States Grants (Drought Reimbursement)

No. 30 of 1968

An Act to make provision for the Grant of Financial Assistance to the States of Victoria and South Australia for the purpose of meeting the Cost of Measures for Alleviating the Effects of Drought.

[Assented to 7 June 1968]

BE it enacted by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title.

1.  This Act may be cited as the States Grants (Drought Reimbursement) Act 1968.

Commencement.

2.  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

Interpretation.

3.  A reference in this Act to the cost to a State of measures taken for the purpose of alleviating the effects of drought includes a reference to the amounts of loans made for that purpose by the State or out of moneys provided by the State.

Financial assistance before 1 July 1968.

4.—(1.)     Subject to this section, the Treasurer may authorize the payment to a State specified in the Schedule to this Act, by way of financial assistance, of amounts not exceeding in the aggregate the cost to the State, during the period to which this section applies, of measures taken for the purpose of alleviating the effects of drought.

(2.)  Payments to a State under this section shall not exceed in the aggregate the amount specified in the Schedule to this Act opposite to the name of that State, less any other payments made by the Commonwealth to the State, by way of financial assistance for the purpose of meeting the cost of drought relief measures, during the period to which this section applies.

(3.)  Payments under this section, and advances in respect of such payments, shall be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is appropriated accordingly.

(4.)  In this section, “the period to which this section applies” means the period that commenced on the first day of October, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven, and ends on the thirtieth day of June, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight.

Financial assistance on or after 1 July 1968.

5.—(1.)     Subject to this section, the Treasurer may authorize the payment to a State specified in the Schedule to this Act, by way of financial assistance, of amounts not exceeding in the aggregate the cost to the State, on or after the first day of July, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight, of measures taken for the purpose of alleviating the effects of drought.

(2.)  Payments to a State under this section in a financial year shall not exceed in the aggregate the sum of the amounts appropriated by the Parliament for the purposes of payments under this Act to that State during that financial year.

Conditions.

6.—(1.)     Payment of an amount (including an advance) to a State under this Act is subject to such conditions, if any, as the Treasurer determines.

(2.)  The conditions that may be determined by the Treasurer under the last preceding sub-section may include a condition as to repayment of the whole or a part of the amount.

Advances.

7.  The Treasurer may, at such times as he thinks fit, out of moneys lawfully available, make advances to a State of such amounts as he thinks fit on account of an amount that may become payable under section 4 or section 5 of this Act to that State.

THE SCHEDULE                                     Sections 4 and 5.