EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1990 NO 77
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy.
RURAL INDUSTRIES RESEARCH ACT 1985
RURAL INDUSTRIES RESEARCH REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
Section 62 of the Rural Industries Research Act 1985 (the Act) provides that the Governor-General may make regulations prescribing all matters necessary or convenient to be prescribed for giving effect to the Act.
The Act is concerned with the organisation and administrative arrangements under which Government and industry monies are allocated to rural industry research. Funds are allocated by Research Councils or State Research Committees representing each of the industries for which research levies are collected under Commonwealth legislation. The objects of this legislation are to ensure expenditure on rural industry research increases the commercial returns to producers and to improve accountability for expenditure on rural research and development.
It is proposed these Regulations be amended to include a levy to be collected for the purpose of financing research and development relevant to the goat fibre industry. The Goat Fibre Levy Act 1989 and the Goat Fibre Levy Collection Act 1989 provide that all goat fibre produced after 1 January 1990 is leviable and payable by the grower at the rate of 1.5 per cent of the sale value of the fibre. This levy has been imposed in response to a request by producer organisations and has been supported by goat fibre marketing groups.
All money collected by the goat fibre levy will be channelled directly through the Special Research Fund, which was established by the Act. To enable this to take place, it is declared that the whole of the goat fibre levy is for research, and that from 1 April 1990 goat fibre levy payments will be attached to the Special Research Fund and the Special Research Council.
Overview
The Rural Industries Research Regulations (Amendment) Statutory Rules 1990 No. 77, issued under the authority of the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy, amend the Rural Industries Research Regulations 1985. This amendment seeks to address a specific need within the goat fibre industry for additional research and development funding. The Rural Industries Research Act 1985, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, aims to facilitate the allocation of government and industry funds towards rural industry research, ensuring that such expenditure enhances commercial returns for producers and improves accountability. This amendment introduces a levy on goat fibre, collected pursuant to the Goat Fibre Levy Act 1989 and the Goat Fibre Levy Collection Act 1989, to support research and development specifically relevant to the goat fibre industry. The policy objective is to respond to requests from producer organisations and goat fibre marketing groups, thereby ensuring that the necessary research funding is secured and managed effectively through the Special Research Fund and Council.
Scope and Application
The Rural Industries Research Regulations (Amendment) 1990, issued under Section 62 of the Rural Industries Research Act 1985, establish provisions for the collection and allocation of funds specifically for research and development relevant to the goat fibre industry. This legislation applies to producers and growers of goat fibre, requiring them to pay a levy of 1.5 per cent of the sale value of the fibre, as stipulated by the Goat Fibre Levy Act 1989 and the Goat Fibre Levy Collection Act 1989. This levy is intended to support research that will enhance commercial returns and improve accountability for research expenditure in the goat fibre sector. All collected funds are to be directed through the Special Research Fund, which is governed by the Rural Industries Research Act 1985. The regulations, effective from 1 April 1990, mandate that the goat fibre levy is exclusively for research purposes and that payments will be attached to the Special Research Fund and managed by the Special Research Council.
Key Provisions
The key provisions of the Rural Industries Research Regulations (Amendment) primarily revolve around the allocation and management of funds for research and development within rural industries, particularly focusing on the goat fibre industry. Section 62 of the Rural Industries Research Act 1985 empowers the Governor-General to make regulations necessary for the effective implementation of the Act. The amendment under consideration introduces a levy to be collected for financing research and development relevant to the goat fibre industry. This levy is set at 1.5 per cent of the sale value of goat fibre produced after 1 January 1990, as specified in the Goat Fibre Levy Act 1989 and the Goat Fibre Levy Collection Act 1989. The proceeds from this levy are to be directed to the Special Research Fund established under the Act.
The obligations imposed by these regulations on the parties involved are primarily administrative and financial. Goat fibre growers are required to pay the levy, which will be collected and remitted to the Special Research Fund. The Special Research Council, as established by the Act, will be responsible for allocating these funds for research activities within the goat fibre industry. This includes ensuring that the research undertaken enhances commercial returns to producers and maintains accountability for research expenditures.
Failure to comply with these regulations may result in legal consequences. The specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for breach are not detailed within the explanatory statement, but generally, under the Rural Industries Research Act 1985, non-compliance with the regulations could lead to legal action by the Special Research Council. Penalties for such breaches may include fines or other financial penalties as prescribed by the Act. Additionally, persistent non-compliance could result in more severe consequences, potentially impacting the industry's ability to fund and manage research activities effectively.