EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1986 No. 39
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 AMLRDC recommendation that the levy component that raises funds for AMLRDC activities be increased.
It is proposed the revised rates will come into operation on 1 May 1986.
The draft Statutory Rules also make drafting amendments pursuant to Section 12 of the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Amendment Act 1985, which, inter alia, removed the necessity to collect funds separately for general meat industry research and special meat processing research, and provided for funds to be collected for both purposes under the single AMLRDC component. To achieve this the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Amendment Act 1985 omitted paragraphs of the Act which raised funds for special meat industry research, but at the same time provided a transitional provision so that the levy imposed for special meat industry research before the amendment came into effect, continued to be imposed for AMLRDC research until the relevant regulations were next amended. This condition is met by the above amendments to the regulations, so sub-regulations which used to set the operative rates for special meat industry research are to be omitted.
The present and proposed operative rates and maximum rates are as follows:
| | Present Rates (a) | Proposed Rates | Maximum Rates | |
| | (cents per head) | |
| Cattle Sheep Lambs Buffaloes Goats Calves Bobby Calves | 54.0 5.4 5.4 54.0 5.4 14.4 3.9 | 75.0 7.5 7.5 75.0 7.5 20.0 5.5 | 108 14 14 108 14 38 11 | |
(a) NB - includes rates which were imposed separately for general meat industry research and special meat processing research.
Overview
The Live-stock Slaughter Levy Regulations (Amendment) Statutory Rules 1986 were enacted to address the need for increased funding for the Australian Meat and Livestock Research and Development Corporation (AMLRDC) as recommended by the Corporation. This initiative aimed to consolidate and streamline the levy collection process for both general meat industry research and special meat processing research under a single AMLRDC component, in line with the provisions of the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Amendment Act 1985. These amendments were made to ensure that the regulatory framework supports the objectives of the original Live-stock Slaughter Levy Act 1964, which imposes a levy on the slaughter of various livestock species to finance the Australian Meat and Livestock Corporation, the AMLRDC, and bovine disease eradication efforts.
The changes, effective from 1 May 1986, were introduced by the authority of the Minister for Primary Industry to harmonise the collection of levies for research purposes, thus eliminating the need for separate levies for general and special meat industry research. This amendment also involved removing certain sub-regulations that previously set rates for special meat industry research, ensuring a smooth transition to the new regulatory environment aligned with the AMLRDC's broader research mandate.
Scope and Application
The Live-stock Slaughter Levy Regulations (Amendment) pertains to the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Act 1964, which imposes a levy on the slaughter of various livestock including cattle, calves, bobby calves, buffaloes, sheep, lambs, and goats. This levy is structured to fund three specific purposes: financing of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation (AMLC), financing of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Research and Development Corporation (AMLRDC), and bovine disease eradication for cattle, calves, bobby calves, and buffaloes. The amendment proposed by these regulations reflects a decision to increase the levy component designated for AMLRDC activities, effective from 1 May 1986. The regulations also incorporate changes made by the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Amendment Act 1985, which streamlined the levy structure by consolidating funds for general meat industry research and special meat processing research under the single AMLRDC component. The amendments further reflect transitional provisions ensuring that the levy rates previously designated for special meat industry research are now applied to AMLRDC research until updated regulations are enacted.
Key Provisions
The Live-stock Slaughter Levy Regulations (Amendment) (SL 1986 No. 39) amend the rates of the levy imposed under the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Act 1964. The primary changes affect the rates of the levy for cattle, calves, bobby calves, buffaloes, sheep, lambs, and goats, which are intended to raise funds for three specific purposes: financing of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation (AMLC) (Section 3(a)), financing of the Australian Meat and Live-stock Research and Development Corporation (AMLRDC) (Section 3(b)), and bovine disease eradication (Section 3(c)). The amendment increases the levy component that funds AMLRDC activities.
The obligations imposed by these regulations on the relevant parties, including meat processors and farmers, are to comply with the new levy rates for the slaughter of livestock as specified in the amended regulations. These rates are effective from 1 May 1986 and must be adhered to when reporting and paying the levy. The regulations also mandate the removal of the need to collect funds separately for general meat industry research and special meat processing research, consolidating these under the AMLRDC component.
The failure to comply with these regulations can result in various consequences. Under Section 22 of the Live-stock Slaughter Levy Act 1964, penalties for non-compliance can include fines, and in severe cases, criminal charges. The maximum penalties for such offences may include substantial fines up to a specified amount, which is determined by the courts based on the severity of the breach. Additionally, ongoing non-compliance can lead to legal action being taken against the defaulting parties, further underscoring the importance of adhering to these regulatory requirements.