EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1982 No. 260
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Primary Industry.
LIVE-STOCK SLAUGHTER LEVY REGULATIONS
(AMENDMENT)
The purpose of these regulations is to increase the slaughter levy on livestock for bovine disease eradication purposes by one-third as from 1 October 1982.
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 several components which raise funds for various purposes, including bovine disease eradication. Only cattle, calves, bobby calves and buffaloes are levied 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.
The proposed regulations provide for the bovine disease eradication component of the levy to be increased, with effect from 1 October 1982, from $3 to $4 per head for cattle and buffaloes, from $1 to $1.33 for calves and from 30 cents to 40 cents for bobby calves.
This action flows from a review of the cattle brucellosis and tuberculosis eradication campaign in the context of the 1982/83 Budget. It is designed to ensure that, following the write-off by the Government of the industry’s debt of $23.5 million under the scheme, the continuing programme does not result in the industry building up a further debt.