Live-Stock Slaughter Levy Collection Regulations (Amendment)

Overview

The Livestock Slaughter Levy Collection Regulations (Amendment) 1991 No. 67 is an amendment to the Livestock Slaughter Levy Collection Regulations made under the authority of the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Collection Act 1964. Enacted by the Parliament of Australia, this amendment addresses a technical error in the regulation concerning the payment of the livestock slaughter levy. Initially, amendments in Statutory Rules 1990 No. 427 centralised the collection of the levy to Canberra, but a drafting oversight omitted the phrase "(last occurring)" in Regulation 4. The objective of this amendment is to rectify this error, ensuring that the regulation accurately reflects the legislative intent by specifying the correct table for levy payments. This amendment aims to maintain the integrity and clarity of the legislative framework governing the collection of the livestock slaughter levy.

Scope and Application

The Livestock Slaughter Levy Collection Regulations (Amendment) 1991 No. 67 pertains to the Livestock Slaughter Levy Collection Act 1964, impacting entities and individuals involved in the livestock slaughter industry who are subject to the levy. These regulations primarily concern the administrative and procedural aspects of levy collection, including payment methods and processes. The amendments are designed to correct a technical drafting error that occurred in a previous set of regulations issued on 17 December 1990. This amendment ensures that the regulatory language accurately reflects the intended process for levy payments, particularly the correction of a specified term within Regulation 4. The geographic reach of these regulations is national, as they pertain to the centralised collection of livestock slaughter levies within Australia, affecting all states and territories. There are no stated exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds in these amendments, which are purely technical corrections. The application of these regulations is extended through the subordinate instruments created under the authority of the Minister of State for Primary Industries and Energy.

Key Provisions

The Live-stock Slaughter Levy Collection Regulations (Amendment) 1991 No. 67 amends the principal Regulations made under the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Collection Act 1964. Specifically, the amendment targets Regulation 4, which pertains to the payment of the livestock slaughter levy. The Act mandates that the Governor-General make regulations for the levy, including payment procedures (Section 16). The amendment rectifies a technical error in the previous regulations, ensuring that the intended meaning is accurately conveyed. The primary obligation imposed by this amendment is to correct a minor drafting oversight in the original regulation. Previously, Regulation 4 was intended to include the phrase "(last occurring)" after the word "table," which was inadvertently omitted. This correction is vital to ensure that levy payers understand the precise point in time to which the regulation refers, thereby maintaining the integrity and enforceability of the regulation. Failure to address this technical error could potentially lead to confusion or misinterpretation among levy payers, which might inadvertently result in non-compliance. Although the amendment itself does not introduce new obligations, it ensures that the existing obligations are clearly and accurately communicated. The regulations remain focused on centralising the collection of the levy in Canberra rather than regional offices, as decided. There are no direct offences, penalties, or consequences outlined in the amendment itself. However, the underlying legislation, the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Collection Act 1964, may impose penalties for non-compliance with the levy payment regulations. For instance, Section 14 of the Act provides for penalties for failure to pay the levy, which could include fines up to a specified amount as determined by the relevant authority. The precise penalties are not detailed within the amendment but are to be found within the main Act.