EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1982 No. 162
Issued by the Authority of the Minister of State for Aviation for and on behalf of the Minister of State for Primary Industry.
LIVE-STOCK EXPORT CHARGE REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
These regulations are designed to amend the existing regulations under the Live-stock Export Charge Act 1977 so as to increase the amounts imposed per head of livestock.
The Live-stock Export Charge Act imposes a charge on cattle, buffaloes, sheep, lambs and goats exported from Australia. The charge consists of 3 components, which respectively raise funds for the following purposes:
(a) Financing of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation (AMLC)
(b) Meat and livestock research
(c) Bovine disease eradication (only cattle and buffaloes are subject to charge for this purpose).
The Act specifies the maximum amounts per head which may be imposed under the various components in respect of each category of livestock. The operative amounts are prescribed by regulation and section 13 of the Act empowers the Governor-General to do this.
Section 13 also requires that before making such regulations, the Governor-General shall take into consideration any recommendations made to the Minister for Primary Industry by the AMLC. The AMLC is in turn required to consult the industry Consultative Groups established under its enabling Act and, in the case of the research component, also the Australian Meat Research Committee.
The AMLC has recommended to the Minister for Primary Industry that those components of the charge which raise funds for the AMLC and for meat and livestock research be increased with effect from 1 July 1982. The proposed increases are:
(a) in the case of the AMLC component - 5.866%
(b) in the case of the meat and livestock research component - 40% (for adult cattle and buffaloes only; other categories to remain unchanged).
The increases are required in order to maintain the present level of AMLC and research activities. The need for a greater increase in the research component is due to the fact that the present rate has remained unaltered for more than 10 years, during which time there was a substantial rise in costs.
Before the AMLC made its recommendations to the Minister, it duly consulted all of the industry Consultative Groups. These Groups are:
(1) the Live-stock Producers Consultative Group;
(2) the Meat Exporters and Abattoir Operators Consultative Group; and
(3) the Live-stock Exporters Consultative Group.
In addition, the AMLC also consulted the Australian Meat Research Committee.