livestock. The Act, which commenced on the day it received the Royal Assent, was introduced to address the need for regulated export quantities to maintain industry stability and protect the interests of the Australian meat and livestock sector. The policy objective of this Act is to empower the Secretary to establish these quotas, particularly in response to restrictions on meat exports imposed by Australia or other countries, or in cases where the Secretary deems it in the best interests of the industry to regulate the export of live sheep and lambs. The Act allows for the imposition of limitations on the total quantity of meat or livestock that may be exported to specific countries, with compliance required through the adherence to quotas. The Secretary has the discretion to grant quotas either through application or sale, subject to the best interests of the industry. This legislation is subject to the provisions outlined in Division 3 of Part 2 of the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act 1997.

Scope and Application

The Australian Meat and Livestock (Quotas) Act 1990 is a Commonwealth Act that facilitates the establishment of quota systems to regulate the export of meat and livestock from Australia. It applies to entities involved in the export of meat or livestock, specifically targeting those who are subject to export limitations or quota requirements as set by the Secretary. The Act’s jurisdiction extends across Australia, with its provisions enforceable nationwide. The Act allows the Secretary to impose export limitations on the total quantity or specific classes of meat and livestock that can be exported to particular countries and to grant quotas to licensees to manage these exports. Notably, the Act is subject to certain provisions outlined in Division 3 of Part 2 of the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act 1997, and it can be further regulated through subordinate instruments made by the Governor-General under the Act.

Key Provisions

The Australian Meat and Live-stock (Quotas) Act 1990 (the Act) establishes systems of quotas to regulate the export of meat and livestock from Australia. Section 5(1) of the Act allows the Secretary to impose limitations on the quantity of meat or livestock that can be exported to specified countries. The Secretary can issue written notices to licensees detailing these limitations (section 5(1)). A licensee who receives such a notice must adhere to the specified quota when exporting to the mentioned country (section 5(2)). Section 6 of the Act outlines how the Secretary can grant quotas to licensees, either by allocating them on application and payment of a fee or by selling them through an auction, tender, or private sale. These quotas are valid for a period not exceeding two years and are subject to any conditions specified in the quota document (section 6(3)-(4)). The Act imposes certain obligations on parties and entities it governs. The Secretary is required to establish and manage the quota systems to protect the orderly export of meat and livestock (section 4). Licensees must comply with the export limitations and quotas specified in the notices they receive from the Secretary (section 5(2)). Additionally, the Secretary can delegate any powers under this Act to individuals employed within the Department, as per section 8A. Breaches of the Act can lead to various consequences. While the Act does not explicitly detail specific offences or penalties, contraventions of the quotas and export limitations can result in legal actions under related legislation, such as the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act 1997. This could potentially include fines or other civil penalties. Additionally, failure to comply with the quota system might also lead to the suspension or revocation of export licenses, further impacting the operations of the offending party. The precise penalties would depend on the specific breach and the applicable laws under which the action is taken.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Trade Law
Instrument
Act
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Quotas
Licensing & Registration

Interactions

Authorises

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.