Commonwealth Numbered Regulations - Explanatory Statements

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PRIMARY INDUSTRIES LEVIES AND CHARGES COLLECTION (CITRUS) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT) 1994 NO. 337

STATUTORY RULES 1994 No. 337

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

HORTICULTURAL LEVY ACT 1987

HORTICULTURAL EXPORT CHARGE ACT 1987

PRIMARY INDUSTRIES LEVIES AND CHARGES COLLECTION ACT 1991

PRIMARY INDUSTRIES LEVIES AND CHARGES COLLECTION (CITRUS) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)

Sections 1 4, 14 and 30 respectively of the Horticultural Levy Act 1987, Horticultural Export Charge Act 1987 and the Primary Industries Levies And Charges Collection Act 1991 provide that the Governor General may make regulations for the purposes of the Acts.

The Horticultural Research and Development Corporation (HRDC) co-ordinates research and development for many horticultural industries. Most of these industries contribute funds to this process by way of statutory levies and export charges, whilst some others contribute in an ad hoc manner through voluntary contributions.

Similarly, the Australian Horticultural Corporation (AHC) carries out marketing and promotion activities for many horticultural industries, in the main funded by statutory levies and export charges.

These Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection (Citrus) Regulations (Amendment), (the Regulations (Amendment)) alter the funding arrangements for the citrus industry's participation in the AHC. The Australian Citrus Growers' Federation requested, and the AHC recommend, that the citrus industry's funding formulae for the AHC be altered to reflect revised priorities and foci for the industry. The Horticultural Levy Act 1987 and the Horticultural Export Charge Act 1987 limit the levy or export charge rates to less than five percent of the gross value of production of the specific horticultural commodity.

These Regulations (Amendment) will maintain current funding arrangements for the HRDC but will, for that part of the levy to go to the AHC, exempt all citrus, other than oranges, from being liable to a levy or export charge. They also provide for a reduction in levy and export charge, for that part of the levy and export charge (ie oranges only) to go to the AHC, from $1.75 per tonne (3.5 cents per box) to $0.75 per tonne (1.5 cents per box).

These Regulations (Amendments) also include some minor amendments to levy and export charge collection arrangements to improve the information flow from supermarkets and large chain stores, as well as requiring companies to be identified by their Australian Company Number.