Live-Stock Slaughter Levy Regulations (Amendment)

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

STATUTORY RULES 1986 No. 287

Issued by the Authority of the Minister for

Primary Industry

LIVE-STOCK SLAUGHTER LEVY REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)

The Live-stock Slaughter Levy Act 1964 imposes a levy on the slaughter of cattle, calves, bobby calves, buffaloes, sheep, lambs and goats. The levy 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, calves, bobby calves and buffaloes are levied for this purpose).

The Government has decided to accept an Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation recommendation that the levy component that raises funds to finance Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation activities be increased for all livestock categories other than goats. The recommendation was endorsed at the annual general meeting of the industry on 21 February 1986. 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:

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 and lamb meat 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 Livestock 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.