Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection (Strawberries) Amendment Regulations 1998 (No. 1) 1998 No. 315
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1998 NO. 315
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991
Horticultural Levy Act 1987
Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection (Strawberries) Amendment Regulations 1998 (No. 1)
The Governor-General may make regulations to impose levies on classes of horticultural products under subsection 14(1) of the Horticultural Levy Act 1987. The Governor-General may also make regulations to provide for the collection of levy under subsection 30(1) of the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991.
The Horticultural Research and Development Corporation (HRDC) co-ordinates research and development (R&D) for many horticultural industries. The HRDC is funded by statutory levies and export charges, voluntary contributions and Commonwealth Government matching funding.
The strawberry industry participates in the HRDC through levy imposed on strawberry runners and paid by strawberry growers.
The peak industry body for strawberry growers, Strawberries Australia Inc., has agreed to a change in the collection mechanism for the strawberry R&D levy so the levy is paid by strawberry g-rowers at the time of final payment for strawberry runners, rather than 21 days after the month in which the runners are purchased, and that the levy funds are remitted by strawberry runner sellers quarterly rather than monthly. Quarters begin on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, or 1 October, each year.
The purpose of the Regulations is to modify the collection arrangements for the strawberry R&D levy as agreed by Strawberries Australia Inc. Australia's largest strawberry runner grower, which supplies ninety five per cent of runners to strawberry growers, supports the amendments to the Regulations, as do all other strawberry runner sellers.
The reason for changing the collection mechanism is to reduce the administrative burden on strawberry runner growers who collect the levy. The cost of the administrative arrangements, had at times, under commercial arrangements been passed onto the strawberry grower. Under the new arrangements the strawberry grower will benefit from no longer having to assume the burden of that cost.
The Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection (Strawberries) Amendment Regulations 1998 give effect to Strawberries Australia Inc.'s agreement to change the collection mechanism for the strawberry R&D levy payable to the HRDC.
The Regulations commenced on 1 January 1999.