Overview

The Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act 1997, enacted by the Commonwealth Parliament, was established to address the need for a comprehensive legislative framework to govern the meat and livestock industry in Australia. The Act provides a regulatory structure to ensure the industry's efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainability, while also promoting animal welfare and consumer confidence. The policy objective of the Act is to facilitate the development and growth of the Australian meat and livestock industry through the provision of a coordinated and efficient regulatory environment. The determination of the Gross Value of Production for the red meat industry for the 2018-19 financial year, as evidenced in the gazetted document, is a practical application of the Act, highlighting the ongoing commitment to maintaining accurate and relevant data for industry assessment and policy-making.

Scope and Application

The Gross Value of Production for the Red Meat Industry for the 2018-19 period, as determined under the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act 1997, applies specifically to entities involved in the production of red meat within Australia. This includes cattle, sheep, and goat meat producers, as well as processors, exporters, and other industry stakeholders. The legislation provides a quantifiable measure of the economic contribution of the red meat industry, which is essential for various regulatory, economic, and policy-making purposes. The geographic reach of this Act is nationwide, encompassing the entire Commonwealth of Australia, and it sets a definitive monetary value that is used for reporting, compliance, and industry analysis. While the Act sets the Gross Value of Production, it does not itself impose regulatory requirements or sanctions; rather, it serves as a foundational economic metric that may influence other legislative instruments or regulatory frameworks within the industry.

Key Provisions

The Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act 1997, under subsection 70(2), empowers a delegate of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture to determine the Gross Value of Production (GVP) for the red meat industry. This determination, as made by Rosemary Deininger, a delegate, is recorded in the Gazette (C2019G00615) and specifies the GVP for the 2018-19 financial year as $16,187,333,079 (subsection 66(3)). The main operative sections involved are sections 66 and 70, which outline the process for determining and recording the GVP. The obligations imposed by the Act on the relevant parties primarily concern the accuracy and timely reporting of the GVP figures. The delegate, in this case Rosemary Deininger, is required to make a determination based on available data and in accordance with the legislative provisions. The Act mandates that this determination be published in the Gazette, ensuring transparency and public access to the figures. The delegate's role is critical in ensuring that the GVP is both accurately assessed and officially recorded, providing a reliable metric for industry analysis and policy-making. The Act does not explicitly outline specific offences or penalties for breaches related to the determination of the GVP. However, inaccuracies or failures to report the GVP as required by the Act could potentially lead to administrative or legal consequences. While there are no direct criminal penalties stipulated for breaches concerning the GVP determination, any failure to comply with the legislative requirements could result in scrutiny from regulatory bodies or could potentially impact the credibility and reliability of the data provided, which in turn could affect industry stakeholders and policy decisions. The consequences, while not explicitly stated, could involve corrective actions or administrative reviews to ensure compliance with the legislative intent.