Raw Cotton Bounty
No. 118 of 1968
An Act relating to Bounty on the Production of certain Raw Cotton.
[Assented to 2 December 1968]
BE it enacted by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—
Short title and citation.
1.—(1.) This Act may be cited as the Raw Cotton Bounty Act 1968.
(2.) The Raw Cotton Bounty Act 1963–1966 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.
(3.) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Raw Cotton Bounty Act 1963–1968.
Commencement.
2. This Act shall be deemed to have come into operation on the first day of March, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight.
Title.
3. The title to the Principal Act is amended by omitting the words “sold for use in Australia”.
Specifying of bounty.
4. Section 4 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting paragraphs (b) and (c) and inserting in their stead the following paragraphs:—
“(b) in a period to which this Act applies, processed at a ginnery from seed cotton harvested in Australia and delivered to the ginnery in a period to which this Act applies; and
(c) except in the case of raw cotton processed on or after the first day of March, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight—sold, in a period to which this Act applies, by the processor for use in Australia.”.
Rates of bounty.
5. Section 7 of the Principal Act is amended—
(a) by inserting in sub-section (2.), after the words “raw cotton” (first occurring), the words “in respect of which bounty became payable before the first day of March, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight”; and
(b) by adding at the end of that sub-section the words “, and in respect of other raw cotton in respect of which bounty becomes payable on or after that date, the rates specified by the Minister, by notice published in the Gazette, as payable in respect of such raw cotton “.
Limit of available bounty.
6. Section 8 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting in sub-section (1.), after the words “period to which this Act applies”, the words “ending before the first day of March, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight, or raw cotton in respect of which bounty becomes payable in the period to which this Act applies commencing on that date,”.
Overview
The Raw Cotton Bounty Act 1968 was enacted to address a specific economic issue within the Australian cotton industry by providing financial incentives for the production of raw cotton. This legislation was passed by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, aiming to bolster the viability and competitiveness of the cotton industry. The Raw Cotton Bounty Act 1963–1966, which this Act amends, was updated to ensure that bounty payments are aligned with the current economic and market conditions, reflecting a policy objective to support Australian cotton growers effectively. The Act came into operation on the first day of March 1968, marking the beginning of its implementation to address the identified gaps in the previous legislation.
Scope and Application
The Raw Cotton Bounty Act 1968 applies to the bounty on the production of certain raw cotton, specifically focusing on the processing and sale of raw cotton in Australia. The Act primarily applies to entities involved in the processing of raw cotton harvested in Australia and the subsequent sale of that cotton for use within Australia. This encompasses ginnery operators who process seed cotton into raw cotton and those who sell the processed cotton domestically. The Act operates within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Australia and amends the Raw Cotton Bounty Act 1963–1966, extending its application until a specified period. The Act includes provisions for the Minister to set rates of bounty by notice published in the Gazette, with specific attention to bounty rates for raw cotton processed and sold before and after 1 March 1968. The Act does not explicitly state any exclusions or exemptions, but its application is implicitly limited to the bounty on raw cotton within the defined parameters.
Key Provisions
The Raw Cotton Bounty Act 1968 (sections 1 to 6) provides for a bounty on the production of certain raw cotton. This Act modifies the Raw Cotton Bounty Act 1963–1966, extending its applicability and altering the conditions under which the bounty is granted. Specifically, section 4 of the Act specifies that raw cotton must be processed at a ginnery from seed cotton harvested in Australia and delivered to the ginnery within the applicable period, and must be sold for use in Australia unless processed on or after the first day of March 1968. Section 5 amends the rates of bounty, clarifying that different rates apply depending on whether the bounty became payable before or on or after the first day of March 1968, with the latter rates to be specified by the Minister.
Under the Act, certain obligations and requirements are placed upon parties involved in the processing and sale of raw cotton. Processors must ensure that the raw cotton they handle is harvested in Australia and delivered within the specified period. They must also ensure that the raw cotton is processed at a licensed ginnery and that it is sold for use within Australia, unless processed on or after 1 March 1968. Additionally, the Minister’s role is expanded to include the specification of bounty rates for raw cotton processed on or after 1 March 1968, to be published in the Gazette.
The Act also outlines potential consequences for non-compliance. While the Act itself does not explicitly state penalties for breach, it is reasonable to infer that breaches of the bounty conditions or failure to comply with the Minister’s specified rates could result in legal consequences. In Australia, breaches of legislative requirements often lead to enforcement actions, which could include fines or other penalties as determined by the relevant authorities. The specifics of such penalties would be guided by other relevant legislation or administrative guidelines.