24Producers to furnish returns of costs

24 Producers to furnish returns of costs

(1) A producer shall, within 6 months after the end of each accounting period of the producer that falls, or part of which falls, within the bounty period, furnish a return setting out particulars of the factory cost incurred by the producer in relation to bountiable equipment A manufactured, and bountiable equipment B modified, in that accounting period by the producer. (2) A return under subsection (1) in respect of bountiable equipment shall: (a) be in accordance with the appropriate approved form; (b) include such information as is, and such estimates as are, required by the form; (c) be signed and witnessed as required by the form; and (d) be lodged with a Collector for a State or Territory or with the CEO. (3) The CEO may, by notice signed by the CEO, require a producer who has furnished a return under subsection (1) to provide, within a period specified in the notice (not being a period of less than one month), a certificate, signed by a qualified accountant approved by the CEO for the purpose, to the effect that the particulars set out in the return are correct. (4) Without limiting the generality of subsection (3), the CEO, in considering whether a producer should be required to furnish a certificate under that subsection, shall have regard to: (a) the extent of the claims for bounty made by the producer in the relevant accounting period of the producer; (b) the expense involved in obtaining the certificate; and (c) the relativity of those claims with that expense. (5) The CEO shall not refuse to approve a qualified accountant for the purposes of subsection (3) in relation to a producer of bountiable equipment unless the CEO is satisfied that it is not appropriate to approve the accountant because of an association between the accountant and the producer. (6) A producer shall not refuse or fail to comply with subsection (1) or (2) to the extent that the producer is capable of complying with it.

Penalty for contravention of this subsection: $1,000.