Sid Sidebottom (Braddon, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to 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, to commence concurrently with the Rural Research and Development Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 and 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 bill provides that charge rates set by regulations must be the subject of a recommendation from relevant industry bodies, who must consult with charge payers. The bill provides that the regulations will not be able to set a charge rate higher than the highest rate recommended by industry. This will safeguard against arbitrary charge increases.

Debate adjourned.