It was also proposing a 71% increase in the safety levy paid by agricultural operators, against forecast expenditure over the next three years of $155.3 million. It also needed more income to support expected wage and salary increases, and help it to administer policy around drones and the Agricultural Operations Safety Levy. The CAA said its main source of revenue for its regulatory safety function came from levies on airlines charged per passenger on departure. An increase to the Agricultural Operations Safety Levy was needed to counter the loss of half a million dollars in Crown funding. Michelle said the agricultural operations safety levy should apply more to aircraft applying sprays and not fertiliser, but the levy was a blanket charge, which meant operators were being unfairly targeted.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 26, 2019 21:00 UTC