Forest Industries Research
Export Charge Act 1993

No. 89 of 1993

An Act to impose a charge on forest and wood products
exported from Australia

[Assented to 30 November 1993]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

Short title

1. This Act may be cited as the Forest Industries Research Export Charge Act 1993.

Commencement

2. This Act commences on 1 January 1994.

Definitions

3.(1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:

"industry body" means an industry body declared under section 7 of the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989 to be a representative organisation in relation to an R&D Corporation established under section 8 of that Act in respect of forest industries;

"logs" means logs that:

(a) are intended for export; and

(b) have not undergone any form of processing other than:

(i) debarking; or

(ii) any other process prescribed by regulations made for the purposes of paragraph (b) of the definition of "logs" in subsection 3(1) of the Forest Industries Research Levy Act 1993;

"mill" has the same meaning as in the Forest Industries Research Levy Act 1993.

(2) Unless the contrary intention appears, a word or expression contained in this Act that is not defined in this Act but is defined in the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991 has the same meaning in this Act as in the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991.

Act to bind the Crown

4. This Act binds the Crown in each of its capacities.

Imposition of charge

5. Charge is imposed on logs produced in Australia and exported from Australia.

Rate of charge

6.(1) The rate of charge is the rate of levy (if any) that would have been imposed under the Forest Industries Research Levy Act 1993 if the logs had been delivered to a mill in Australia.

(2) The regulations may provide that charge is not payable if the amount to be collected is less than an amount specified in the regulations.

By whom is charge payable?

7. Charge is payable by the exporter of the logs.

Exemption from charge

8.(1) Charge is not imposed on logs if:

(a) levy under the Forest Industries Research Levy Act 1993 has already been paid on the logs; or

(b) charge under this Act has already been paid on the logs.

(2) The regulations may exempt from charge a specified class of logs.

Regulations

9.(1) The Governor-General may make regulations prescribing matters required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed.

(2) Before making a regulation, the Governor-General is to take into consideration any relevant recommendation made to the Minister by an industry body.

[Minister's second reading speech made in—

House of Representatives on 7 September 1993

Senate on 27 October 1993]