Cattle Transaction Levy Regulations (Amendment)

Cattle Transaction Levy Regulations (Amendment) 1993 No. 11

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT STATUTORY RULES 1993 No. 11

Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy Cattle Transaction Levy Act 1990

Cattle Transaction Levy Regulations (Amendment)

The Cattle Transaction Levy Act 1990 (the Act) imposes a levy on the sale of cattle and bobby calves, their delivery to a processor other than by reason of sale to the processor and the slaughter or export of cattle on which a levy has not previously been paid. The levy consists of four components, which raise funds for the following purposes:

(a)              financing of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation (AMLC);

(b)              financing of the Meat Research Corporation (MRC);

(c)              financing of bovine disease eradication; and

(d)                financing of the National Residue Survey (NRS).

These regulations will implement recommendations from the AMLC and MRC to reduce their respective levy components because of higher than expected collections from the levy since its introduction on 1 February 1991. As required by the Act, the recommendations were endorsed by each Corporation's annual general meeting, which were held in November 1992. The rate decreases will be effective from 1 March 1993.

The regulations will also implement a reduction in the rate of the levy for bovine disease eradication. As a result of the success of the Brucellosis and Tuberculosis Eradication Campaign, which has made the transition from an active to a monitoring phase, and the level of reserves in the National Cattle Disease Eradication Trust Account, the Cattle Council of Australia has recommended a decrease in the rate of the disease eradication component. The

Minister for Primary Industries and Energy has accepted this recommendation. This reduction will also have effect from 1 March 1993.

The present and proposed operative rates of levy and the prescribed maximum rates are as follows:

Present rates

(per head)

Proposed rates Prescribed

Maximum rates