Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Queensland and NSW floods 2022

Visit recovery.gov.au to see what help is available.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Land
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Plant health
    • Drought and rural support
    • Mouse infestation advice
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water resources for agriculture, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Biodiversity
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade Lowering biosecurity risks to Australia, and assisting industry to accelerate growth towards a $100 billion agricultural sector by 2030.
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Invasive species
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Wildlife trade
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Our science strategy
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us Enhancing Australia’s agriculture, environment, heritage and water resources through regulation and partnership.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    A day in the life

    A day in the life...

    Our video series showcases the diverse and important work we do.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. About us
  3. Accountability and reporting
  4. Reporting obligations
  5. Government responses
  6. Australian Government response to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee report: Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Charge) Bill 2020 [Provisions]

Sidebar first - About

  • Reporting obligations
    • Report on agency appointments
    • Senate Order for Entity contracts listing
    • Documents tabled in Parliament
    • Australian public service employee census
    • Executive and highly-paid staff remuneration
    • Gifts and benefits
    • Government responses
    • Grants reporting
    • Indexed list of files
    • Legal expenditure
    • Campaign certification statements

Australian Government response to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee report: Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Charge) Bill 2020 [Provisions]

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, December 2020

Download

  • Australian Government response to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee report: Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Charge) Bill 2020 [Provisions] [PDF 140 KB]

If you have difficulty accessing these files, contact us for help.

Online version

Introduction

On 12 June 2020, the Selection of Bills Committee referred the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Charge) Bill 2020 to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee (the committee). The reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration were:

  • To investigate the effectiveness of the bill with regards to funding the Dairy Cattle Export Program
  • Investigate including breeder cattle into the Export Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS)
  • How effective has the Morrison Government been at influencing animal welfare conditions in importing countries outside of ESCAS
  • Is it in Australia’s national interest for the Morrison government to make available funding for marketing and R&D activities to developed countries such as Japan?
  • Any other related matters.1

On 17 June 2020, the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment was invited to make a submission to the inquiry. A departmental submission was lodged on 30 June 2020. Key points made by the Department included:

  • The Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Charge) Bill 2020 is the result of the dairy livestock export industry requesting that government impose a mandatory statutory charge on dairy cattle exports at a rate of $6 per head of exported dairy cattle.
  • The dairy cattle export industry has followed the Levies Principles and Guidelines in consulting with and seeking the agreement of industry to impose a mandatory charge, and in describing the market failure that warrants the charge.
  • The mandatory charge would replace the current voluntary charge on exported dairy cattle which industry has identified is under-collected and insufficient to meet the needs of the sector or fund the Dairy Cattle Export Program.
  • The dairy cattle export industry is valued at $200 million per annum and is an important alternate source of income for many Australian dairy farmers, which has positive flow on effects for rural and regional economies and communities.

On 30 July 2020, the committee released its final report. The committee noted the need for the dairy cattle export charge, as the previous voluntary levy scheme faced problems with under‑collection, leaving the dairy cattle export industry without sufficient funds for research and development and marketing activities. The committee noted the wide consultation undertaken by the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC) on the imposition of the charge and the industry support for the charge.

The committee noted that ALEC needs to ensure that the major dairy farming industry bodies, including the Victorian body, have an ongoing say in how the levy funds are spent. The department notes that primary industries drive all aspects of their levy. As such, a request for a levy (or a proposal for levy changes), must be supported by industry bodies representing, wherever possible, all existing and/or potential levy payers, the relevant levy beneficiaries and other interested parties.

The department acknowledges the levy review timeframe of seven years proposed by ALEC in its levy submission , and the committee’s comment that the department consider the merits of this proposal. As agricultural levies and their review are industry driven, the department will work with ALEC at the time industry considers a review of the dairy cattle export charge is warranted. The publication Levy Guidelines: how to establish or amend agricultural levies, provides guidance to industries on how to review a levy and key points to consider when thinking about a levy review. The department has drawn this publication to ALEC’s attention.

The Australian Government thanks the committee for the time and effort put into considering the impact of the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Charge) Bill 2020.

Response

Recommendation 1
The committee recommends the Senate pass the bill.

​Response

The Government notes the committee’s recommendation.

The bill was passed by both houses of Parliament and received Royal Assent on 17 September 2020.

Additional comments from the Greens

  1. The Greens have significant and ongoing concerns about the cruelty inherent to the live export trade, including the well-documented impacts of heat stress on sheep and cattle during voyages from Australia, and experiences in destination countries. Australians have been shocked by revelations of thousands of animals dying from heat stress and overcrowding on ships and overwhelmingly want this cruelty to end. Animals continue to die on live export ships. The live export industry should be shut down.
  2. For any charge on the export of dairy cattle, all funds raised, including co‑contributions from the government should be allocated directly to animal health and welfare initiatives, and not for marketing and profitability. All animal health and welfare initiatives, including research, should be undertaken transparently, with regular public reporting and appropriate oversight.

Recommendation 1

  1. Recommendation: That all funds raised by the dairy cattle export charge, including co contributions from the government, be allocated directly to animal health and welfare initiatives, to be undertaken transparently, with regular public reporting and appropriate oversight.

Response

The Australian Government notes the preference of the Greens for the entirety of the export charge to be directed to animal health and welfare initiatives. The export charge is a request by industry, supported by industry, to fund the program of works under the Dairy Cattle Export program for its benefit. At industry’s request, the Dairy Cattle Export Program focusses on a number of key priorities including animal health and welfare, supply chain efficiency, regulatory performance, and market access for the dairy cattle export sector.


1Selection of Bills Committee, Report No. 5 of 2020, Appendix 2. (12 June 2020)
2Dairy Cattle Export Charge Industry Proposal, May 2018
3 Levy guidelines: how to establish or amend agricultural levies; Department of Agriculture 2020. agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/levies/publications

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 23 November 2021

© Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.