A.C.C. levies ‘unfair’

Press, 17 December 1988, Page 4

A.C.C. levies ‘unfair’

By

JOHN HARFORD

Rural contractors are unhappy with the new Accident Compensation Corporation levy rates, which they claim penalise them unfairly. Agricultural and spraying contractors say the rate announced this week meant they would be paying 350 per cent more in levies than in 1986. The chairman of the rural associated section of the Contractors’ Federation, Mr lan McDonald, said the industry had suffered extensively from the “ravages of Rogernomics.” “On top of that, we have been forced to accept punitive increases in our A.C.C. levies. In the agricultural contracting category that covers 90 per cent of our members,

the rate has increased from $1.45 to $6.55.” He said farmers could do contracting work, such as fencing, sheep dipping, spraying, harvesting and haymaking without having to pay the $6.55 levy. Mr McDonald said there was a lot of merit in a flat-rate system. The Meat Industry Association also favoured a flat rate, said a spokesman, Mr Michael Player. Although the levy for freezing works had dropped 5c to $5.75, fellmongeries would have to face an increase from $4.60 to $10.40. Mr Player said the huge increases covered only a small number of people but it more than outweighed the 5c drop over the much larger number of people employed in freezing works.