EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1990 NO. 145
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy.
PRIMARY INDUSTRIES AND ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT 1989
TOBACCO RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS
The Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989 (the PIERD Act) provides for the establishment of Research and Development (R&D) Corporations to undertake research and development relating to industries covered by the primary industries and energy portfolio. In respect of rural industries, the R&D Corporations are intended to replace the existing Research Councils under the Rural Industries Research Act 1985 which include the Tobacco Research Council.
The Commonwealth matches industry levies paid into a Trust Fund attached to the Council, equal to the research component of a charge imposed on tobacco growers and manufacturers by the Tobacco Charge Acts (Nos. 1, 2 and 3) 1955.
The Tobacco Growers’ Council (Australia), Philip Morris Limited, Rothmans of Pall Mall Australia Limited and WD & HO Wills (Australia) Limited, which are considered by the Minister to represent the tobacco industry in respect of research have requested that a Tobacco Research and Development (R&D) Council within the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRD Corporation) be established under the Act. The R&D Council and Fund attached to the RIRD Corporation in respect of tobacco are proposed to be named the Tobacco Research and Development (R&D) Council and Fund respectively. The research component of the levy represented by the amount specified in the Tobacco Charges Acts (Nos. 1, 2 and 3) 1955, is recommended to be attached to the Tobacco R&D Fund, thus providing for an industry contribution to research.