Quarantine Service Fees 2000–03 (Australia Post) Determination 2000
Quarantine Determination 2000 (No. 1)
I, WARREN ERROL TRUSS, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, make this Determination under section 86E of the Quarantine Act 1908.
Dated 26 June 2000
WARREN TRUSS
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Contents
Page
1 Name of Determination
2 Definitions
3 Basic fee for quarantine services payable by Australia Post
4 Payment day for basic fee
5 Late payment fee
1 Name of Determination
This Determination is the Quarantine Service Fees 2000–03 (Australia Post) Determination 2000.
Note This Determination takes effect on the day on which the notice of the Determination is published in the Gazette — see Act, subsection 86E (3).
2 Definitions
In this Determination:
Act means the Quarantine Act 1908.
Australia Post means the Australian Postal Corporation.
postal article has the same meaning as in the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989.
Note The terms basic fee, payment day and quarantine service (used in this Determination) are defined in section 86E of the Act.
3 Basic fee for quarantine services payable by Australia Post
For section 86E of the Act, the fees payable by Australia Post for the provision of quarantine services for postal articles received by Australia Post from places outside Australia are as follows:
Item | Period of quarantine service | Basic fee ($) |
1 | July, August and September 2000 | 625 000.00 |
2 | October, November and December 2000 | 625 000.00 |
3 | January, February and March 2001 | 625 000.00 |
4 | April, May and June 2001 | 625 000.00 |
5 | July, August and September 2001 | 656 250.00 |
6 | October, November and December 2001 | 656 250.00 |
7 | January, February and March 2002 | 656 250.00 |
8 | April, May and June 2002 | 656 250.00 |
9 | July, August and September 2002 | 689 062.50 |
10 | October, November and December 2002 | 689 062.50 |
11 | January, February and March 2003 | 689 062.50 |
12 | April, May and June 2003 | 689 062.50 |
4 Payment day for basic fee
The basic fee must be paid on or before the last day of the period for which the fee is payable (the payment day).
5 Late payment fee
(1) If the basic fee is not paid on or before the payment day for the fee, an additional fee (the late payment fee) is payable by Australia Post.
(2) The late payment fee is:
where:
days overdue is the number of days after the payment day and before the day on which the basic fee is paid.
Overview
The Quarantine Service Fees 2000–03 (Australia Post) Determination 2000 was introduced to set out the fees payable by Australia Post for the provision of quarantine services for postal articles received from places outside Australia. Enacted by the Australian Government under section 86E of the Quarantine Act 1908, this legislative instrument was created by Warren Errol Truss, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, to ensure the timely and adequate funding of quarantine services. The primary objective of this Determination is to establish a structured fee schedule for the specified period, which in turn supports the enforcement of quarantine measures aimed at preventing the introduction and spread of pests and diseases through postal services. The fees outlined are intended to cover the costs associated with the quarantine services provided by Australia Post.
Scope and Application
The Quarantine Service Fees 2000–03 (Australia Post) Determination 2000 applies to Australia Post, specifically the Australian Postal Corporation, which is obligated to pay fees for the provision of quarantine services for postal articles received from places outside Australia. This Determination is made under section 86E of the Quarantine Act 1908 and sets out the fees for quarantine services for each quarter from July 2000 to June 2003, as well as the payment day and the late payment fee. The fees are determined for the Commonwealth jurisdiction, extending to all postal articles received by Australia Post from outside Australia during the specified periods. There are no exclusions or exemptions mentioned in the text, and the Determination sets out specific financial obligations for Australia Post in relation to quarantine services provided under the Quarantine Act 1908. The fees and payment terms are established by this Determination and may be subject to further specification through subordinate instruments under the Act.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of this Determination (sections 3 to 5) detail the fees payable by Australia Post for quarantine services provided for postal articles received from overseas. Section 3 specifies the basic fee for quarantine services for each three-month period from July 2000 to June 2003. The basic fee is set at $625,000 for the first eight quarters and increases incrementally to $689,062.50 for the last four quarters. Section 4 stipulates that the basic fee must be paid on or before the last day of the applicable period, known as the payment day. Section 5 outlines the additional fee, referred to as the late payment fee, which becomes payable if the basic fee is not paid by the payment day. The late payment fee is calculated based on the number of days the payment is overdue.
The obligations imposed on Australia Post by this Determination include the timely payment of the basic fee for quarantine services on or before the payment day and the payment of a late fee if the basic fee is not settled by the due date. These obligations are critical for ensuring that the services rendered by Australia Post in relation to the quarantine of postal articles are adequately funded.
Failure to comply with the requirements of this Determination may result in financial penalties. Specifically, if Australia Post does not pay the basic fee by the payment day, they will incur a late payment fee. The late payment fee is calculated based on the number of days the payment is overdue, with the amount increasing the longer the payment is delayed. While the Determination does not specify maximum penalties for non-compliance, the imposition of the late payment fee serves as a financial disincentive to ensure adherence to the payment schedule. The exact consequences of non-compliance are not explicitly stated in the text but can be inferred to include financial penalties related to the late payment fee.