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Customs Tariff Amendment (Paraquat Dichloride) Bill
2004
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
Concluding Comments
Endnotes
Contact Officer & Copyright Details
Customs Tariff Amendment (Paraquat Dichloride) Bill 2004
Date Introduced:
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Justice and Customs
Commencement:
The purpose of the Bill is to remove the current five per cent import duty on the chemical herbicide paraquat dichloride, imported in a form that contains a safety feature of an emetic (to cause vomiting if the herbicide is accidentally ingested).
Paraquat dichloride (paraquat) is a contact herbicide
that is used to control broad-leaved weeds and grasses. It is highly
toxic to humans if accidentally ingested orally. Technical data on
paraquat and its use can be viewed on the web site provided by the International
Programme on Chemical Safety,
Because of its toxicity, the use of paraquat requires
safety precautions. Some of these precautions include the incorporation
within the herbicide of anti-dusting, colouring or stenching agents.
In the 2003-04 Budget Statements for the Attorney-General's Department,
it was noted that imported paraquat with the safety features mentioned
above is given duty-free treatment while paraquat with an emetic attracts
a five per cent import duty. The Government announced that it would
remove the anomaly of the five percent duty on imported paraquat with
an emetic as a safety feature, retrospectively from
The loss of revenue from removal of the 5% import tariff is estimated at $0.5 million per annum.
There is little press coverage on the domestic tariff issue. Press commentary, as such, is directed at the international debate over the use of paraquat. Views are divided on the use of paraquat and, given that this Bill is technically a minor tariff measure, the background comments in this Bills Digest simply note some aspects of the debate.
The European Union (EU) has recently renewed its approval
for the use of paraquat in the face of objections from a range of EU
environmental groups.(3) Environmentalists have long campaigned
for the complete removal of paraquat from the EU. It is authorised
as a weedkiller in 10 EU member states but banned in
It has also been asserted that the use of genetically modified crops is resulting in a reversion to the use of 'older, more toxic' herbicides such as paraquat.(7)
The use of paraquat is regulated in
Items 1 and 2 amend Schedule 3 (Classification of goods and general and special rates of duty) of the Customs Tariff Act 1995 to insert in Chapter 29 (Organic chemicals) a specific reference to paraquat dichloride, including the form with an emetic added for safety reasons, as 'Free' of duty. The eight digit tariff number is 2933.39.00.
International Programme on Chemical Safety –
2003-04 Commonwealth Budget–Budget Paper No. 2, at:
http://www.budget.gov.au/2003-04/bp2/html/revenue-01.htm.
It is noted that there appears to be an inconsistency between the
retrospective date specified in the Budget Paper (i.e.
http://parlinfoweb.parl.net/parlinfo/Repository1/Library/Jrnart/ACBB61.pdf
.
ibid.
Andy Rowell, 'GM Crops', The Ecologist, Volume 33(6), July-August 2003, Part 4—p. 38 at: http://parlinfoweb.parl.net/parlinfo/Repository1/Library/Jrnart/YRY960.pdf .
This paper has been prepared for general distribution to Senators and Members of the Australian Parliament. While great care is taken to ensure that the paper is accurate and balanced, the paper is written using information publicly available at the time of production. The views expressed are those of the author and should not be attributed to the Information and Research Services (IRS). Advice on legislation or legal policy issues contained in this paper is provided for use in parliamentary debate and for related parliamentary purposes. This paper is not professional legal opinion. Readers are reminded that the paper is not an official parliamentary or Australian government document.
ISSN 1328-8091
© Commonwealth of Australia 2004
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Published by the Parliamentary Library, 2004.