Commonwealth Numbered Regulations - Explanatory Statements

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DOMESTIC MEAT PREMISES CHARGE REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT) 1996 NO. 16

STATUTORY RULES 1996 No. 16

Issued by the authority of the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy

Domestic Meat Premises Charge Act 1993

Domestic Meat Premises Charge Regulations (Amendment)

Section 10 of the Domestic Meat Premises Charge Act 1993 (the Act) provides that the GovernorGeneral may make regulations, not inconsistent with the Act, prescribing matters required or permitted by the Act to be prescribed, or necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the Act.

The Domestic Meat Premises Charge Regulations (the Regulations) prescribe establishment classifications and rates of charge imposed by the Act. Establishments are classified into categories of killing or processing plants depending on the type of activity that is undertaken. The rates of charge for each category are determined on the basis of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Services (AQIS's) direct and indirect effort in servicing establishments in each category.

The purpose of the Domestic Meat Premises Charge Regulations (Amendment) is to add an additional establishment classification and charge. Industry has requested the creation of an Item to allow specific fees to be set for abattoirs with Quality Assurance Agreements which employ Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) inspectors for less than 5,000 hours each financial year. Abattoirs in this category now receive a significantly reduced registration charge.

The existing Item for abattoirs with Quality Assurance Agreements approved under Part 7 of the Meal Inspection (General) Orders has also been amended to specify abattoirs employing AQIS inspectors for more than 5,000 hours each financial year. The amount of charge for abattoirs in this category remains the same.

Abattoirs are encouraged to take responsibility for the inspection and quality of their product by assuming quality assurance arrangements. Companies undergo quality assurance training and when set standards are achieved, are given formal accreditation. Once a company is accredited, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) performs an 'audit' role, whereby standards and procedures are regularly monitored and reported on.

The establishment registration charges are part of the mix of charges agreed by industry to recover the costs of providing domestic meat inspection services.

The Domestic Meat Premises Charge Regulations (Amendment) amends the Regulations as follows:

Regulation 1 - Commencement

Subregulation 1.1 provides for the Domestic Meat Premises Charge Regulations to commence on 1 February 1996.

Regulation 2 - Amendment

Subregulation 2.1 provides that the Regulations are amended as set out in the Domestic Meat Premises Charge Regulations (Amendment).

Regulation 3 - Charge for a financial year

Subregulation 3.1 revises the previous heading for regulation 5 of the Regulations. Previously the heading specified "charge for a financial year beginning on or after 1 July 1994". This has now been clarified to "charge for a financial year".

The previous clarification was necessary due to the introduction of a charge during the 1993/94 financial year. A separate rate applied in years subsequent to the part-year rate applied in 1993/94.

Regulation 4 - Charge for the 1993/1994 financial year

Subregulation 4.1 omits regulation 6 of the Regulations. This regulation specified the basis for charge in the 1993/94 financial year and is no longer valid.

Regulation 5 - Schedule 2 (Annual Registration Charges for Meat Establishments)

Subregulation 5.1 replaces the existing Schedule 2 with an amended Schedule. The new Schedule introduces a new Sub-Item for Abattoirs with a Quality Assurance Agreement approved under Part 7 of the Meat Inspection (General) Orders for all operations at the abattoir. Item 5(a) sets an amount of charge of $1,325 for abattoirs where the number of inspection hours received in the previous financial year is 5,000 or fewer. The previous Item that covered all abattoirs with Quality Assurance Agreements is amended by Item 5(b) to specify abattoirs employing more than 5,000 hours each financial year. The charge for abattoirs in this category remains the same.

The amended Schedule has also been re-arranged to categorise abattoirs in a more orderly and userfriendly manner.