David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce the Customs Charges and Levies Legislation Amendment (Sheep and Lamb) Bill 2020. Levies and charges are collected by the Australian government at the request of primary industries. The levy system allows producers to collectively fund research and development, marketing, animal health, emergency biosecurity response and residue testing for the benefit of their industry.

Within this framework, levies are collected on sheep and lamb sale transactions, and at the point of processing and export. In July 2019, the Australian government changed the definition of lamb for export purposes to reflect a new definition developed by the sheep and meat processing sectors, following extensive consultation.

This bill aligns the definition of lamb for the purposes of imposing sheep and lamb customs charges.

Updating the levies' definition of lamb reflects the intent of the industry in establishing a new definition. It will support compliance with the levies scheme, and improve the clarity of the levy system for the benefit of sheep and lamb producers, processors and exporters.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.

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