EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation

Forestry Marketing and Research and Development Services (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Act 2007

Proclamation

Item 3 of the table in subsection 2(1) of the Forestry Marketing and Research and Development Services (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Act 2007 (the Act) provides for the date of commencement of Schedule 2 to the Act to be fixed by Proclamation.  However, if any of the provision(s) in Schedule 2 do not commence within the period of six months beginning on the day on which the Act receives the Royal Assent, they commence on the first day after the end of that period.  The Act received the Royal Assent on 28 June 2007.

The purpose of the Proclamation is to fix 3 September 2007 as the day on which Schedule 2 to the Act commences.  Schedule 2 is the consequential provisions of the Act.  Schedule 2 provides for repeals of Subsection 25(4), Paragraph 33(1)(db) and Section 33A of the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989, repeals of Clause 1 of Schedule 7 and Clause 1 of Schedule 8 of the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999, repeals Clause 1 of Schedule 10 of the Primary Industry (Excise) Levies Act 1999 and repeals Subsection 4(1)(paragraph (da) of the definition of producer), Subsection 4(1)(definition of forest industries levy or charge), Subsections 10(7) and (8) and 11(8) and (9) and insertions to Subsection 4(1)(paragraph (j) of the definition of producer) and after Subsection 4(2) of the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991.  The repeals and insertions to these Acts will facilitate the transfer of assets and staff to the new industry services body.

The commencement date was announced to the forestry industry as the date Forest and Wood Products Australia would become the industry services body for the Australian forestry industry.  Extensive preparations have been made for Forest and Wood Products Australia to begin functioning as the new industry services body on this date.  Forest and Wood Products Australia would participate in research and development and perform a generic marketing function for the forest industry.

The Australian forestry industry was consulted in relation to the commencement date of the amending Act.

The Proclamation is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.