EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1985 No. 25
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 4 components, which respectively raise funds for the following purposes:
(a) Financing of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation (AMLC)
(b) General meat industry research
(c) Meat processing research
(d) 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. The new rates will come into effect on 1 April 1985. The present and proposed operative rates and the ceiling rates currently applicable to the AMLC operative rates are as follows:
| Present Rates | Proposed Rates | Ceiling Rates |
|
| (cents per head) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cattle | 120 | 230 | 246 |
Sheep | 14 | 18.2 | 24.6 |
Lambs | 24 | 24.6 | 24.6 |
Buffaloes | 120 | 230 | 246 |
Goats | 12 | 16.2 | 24.6 |
Calves | 43.2 | 82.8 | 90.6 |
Bobby Calves | 12 | 23 | 26.1 |
For the past 18 months AMLC revenues have been falling short of expenditures, and reserves accumulated in earlier years have been run-down substantially. The proposed rate increases are necessary to maintain essential programs to the end of 1985/86.