Commonwealth Numbered Regulations - Explanatory Statements

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CATTLE TRANSACTION LEVY REGULATIONS 1996 NO. 165

STATUTORY RULES 1996 No. 165

Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Primary industries and Energy

Cattle Transaction Levy Act 1995

Cattle Transaction Levy Regulations

The Cattle Transaction Levy Act 1995 (the Act) provides that the GovernorGeneral may make regulations for the purposes of the Act.

The Act provides for the imposition of a levy on each cattle transaction involving ownership transfer, delivery to a processor for slaughter, or slaughter of cattle or bobby calves, with certain exclusions principally relating to sale of dairy cattle for dairying purposes.

There are five levy components funding the Meat Industry Council, the Meat Research Corporation, the Australian Meat and Live-stock Corporation, the National Cattle Disease Eradication Trust Account, and the National Residue Survey (prior to 1 July 1993) respectively. The levy rate amount payable to the National Cattle Disease Eradication Trust Account for leviable (per head of cattle) dealings can be set by regulation.

The regulations decrease the National Cattle Disease Eradication Trust Account component by 14 cents, implementing Cattle Council of Australia (CCA) recommendations. The rate of the levy is reduced to 30 cents from the previous 44 cents per transaction provided for in the Act. The variation affects only the component paid to the National Cattle Disease Eradication Trust Account, and only adult cattle.

The CCA is recognised as the peak industry body representing cattle producers, the principal levy payers. At its Annual General Meeting held on 29/30 April 1996, the CCA resolved to ask the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy to reduce this levy. The CCA request to the Minister on 23 May 1996 also sought an offset four cent increase in the separate National Residue Survey (Cattle Transactions) Levy Act 1995 rate, dealt with in a separate statement, resulting in a net ten cent levy reduction per transaction.

The purpose of the National Cattle Disease Eradication Trust Account is to receive the disease eradication component of cattle industry levies collected by the Commonwealth and to make payments associated with the eradication of any disease in cattle that is endemic in Australia.

The reason for the reduction is the current 'healthy' level of the trust fund, combined with the Brucellosis & Tuberculosis Eradication Campaign projected low program costs post 1997.

Details of the regulations are:

Regulation 1 cites the Regulations as the Cattle Transaction Levy Regulations.

Regulation 2 provides for a commencement date of 1 August 1996.

Regulation 3 is an interpretation provision

Regulation 4 prescribes the rate of 30 cents (replacing the previous rate of 44 cents).