Commonwealth of Australia Explanatory Memoranda Commonwealth of Australia Explanatory Memoranda[Index] [Search] [Download] [Bill] [Help]
2016
THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Amendment) (Tagging Live-stock) Bill 2016
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
and
STATEMENT OF COMPATIBILITY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS
Circulated by authority of
Andrew Wilkie MP
Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Amendment) (Tagging Live-stock) Bill 2016
OUTLINE
This bill seeks to ensure that all live-stock exported from Australia are fitted with an electronic tag
and that data from the tag is captured at all stages of the export supply chain in order to improve
traceability and transparency in the live export industry. The bill strengthens and reiterates in
legislation the current mandated tagging that applies to exported cattle under the National
Livestock Identification System and also extends the requirement to exported sheep and other
live-stock. The bill responds to community concern about the welfare of exported live-stock and
deficiencies in the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System, but also responds to concern among
exporters and producers about the future sustainability of the industry.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The bill will have no financial impact.
NOTES ON CLAUSES
Clause 1: Short Title
1. This clause is a formal provision and specifies the short title of the Bill as the Australian
Meat and Live-stock Industry (Amendment) (Tagging Live-stock) Bill 2016.
Clause 2: Commencement
2. This clause provides for the commencement of Sections 1 to 3 of the Act the day the Act
receives Royal Assent, and the commencement of Schedule 1 of the Act on 1 January 2018.
Clause 3: Schedules
3. This clause establishes that, as the intent of the Bill is to be realised through amendments
to another Act, the Schedules of this Bill will amend that Act accordingly.
Schedule 1
Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997
Item 1: After section 16
1. Item 1 inserts a section 16A into the Act that specifies that a live-stock export license is
subject to certain conditions.
2. Subclause (a) specifies that all live-stock exported must be fitted with an electronic
identification tag of a kind approved by the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.
3. Subclause (b) specifies that data from the tag must be collected and recorded each time
that the live-stock enters or exits a vessel or vehicle, feedlot or slaughter facility.
Subclauses (b)(i) to (b)(vii) identify in detail what events need to occur for the data to be
recorded.
4. Subclause (c) specifies that data collected under subclause (b) is to be made available to
the Secretary upon request.
Item 2: Application
5. Item 2 makes it clear that the amendments made by item 1 apply to export licenses that
are already in place when the Schedule commences, and not just to licenses issued in the
future.
STATEMENT OF COMPATIBILITY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS
Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011
Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Amendment) (Tagging Live-stock) Bill 2016
This bill is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the
international instruments listed in section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act
2011.
Overview of the bill
This bill seeks to ensure that all live-stock exported from Australia are fitted with an electronic tag
and that data from the tag is captured at all stages of the export supply chain in order to improve
traceability and transparency in the live export industry.
Human rights implications
This bill does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms.
Conclusion
This bill is compatible with human rights because it does not raise any human rights issues.
Andrew Wilkie MP