Bills Digest No. 118 2002-03
Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Amendment (Dairy)
Bill 2003
WARNING:
This Digest was prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as
introduced and does not canvass subsequent amendments. This Digest
does not have any official legal status. Other sources should be
consulted to determine the subsequent official status of the
Bill.
CONTENTS
Passage History
Purpose
Background
Main Provisions
Endnotes
Contact Officer & Copyright Details
Passage History
Primary Industries (Excise) Levies
Amendment (Dairy) Bill 2003
Date
Introduced: 12
February 2003
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Agriculture, Fisheries and
Forestry
Commencement:
The main provisions
will commence on the same date as the Dairy Industry Services
Reform Bill 2003.
Purpose
To:
-
- Amend the Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Act 1999
to replace the current Dairy Promotion, Research and Corporation
Levies with a single Dairy Service Levy.
The amalgamation of the three existing levies
into one accompanies the conversion of the Commonwealth owned
Australian Dairy Corporation and Dairy Research and Development
Corporation into the new privatised Dairy Australia Limited. Full
background including an explanation of the new combined levy is set
out in Bills Digest No 117, 2002 03.
In his Second Reading Speech, the Minister
explained that:
The advantage of combining the three current
levies into one is that Dairy Australia Limited will have greater
flexibility in determining its expenditure breakdown, but will
remain accountable for this expenditure through a statutory funding
agreement to be entered into with the Commonwealth. Combining these
levies will also facilitate the conduct by Dairy Australia of
future periodic polls of levy payers which will determine the rate
of the dairy levy.(1)
The Minister noted that amalgamation of the
three levies will not alter the overall amount of levy that dairy
farmers will pay.(2)
This amendment is included in a separate Bill
because it could be construed as imposing a tax, and the
Constitution requires that such bills deal with no other
matters.(3)
Schedule 1 repeals the
provisions in the Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Act
1999 imposing the current Corporation, Promotion and Research
Levy on dairy produce, replacing these with a single 'dairy service
levy'.
-
- Truss, Hon Warren, MP, 'Second Reading Speech', Dairy Industry
Services Reform Bill 2003, House of Representatives,
Debates, 12 February 2003, p. 658.
- ibid.
- Section 55.
Peter Prince
3 March 2003
Bills Digest Service
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ISSN 1328-8091
© Commonwealth of Australia 2003
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Published by the Department of the Parliamentary Library,
2003.
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