EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1986 No 162
Issued by the authority of the Minister for Finance for and on behalf of the Minister for Primary Industry
GRAPE RESEARCH LEVY REGULATIONS
The Grape Research Levy Act 1986 provides for a levy to be imposed on fresh grapes, dried grapes and grape juice delivered to a processing establishment in Australia on or after 1 July 1986. The maximum rate of levy set by the Act is 50 cents per tonne for fresh grapes and the fresh grape equivalent of dried grapes and grape juice. The purpose of the levy is to fund grape research under the provisions of the Rural Industries Research Act 1985.
Liability for the levy will commence on 1 July 1986 and the first collection of levy will be in September 1987. Proceeds of the levy will be paid into a Research Trust Fund established under the Rural Industries Research Act 1985. The Commonwealth will match the expenditure of industry moneys from the Fund on a dollar for dollar basis. The actual level of expenditure on grape research (and wine research) will be determined by the Grape and Wine Research Council which will be selected and appointed as soon as possible after 1 July 1986.
The Wine Grape Growers Council of Australia Inc, the Australian Wine and Brandy Producers Association Inc, the Australian Winemakers Forum Inc, and the Wine and Brandy Co-operative Producers Association of Australia Inc, have all recommended that the initial operative rate of levy should be 30 cents. The Minister has accepted the recommendations of these organisations and these Statutory Rules will set the initial operative rate of levy for grape research at 30 cents per tonne for fresh grapes and the fresh grape equivalent of dried grapes and grape juice.