Aboriginal Education (Supplementary Assistance) Amendment Act 1991

Overview

The Aboriginal Education (Supplementary Assistance) Amendment Act 1991 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to address the need for supplementary financial assistance to support Aboriginal education programs. This Act amends the Aboriginal Education (Supplementary Assistance) Act 1989 to provide appropriations for the years 1991 and 1992, and to establish a mechanism for calculating the deflator percentage to adjust funding based on changes in the cost of living. The policy objective of the Act is to ensure that adequate financial resources are available to support the education of Aboriginal students and to maintain the real value of the funding provided under the principal Act.

Scope and Application

The Aboriginal Education (Supplementary Assistance) Amendment Act 1991 applies to the provisions and funding outlined in the Aboriginal Education (Supplementary Assistance) Act 1989, amending specific appropriations and definitions within that Act. This legislation operates at the Commonwealth level, impacting the allocation of funds for supplementary assistance to support Aboriginal education initiatives. The Act modifies the appropriations for the years 1991 and 1992, specifying exact amounts and introducing a deflator percentage for calculating the appropriation for 1992. It also amends the definition of certain terms used in the Principal Act, such as "relevant publication" and the "1991 deflator percentage," which are critical for the accurate calculation of financial adjustments. The Act's provisions extend to ensuring that the appropriation for 1992 disregards any cents in the final amount, thereby rounding down to the nearest whole dollar.

Key Provisions

The Aboriginal Education (Supplementary Assistance) Amendment Act 1991 amends the Aboriginal Education (Supplementary Assistance) Act 1989. The key provisions of this amendment include the appropriations for the years 1991 and 1992, as detailed in section 3. For the year 1991, the appropriation is set at $75,929,500. For the year 1992, the appropriation is defined as $65,288,900 plus the 1991 deflator percentage of the same amount, as specified in section 3(a)(c)(ii). The deflator percentage is calculated according to the formula in section 13(2), using the deflators from the Australian National Accounts for the financial years 1989-90 and 1990-91, and adjusted if necessary as per section 13(3). The Act imposes obligations on the government to ensure the appropriations are allocated as specified. It requires adherence to the deflator calculation outlined in section 13 to determine the precise amount to be appropriated for 1992. The definitions and calculations are designed to provide clarity and consistency in the funding process for Aboriginal education supplementary assistance. Failure to comply with the requirements of this Act may lead to financial mismanagement and could result in civil or administrative consequences. While the Act does not explicitly state penalties, non-compliance with appropriation laws generally can lead to legal scrutiny and potential financial penalties. The precise consequences would depend on the nature and extent of the breach, but it could include financial penalties, audits, and other corrective measures to ensure compliance with the statutory requirements.