EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

STATUTORY RULES 1987 NO. 133

Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Primary Industry

EGG INDUSTRY RESEARCH (HEN QUOTA) LEVY REGULATIONS

The Egg Industry Research (Hen Quota) Levy Act 1987 (the Act), which received Royal Assent on 5 June 1987 as Act No 70, provides in Section 11 that the Governor-General may make regulations for the purposes of Section 10 of the Act.

Sub-section 11(2) of the Act provides for the producers organisation to make recommendations to the Minister on the rate of levy to be prescribed.

Sub-section 11(3) of the Act provides that in making regulations for the purposes of Section 10 the Governor-General shall act only on advice of the Executive Council, being advice that has taken into consideration any recommendation made to the Minister by the producers organisation.

The Act imposes, on 1 July each year, a levy on laying hens which a producer is entitled to keep on that day under a licence issued under State or Territory laws. Section 9 of the Egg Industry Research (Hen Quota) Lew Collection Act 1987 deems the levy to be for research purposes.

Under section 10 of the Act the rate of levy in respect of laying hens may be set, by regulation, up to a maximum of 10 cents. As this is a new levy there is no existing prescribed rate.

The Australian Council of Egg Producers, the producers organisation, has recommended to the Minister a levy rate of 3.25 cents per laying hen.

The purpose of the Regulations is to establish the initial rate of levy, to be effective 1 July 1987, at 3.25 cents per laying hen.

S.R. No. 159/87