Summary
Part of a package of three bills in relation to rural research and development, the bill amends: the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989 to: require research and development corporations (RDCs) to enter into a funding agreement with the Commonwealth before the end of the 2013-14 financial year; enable individual fisheries industry levies to be collected and matched subject to a relevant industry cap; amend the process for selecting board members for statutory RDCs; include marketing activities in the role of RDCs; and amend the long and short titles of the Act; the Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997, Horticulture Marketing and Research and Development Services Act 2000, Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989 and Wool Services Privatisation Act 2000 to standardise ministerial delegation rules for industry-owned RDCs; the Dairy Produce Act 1986 and Wool Services Privatisation Act 2000 to enable the minister to give written directions to the industry and research bodies in certain circumstances; the Wool Services Privatisation Act 2000 to: enable the research body to use certain funds for marketing activities; and provide that the timing of the wool levy poll is prescribed in regulations; six Acts to enable the Commonwealth to match voluntary contributions made to RDCs by businesses for research and development; and nine Acts to make technical amendments.