Appropriation (East Timor) Act 1999-2000

Overview

The Appropriation (East Timor) Act 1999-2000 No. 180, enacted by the Parliament of Australia on 22 December 1999, was designed to address the urgent financial requirements stemming from Australia's involvement in East Timor during the fiscal year ending 30 June 2000. This Act aimed to appropriate funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to cover specific expenditures related to the deployment of the Australian Defence Force and humanitarian efforts in East Timor. The primary objective was to provide the necessary financial resources to support both military operations and development assistance in response to the crisis in East Timor, ensuring that Australia could effectively contribute to the region's stability and reconstruction during this period. The Act also included provisions for unforeseen expenditures, allowing the Minister for Finance to allocate additional funds if required, up to a specified limit.

Scope and Application

The Appropriation (East Timor) Act 1999-2000 is a specific legislative measure designed to facilitate financial allocations for certain expenditures related to East Timor for the fiscal year ending on 30 June 2000. This Act applies to the Commonwealth of Australia and authorises the appropriation of funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to cover designated expenses incurred by the Department of Defence and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). Specifically, it allocates $860 million for Defence-related costs and $60 million for AusAID's humanitarian, reconstruction, and development efforts in East Timor, with a restriction on AusAID's departmental expenses not exceeding $728,000. The Act also allows for an additional appropriation of up to $175 million for unforeseen expenses, subject to approval by the Minister for Finance. This Act's appropriations are supplementary to any other appropriations made by other Acts, thereby ensuring comprehensive funding coverage for the specified purposes.

Key Provisions

The Appropriation (East Timor) Act 1999-2000 No. 180, 1999, primarily appropriates funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to meet specific expenses related to East Timor during the financial year ending on 30 June 2000. Section 3 appropriates $860 million for the Department of Defence to cover expenses, acquisition of assets, or payment of liabilities incurred before 1 July 2000 in relation to the deployment of the Defence Force in East Timor and the generation of additional forces to sustain the deployment. Section 4 allocates $60 million to the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) for expenses related to humanitarian, reconstruction, and development needs in East Timor, as well as supporting the operations of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor. Notably, no more than $728,000 of this amount can be used for AusAID's departmental expenses, acquisition of assets, or payment of liabilities. The Act imposes specific obligations and requirements on the parties it governs. For the Department of Defence, this involves ensuring that the appropriated funds are used strictly for the purposes outlined in Section 3, which includes deployment-related expenses before 1 July 2000. Similarly, AusAID is required to utilize the funds allocated in Section 4 for humanitarian, reconstruction, and development needs in East Timor, and for supporting the operations of the United Nations Transitional Administration. Section 5 allows the Finance Minister to provide an additional advance if unforeseen expenditure is required, subject to certain conditions and limitations. The Finance Minister must ensure that any additional amounts do not exceed the total limit of $175 million and must provide details of these amounts to Parliament. The Act also outlines potential consequences for breaches of its provisions. While specific offences, penalties, or consequences are not detailed within the Act, the legislative framework implies that misuse of appropriated funds could lead to financial misconduct or mismanagement. The Act’s provisions for additional unforeseen expenditure (Section 5) come with stringent oversight requirements, including reporting to Parliament, which suggests a high level of accountability and potential scrutiny. Any misuse or mismanagement of funds could result in severe administrative, civil, or even criminal penalties, depending on the nature and extent of the breach. The overarching principle is that the appropriated funds must be used for their intended purposes, and any deviation could have serious ramifications.