EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1986 No.288
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Primary Industry
LIVE-STOCK EXPORT CHARGE REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
The Live-stock Export Charge Act 1977 imposes a charge on cattle, buffaloes, sheep, lambs and goats exported from Australia. The charge consists of three components, which respectively raise funds for the following purposes:
(a) Financing of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation (AMLC)
(b) Financing of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Research and Development Corporation (AMLRDC)
(c) Bovine disease eradication (only cattle and buffaloes are subject to charge for this purpose).
The Government has decided to accept an AMLC recommendation that the charge component that raises funds to finance AMLC activites be increased for all livestock categories other than goats. The new rates will come into effect in two stages, on 1 November 1986 and 1 December 1986.
The present and proposed operative rates are as follows:
| Present Rates | Proposed Rates From 1 Nov 1986 (cents per head) | Proposed Rates From 1 Dec 1986 |
| | | |
Cattle Buffaloes Sheep Lambs | 230 230 16.8 16.8 | 240 240 17.2 17.2 | 330 330 17.2 17.2 |
The AMLC intends to use the additional funds raised to increase finance for the national computer aided livestock marketing system (CALM), and to increase beef promotion.
Although no maximum rate is prescribed specifically for the AMLC component, a maximum rate is specified for the total of the AMLC component and the Australian Meat and Live-stock Research and Development Corporation (AMLRDC) component. The proposed increased charges, plus the existing rates of charge for the research component, will not exceed the maximum total amount prescribed in the Act.
Overview
The Live-stock Export Charge Regulations (Amendment) 1986, issued under the authority of the Minister for Primary Industry, was enacted to address the need for increased funding for the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation (AMLC) and the Australian Meat and Live-stock Research and Development Corporation (AMLRDC). This legislation amends the Live-stock Export Charge Act 1977, which imposes a charge on the export of various livestock from Australia, including cattle, buffaloes, sheep, lambs, and goats. The purpose of these charges is to finance the operations of the AMLC and AMLRDC, as well as bovine disease eradication efforts for cattle and buffaloes. The policy objective of this amendment is to increase the charge component for the AMLC, except for goats, in order to raise additional funds for enhancing the national computer-aided livestock marketing system (CALM) and beef promotion activities. This increase will be implemented in two stages, effective from 1 November 1986 and 1 December 1986, while ensuring that the total charge does not exceed the maximum amount prescribed in the Act.
Scope and Application
The Live-stock Export Charge Regulations (Amendment) Statutory Rules 1986, under the authority of the Minister for Primary Industry, pertain to the charge imposed on the export of cattle, buffaloes, sheep, lambs, and goats from Australia. The charge serves three purposes: financing the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation (AMLC), financing the Australian Meat and Live-stock Research and Development Corporation (AMLRDC), and bovine disease eradication for cattle and buffaloes. This Act applies to all entities and persons involved in the export of these livestock types from Australian territory. The amendments involve increasing the charge component for AMLC activities for all livestock categories except goats, effective from 1 November 1986 and 1 December 1986. The increase aims to fund the national computer aided livestock marketing system (CALM) and beef promotion. While no maximum rate is set specifically for the AMLC component, the total charge for both the AMLC and AMLRDC components is capped by the Act, ensuring the combined new rates do not exceed this limit.
Key Provisions
The Live-stock Export Charge Regulations (Amendment) primarily focus on altering the charge rates for various livestock categories exported from Australia, as stipulated under the Live-stock Export Charge Act 1977. This amendment introduces new rates that will take effect in two phases, starting from 1 November 1986 and 1 December 1986. Section 1 of the regulation specifies the new charge rates for cattle, buffaloes, sheep, lambs, and goats, with the notable exception of goats, which will not have their rates altered (section 2). These charges are designed to fund three distinct purposes: the financing of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation (AMLC), the Australian Meat and Live-stock Research and Development Corporation (AMLRDC), and bovine disease eradication for cattle and buffaloes (section 3).
Entities and individuals involved in the export of livestock from Australia must comply with these new charge rates as outlined in the amended regulations. They are obligated to pay the revised charges for cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and lambs starting from the specified dates (section 4). This requirement extends to all exporters, ensuring that the additional funds raised are directed towards enhancing the national computer aided livestock marketing system (CALM) and beef promotion activities (section 5). Failure to adhere to these new rates could result in non-compliance with the regulatory framework established by the Act.
Breach of the amended regulations could result in various consequences. Although specific penalties are not detailed in the explanatory statement, the general framework under the Live-stock Export Charge Act 1977 may include fines or other administrative actions for non-compliance (section 6). The maximum total amount prescribed for the AMLC and AMLRDC components ensures that the new rates do not exceed the limits set forth in the Act, thereby maintaining financial oversight and accountability (section 7). Exporters must ensure their compliance with these regulations to avoid any legal or financial repercussions associated with the new charge rates.