EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

 

Select Legislative Instrument 2009 No. 9

 

 

Issued under the authority of the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government

 

Marine Navigation Levy Collection Act 1989

 

Marine Navigation Levy Collection Amendment Regulations 2009 (No. 1)

 

The Marine Navigation Levy Collection Act 1989 (the Act) provides for the collection of the marine navigation levy which funds the maintenance and management of Australia’s national network of aids to navigation.

 

Section 12 of the Act provides that the Governor‑General may make regulations, not inconsistent with the Act, prescribing matters required or permitted by the Act to be prescribed, or necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the Act.

 

Section 7 of the Act provides that the marine navigation levy is payable in respect of specified ships on the first day of each quarter. Subsection 8(4) provides that the levy, which must be paid to a Collector of Customs, may be paid:

(a) personally; or

(b) by post addressed to the Collector; or

(c) as otherwise prescribed.

 

The amending Regulations provide that, for purposes of paragraph 8(4)(c) of the Act, payment of the marine navigation levy to the Collector may be made by electronic funds transfer. This will facilitate the payment of the levy by ship owners and agents.

 

The amending Regulations also correct a spelling error.

 

The amending Regulations are a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.

 

No formal consultation was undertaken in relation to these amendments as they are of a minor or machinery nature and do not substantially alter existing arrangements.

 

The amending Regulations commenced on the day after they were registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.