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CONTENTS
Buffalo Slaughter Levy Bill 1997
Date Introduced: 1 October 1997
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Primary Industries and Energy
Commencement: On the same day as Part 3 of the
proposed Australian Meat and Live- stock Industry Act
1997, that is, on Proclamation or nine months and one day
after Royal Assent, whichever is first.
To impose a levy on buffaloes slaughtered for human consumption
at an abattoir. The levy will be payable by the person who owns the
buffalo when slaughter takes place.
Under existing law a levy is imposed by the Live-stock
Slaughter Levy Act 1964 on lambs, sheep, goats and buffalo
slaughtered for human consumption at an abattoir. The levy is
payable by the person who owns the live-stock at the time of
slaughter. The Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection
Act 1991 provides for the collection of the levy.
Proceeds raised by the charge are apportioned between the Meat
Industry Council (MIC), the Australian Meat and Live-stock
Corporation (AMLC), the Meat Research Corporation (MRC) and the
Australian Animal Health Council Limited (AAHC).
The Live-stock Slaughter Levy Act 1964 is being
repealed by item 1 of Schedule 4 of the Australian
Meat and Live-stock Industry (Repeals and Consequential Provisions)
Bill 1997.
This Bill forms part of a package of 17 Bills restructuring the
regulatory framework of the Australian meat and live-stock
industry. Under existing levy and charge arrangements, funds raised
primarily go towards funding the MIC, AMLC and MRC. Under the
proposed arrangements the government intends that industry
contributions will be sourced on a statutory and non-statutory
basis. The collection of statutory levies is intended to be based
on the current system but with changes providing for a transaction
levy on sheep, lambs and goats, replacing the current live-stock
slaughter levy, and a separate transaction levy on grain fed
cattle.
The rationale given by the Minister in the Second Reading Speech
to the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Bill 1997 for the
transaction levy approach is:
The transaction levy approach for sheep, lambs and goats was
adopted at the request of a clear majority of industry whose
submission met all of the requirements of the government's levy
principles. A similar request was also submitted by the grain fed
cattle industry sector for a separate cattle transaction levy.
Again this submission met each of the Government's levy
principles.
The existing levy and charge imposition Acts have been modified
to provide for clear sectoral ownership.(1)
In relation to non-statutory contributions, the government is
setting the processor and exporter levies at zero. It should be
noted that the Minister in the Second Reading Speech to the Bill
issues a warning in respect of such contributions, that is:
Should the non-statutory contributions by processors and
livestock exporters fail to meet agreed funding levels for joint
industry functions, and as specifically agreed by these two
sectors, the Government has their prior agreement to maintain
levies at a required level to ensure there is adequate
funding.(2)
Under the proposed arrangements, the Government intends that
decisions on levels of levies and charges be the responsibility of
peak industry councils.
In respect to the buffalo industry it may be noted that the
industry will not be contributing through the levy to the proposed
marketing and research bodies, but rather to the Rural Industries
Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) and the National
Cattle Disease Eradication Trust Account (NCDE), as per current
arrangements. The rationale given by the Minister in the Second
Reading Speech to the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Bill
1997 for the proposed arrangements with respect to the buffalo
industry is:
The particular requirements of the buffalo industry will be met
by new buffalo export charge and slaughter levy acts. Separate levy
acts are needed because the buffalo industry will retain slaughter
levy and export charge arrangements. Contributions from the buffalo
industry will continue to go to the RIRDC, the NRS [National
Residue Survey] and the NCDE, as at present.(3)
The reader is also referred to the Digest for the Australian
Meat and Live-stock Industry Bill 1997.
A levy will be imposed on buffaloes slaughtered at an abattoir
for human consumption by clause 4. The levy will
not apply where carcases have been condemned or rejected as unfit
for human consumption, or where carcases will be consumed by the
owner, members of his/her family, or the owner's employees.
Clause 5 provides that the rate of levy on the
slaughter of each head of buffalo will be:
- $4.60, or a prescribed amount up to $18.00, for payment to the
RIRDC; and
- 73 cents, or a prescribed amount up to $4.00, for payment to
the NCDE.
The levy will be payable by the person (including a
State/Territory or State/Territory authority) who owns the
buffaloes when slaughter takes place (clause
6).
- Second Reading Speech, Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry
Bill 1997: 10
- Ibid: 11
- Ibid: 15
Ian Ireland
4 November 1997
Bills Digest Service
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ISSN 1328-8091
© Commonwealth of Australia 1997
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Last updated: 12 November 1997
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