Appropriation Act (No. 2) 1965-66

Overview

The Appropriation Act (No. 2) 1965–66 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to address the need for the appropriation of funds for various services and departments within the Commonwealth of Australia for the financial year ending on 30 June 1966. This Act was passed to facilitate the allocation of a total sum of £238,544,000 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to cover the specified expenditures outlined in the Second Schedule, ensuring that the Commonwealth could continue its operations and services as required. The policy objective of this Act was to provide the necessary financial resources for the Commonwealth's administrative, developmental, and operational activities as outlined in the schedules. The Act received Royal Assent on 12 November 1965 and came into effect on the same day.

Scope and Application

The Appropriation Act (No. 2) 1965–66 is a Commonwealth Act that authorises the appropriation and subsequent expenditure of funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for specified services within the year ending on the 30th of June 1966. The Act applies to the Commonwealth Government and its departments and services, business undertakings, and territories under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth. The Act authorises the Treasurer to issue and apply the sum of £143,518,000 for services as outlined in the Second Schedule. The Act further appropriates an additional £238,544,000 as authorised by the Supply Act (No. 2) 1965–66 and this Act, which is to be applied for the services detailed in the Second Schedule. The Act applies nationally and to the territories under the Commonwealth’s jurisdiction. There are no exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds explicitly stated in the text of the Act, though the application of the appropriated funds may be subject to further direction through subordinate instruments.

Key Provisions

The Appropriation (No. 2) 1965-66 Act primarily deals with the appropriation of funds for certain expenditures within the financial year ending 30 June 1966. Section 3 authorises the Treasurer to issue a specific sum, £143,518,000, from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to be applied towards the services outlined in the Second Schedule for that year. This section explicitly grants the Treasurer the authority to allocate these funds as specified. Section 4 then confirms the appropriation of the total amount authorised by this Act and the Supply Act (No. 2) 1965-66, amounting to £238,544,000, for the same services and period. This section ensures that the funds are officially designated for use from 1 July 1965. The Act imposes obligations on the Treasurer to manage and allocate the funds as outlined in the schedules. The Treasurer must ensure that the £143,518,000 issued under Section 3 is strictly applied to the services listed in the Second Schedule, including departments, business undertakings, and territories of the Commonwealth. These obligations are to be carried out in accordance with the financial year that starts on 1 July 1965, as specified in Section 4. The Act also implicitly requires the Treasurer to maintain accurate records of the issued funds and their applications to ensure compliance with the appropriation. There are no explicit offences, penalties, or consequences detailed within the Act for breaches of its provisions. However, any misuse or improper allocation of the appropriated funds could potentially lead to legal and administrative consequences. Given the nature of the Act, breaches could result in financial mismanagement charges, leading to civil or criminal penalties as per other relevant legislation governing public funds and financial management in Australia. The specifics of such penalties would depend on the broader legal context in which the breach occurs.