Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Amendment Regulations 2001 (No. 7) 2001 No. 217
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 2001 No. 217
Issued by the Authority of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Act 1999
Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999
National Residue Survey (Excise) Levy Act 1998
Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Amendment Regulations 2001 (No. 7)
Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment Regulations 2001 (No. 5)
Primary Industries Levies and Charges (National Residue Survey Levies) Amendment Regulations 2001 (No. 3)
Section 8 of the Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Act 1999 [the Excise Act], Section 8 of the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999 [the Charges Act] and Section 8 of the National Residue Survey (Excise) Levy Act 1998 [the NRS Act], each provide that the Governor-General may make regulations prescribing matters required or permitted by that Act to be prescribed or necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to that Act.
The following sections of the various schedules to the Excise Act and the Charges Act each require that before making a regulation effecting the respective operative levy or charge rate the Minister must take into consideration any recommendation made to the Minister by the representative industry organisation:
• Section 5 of Schedule 7 to the Excise Act;
• Section 7 to Schedule 8 to the Excise Act;
• Section 5 of Schedule 5 to the Charges Act; and
• Section 5 of Schedule 6 to the Charges Act.
The regulations provide for a reduction in the operative rates of levy and export charge for deer and deer velvet. The new operative rates are:
• Deer slaughter levy: 9.5 cents per kg (down from 15 cents per kg);
• Live Deer export charge: $7.75 per head (down from $10 per head);
• Deer Velvet levy: 3.5% of the sale value of the velvet (down from 5%);
• Deer Velvet export charge: 3.5% of the declared value of the velvet (down from 5%); and
• National Residue Survey (NRS) levy on the slaughter of deer: 1 cent per kg (down from 3 cents per kg).
Following agreement by the Deer Industry Association of Australia, (DIAA), the recognised industry body, and the Australian Deer Industry Group, ninety seven per cent of respondents to a nation wide survey of deer levy payers and potential levy payers voted to reduce the levy rates on deer and deer velvet as above.
A reduction to the operative levy rates does not change their purpose and function and are strongly endorsed by industry. The levies were originally set at higher rates compared to other industries to "kick start" the Rural Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) research and development (R&D) program for deer and deer velvet, and are no longer supported by the industry at those levels.
In anticipation of the reductions RIRDC has agreed to maintain its current level of R&D