Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

This bill is part of a package of bills, referred to in the previous second reading speech. It will commence concurrently with the Rural Research and Development Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 and the Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Amendment Bill 2013.

Like the Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Amendment Bill 2013, this bill removes maximum research, development and marketing charge rates from the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999. The act imposes charges on agricultural commodities for export or import, whereas the Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Act 1999 imposes levies on agricultural commodities sold domestically.

The bill provides that relevant industry bodies must, in consultation with charge payers, recommend the charge rates to be set by the regulations. The bill provides that the regulations will not be able to set a charge rate exceeding the highest rate recommended by industry. This will safeguard charge payers against arbitrary charge increases by government.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.

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