EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1982 363 No.
Issued by the Authority of the Minister of State for Transport and Construction 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. 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 levied 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 research components, also the Australian Meat Research Committee.
The AMLC has recommended to the Minister for Primary Industry that those components of the levy which raise funds for the AMLC for its administrative costs and other activities be increased with effect from 1 January 1983.
The recommended increases are (¢/head):
Cattle and Buffaloes | - 120.0, formerly 79.4 |
Sheep/lambs/goats | - 12.0, formerly 7.94 |
The increases are required in order to maintain the present level of AMLC activities, and the necessity for which were foreshadowed by the AMLC in discussions with industry bodies in March this year.
Before the AMLC made its recommendations to the Minister, it duly consulted all of the industry Consultative Groups specified in the Act. These Groups are:
(1) The Live-stock Producers Consultative Group
(2) The Meat Exporters and Abattoir Operators Consultative Group
(3) The Live-stock Exporters Consultative Group.
All groups agreed with the proposed increases