From 1 January 2021, the Emergency Plant Pest Response (EPPR) levy component on logs produced from exotic softwood trees of the genus Pinus sp. felled in a plantation (forest growers levy) will decrease from 5 cents per cubic metre to nil. The total levy rate will decrease from 10.5 cents per cubic metre to 5.5 cents per cubic metre.
The EPPR levy was activated on 1 July 2016 to repay the Australian Government for costs paid on the industries’ behalf for costs incurred as part of the nationally cost-shared emergency response to giant pine scale that commenced in 2015 under the EPPR Deed. This has now been repaid in full.
Changes to the levy rates are shown in the table below:
| Leviable logs | Current levy rate (up to 31 December 2020) |
New levy rate (commencing 1 January 2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Plantation Logs – Exotic Softwood (Pinus sp.) | 10.5 cents per m3 | 5.5 cents per m3 |
| Plantation Logs - Others | 5.5 cents per m3 | 5.5 cents per m3 |
| Other Logs | 5 cents per m3 | 5 cents per m3 |
GST does not apply to Australian Government levies and charges.
Information on lodging your returns
Quarterly returns
A forest growers levy agent who submit quarterly returns should submit these returns as usual, use the new levy rate for all future returns starting with your January to March 2021 quarterly return – due on or before 28 April 2021.
Annual returns (financial year)
You may be eligible to submit an annual return if you are a forest growers levy agent, producer or processor who is liable to pay less than $1,000 forest growers levy in a financial year. You will be required to report two (2) separate rates in your 2020-21 annual return:
- use the current levy rate for all transaction from 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2020
- use the new levy rate for all transaction from 1 January 2021 to 30 June 2021
You can access information about the forest growers levy on the department's website.
Who can I contact if I have questions about this notice?
If you have any questions about this notice, your levies account or how to lodge your return, please contact the Levies Helpdesk via email: levies.management@awe.gov.au or call us on 1800 020 619 and leave your contact details.