Poultry Industry Assistance

No. 21 of 1965

An Act to make provision for the grant of Financial Assistance to the States for the assistance of the Poultry Industry, and for other purposes.

[Assented to 28 May, 1965]

BE it enacted by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title.

1. This Act may be cited as the Poultry Industry Assistance Act 1965.

Commencement.

2. This Act shall come into operation on the first day of July, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-five.

Definitions.

3. In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears—

“levy” means levy imposed by the Poultry Industry Levy Act 1965;

“State Egg Board” means an authority that is the State Egg Board for a State for the purposes of the Poultry Industry Levy Collection Act 1965;

“the Council” means The Council of Egg Marketing Authorities of Australia;

“the Fund” means the Poultry Industry Trust Fund established by this Act.

Poultry Industry Trust Fund.

4.—(1.) A Fund is hereby established to be known as the Poultry Industry Trust Fund.

(2.) The Fund is a Trust Account for the purposes of section 62a of the Audit Act 1901-1964.

Moneys to be paid into the Fund.

5.—(1.) There shall be paid into the Fund—

(a) amounts equal to the amounts of levy received by the Commonwealth (including amounts payable by way of penalty in accordance with section 8 of the Poultry Industry Levy Collection Act 1965 and amounts of levy collected by State Egg Boards in pursuance of that Act);

(b) moneys paid by any person to the Commonwealth for the purposes of the Fund; and

(c) interest from the investment of moneys standing to the credit of the Fund.

(2.) Amounts payable into the Fund by virtue of paragraph (a) of the last preceding sub-section are payable out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

(3.) The Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated to the extent necessary for the purposes of any payment referred to in sub-section (1.) of this section.

Application of the Fund.

6.—(1.) The Minister may from time to time authorize the payment to a State, by way of financial assistance, of such amount or amounts as he determines after taking into account any recommendations made to him by the Council.

(2.) An amount authorized to be paid to a State under the last preceding sub-section is payable out of moneys standing to the credit of the Fund.

(3.) Payment of an amount to a State under this section is subject to the condition that the amount will be applied by the State for the assistance of the poultry industry in accordance with the directions of the Minister.

Loans to State Egg Boards by Reserve Bank.

7.—(1.) The Minister may arrange with the Reserve Bank of Australia for the making by the Bank of loans to a State Egg Board, and may guarantee to the Bank the repayment, out of moneys made available by the Parliament, of any loan made by the Bank in pursuance of the arrangement.

(2.) There shall be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund, out of moneys standing to the credit of the Fund, an amount equal to any amount paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund under a guarantee given in pursuance of the last preceding sub-section.

Annual report.

8.—(1.) The Minister shall, as soon as practicable after each thirtieth day of June, prepare a report on the operation of this Act during the year ended on that date and cause the report to be laid before each House of the Parliament.

(2.) The Council and each State Egg Board shall furnish to the Minister such information as he requires for the purpose of preparing a report under the last preceding sub-section.

Regulations.

9. The Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, prescribing all matters necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act and, in particular, for prescribing penalties not exceeding a fine of One hundred pounds for offences against the regulations.