Live-Stock Slaughter Levy Regulations (Amendment)

Overview

The Livestock Slaughter Levy Regulations (Amendment) 1991 No. 102 were issued under the authority of the Minister of State for Primary Industries and Energy, pursuant to various Acts, including the Australian Meat & Livestock Corporation Act 1977, the Dairy Produce Levy (No. 1) Act 1986, the Laying Chicken Levy Act 1968, the Livestock Slaughter Levy Act 1964, the Meat Chicken Levy Act 1969, the Pig Slaughter Levy Act 1971, and the Wool Marketing Act 1987. These regulations aim to establish the operative exotic disease levy rates for the 1991-92 financial year, taking into consideration recommendations made by the Exotic Animal Disease Preparedness Consultative Council (EXANDIS) and other relevant stakeholders. The primary objective of these regulations is to provide adequate funding for exotic animal disease control and eradication efforts, as well as research and development initiatives within the livestock industry. The amendments to the relevant Acts and Regulations ensure that the prescribed levy rates do not exceed the recommended rates and maintain the balance between industry contributions and government support for disease control and industry development.

Scope and Application

The Live-stock Slaughter Levy Regulations (Amendment) 1991 No. 102 pertains to various Acts including the Australian Meat & Livestock Corporation Act 1977, the Dairy Produce Levy (No. 1) Act 1986, the Laying Chicken Levy Act 1988, the Livestock Slaughter Levy Act 1964, the Meat Chicken Levy Act 1969, the Pig Slaughter Levy Act 1971, and the Wool Marketing Act 1987. These Acts provide for a levy for exotic disease purposes and, in the case of pigs, for the financing of the Pig Research and Development Corporation and the Australian Pork Corporation. The regulations apply to the livestock industry, including entities involved in the slaughter of livestock and the production of dairy and chicken products. The geographic reach of these regulations is national, applying across Australia. The amendments include recommendations from the National Farmers' Federation members of the Exotic Animal Disease Preparedness Consultative Council (EXANDIS) and must not exceed the rates last recommended. For instance, the proposed exotic disease levy for laying chickens is set at 0.0025 cent, while for pigs, the rate of pig slaughter levy for financing the Pig Research and Development Corporation is proposed to increase from 40 cents to 55 cents. These regulations are designed to implement the recommended levy rates, effective from 1 July 1991.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Regulations (Amendment) 1991 No. 102 (the Regulations) pertain to the establishment of exotic disease levy rates for various livestock industries for the 1991-92 financial year. These sections include section 8 of the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Act 1964, section 11 of the Meat Chicken Levy Act 1969, section 9 of the Laying Chicken Levy Act 1988, and section 8 of the Pig Slaughter Levy Act 1971, among others. The Regulations specify the rates for each type of livestock, including cattle, sheep, lambs, goats, laying chickens, and pigs, taking into account recommendations from the Exotic Animal Disease Preparedness Consultative Council (EXANDIS) and other relevant bodies. The Regulations impose several obligations on the parties and entities they govern. Firstly, they require the Governor-General to consider any recommendations made by EXANDIS members nominated by the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) before making regulations prescribing the exotic disease levy rates. The Regulations also stipulate that the rates prescribed must not exceed the last recommended rate by EXANDIS. Furthermore, for the Pig Slaughter Levy, the Governor-General must consider recommendations from the Pig Research and Development Corporation (PRDC) before prescribing an amount for financing the PRDC. The Regulations ensure that the prescribed rates comply with the maximum rates specified in the relevant Acts. The Regulations also outline the penalties and consequences for non-compliance. While specific penalties are not detailed in the explanatory statement, breaches of these regulations could result in civil or criminal consequences under the respective Acts. These may include fines or other sanctions as prescribed by the Acts, depending on the severity of the breach. The Acts themselves provide for penalties for non-compliance, which can vary but typically include monetary fines or other corrective measures to ensure adherence to the prescribed levy rates. In summary, the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Regulations (Amendment) 1991 No. 102 establish the exotic disease levy rates for livestock industries for the 1991-92 financial year. They mandate the Governor-General to consider recommendations from EXANDIS and the PRDC when setting these rates and ensure they do not exceed the maximum rates specified in the relevant Acts. Non-compliance with these Regulations could lead to civil or criminal penalties as outlined in the respective Acts.