Commonwealth Numbered Regulations - Explanatory Statements

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HONEY LEVIES AND CHARGES REGULATIONS 1998 1998 NO. 145

STATUTORY RULES 1998 NO. 145

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

Honey Levy Act (No 1) 1962

Honey Levy Act (No 2) 1962

Honey Export Charge Act 1973

Honey Levies and Charges Regulations 1998

The Honey Levy Act (No 1) 1962 and Honey Levy Act (No 2) 1962 (the Levy Acts), the Honey Export Charge Act 1973 (the Export Charge Act) and the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991 (the Collection Act) provide, inter alia, for the imposition and collection of levies and export charges to fund honey research by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC).

The RIRDC coordinates research and development for many rural industries. The RIRDC is funded by statutory levies and export charges, voluntary industry contributions and Commonwealth Government matching funding.

Section 7 of the Levy Acts and Section 9 of the Export Charge Act provide that the GovernorGeneral may make regulations for the purposes of the Acts.

Section 5 of the Levy Acts and Section 7 of the Export Charge Act provide that the regulations may fix rates of levy and export charge, respectively, destined for the RIRDC.

Subsection 5(3) of the Levy Acts and Subsection 7(3) Export Charge Acts require that the Governor-General shall take into consideration any relevant recommendations made to the Minister by the RIRDC or the eligible producers organisation, in this case the Federal Council of Australian Apiarists' Associations (FCAAA), in relation to the rate, which supports the increase in levy and export charge.

The purpose of the Regulations is to increase the amount of levy and export charge directed to the RIRDC by 0.05 cents per Kilogram to 0.70 cents per Kilogram for honey sold, exported or used from 1 July 1998 and to further increase that rate by another 0.05 cents per kilogram to 0.75 cents per Kilogram from 1 January 1999. This increase is expected to raise an extra $13,500 in 1998/99 and $27,000 in year 1999/2000.

The increases are consistent with the recommendation of the FCAAA and the RIRDC.

The Regulations commence on 1 July 1998.