APPROPRIATION (UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF).
No. 13 of 1936.
An Act to grant and apply out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund a sum for the purposes of the Grant of Financial Assistance to the States.
[Assented to 27th May, 1936.]
Preamble.
BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, for the purpose of appropriating the grant originated in the House of Representatives, as follows:—
Short title.
1. This Act may be cited as the Appropriation (Unemployment Relief) Act 1936.
Appropriation.
2. There shall be payable out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is hereby appropriated accordingly, for the purposes of this Act, the sum of Four hundred and fifty-one thousand five hundred pounds.
Grants to States for assistance of metalliferous mining and forestry.
3.—(1.) Subject to this Act, there are hereby granted to each State, by way of financial assistance during the financial years ending the thirtieth day of June, One thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven and the thirtieth day of June, One thousand nine hundred and thirty-eight, amounts not exceeding the amounts respectively specified in the second and third columns of the Schedules to this Act opposite to the name of that State.
(2.) Any amount granted to a State by this section and specified in the First Schedule to this Act is granted upon condition that it is used by the State, in such manner and subject to such conditions as the Treasurer approves, in providing, for the purpose of relieving unemployment, assistance to the metalliferous mining industry.
(3.) Any amount granted to a State by this section and specified in the Second Schedule to this Act is granted upon condition that it is used by the State, in such manner and subject to such conditions as the Treasurer approves, in providing, for the purpose of relieving unemployment, assistance to forestry.
Method of Payment to States.
4. Any amount granted to a State by this Act shall be paid to that State at such times and in such manner as the Treasurer approves.
THE SCHEDULES. Section 3.
THE FIRST SCHEDULE.
Amounts which may be granted to the States to Provide Assistance to the Metalliferous Mining Industry.
Column 1. | Column 2. | Column 3. |
State. | Financial Year 1936–37. | Financial Year 1937–38. |
| £ | £ |
New South Wales................... | 19,600 | 13,600 |
Victoria......................... | 27,000 | 18,700 |
Queensland....................... | 35,600 | 24,900 |
South Australia.................... | 12.800 | .. |
Western Australia................... | 34,600 | 9,800 |
Tasmania........................ | 10,400 | 3,000 |
Total.................. | 140,000 | 70,000 |
THE SECOND SCHEDULE.
Amounts which may be granted to the States for the Purposes of Forestry.
Column 1. | Column 2. | Column 3. |
State. | Financial Year 1936–37. | Financial Year 1937–38. |
| £ | £ |
New South Wales.................. | 25,000 | 12,500 |
Victoria......................... | 50,000 | 25,000 |
Queensland...................... | 15,000 | 7,500 |
South Australia.................... | 8,500 | 4,250 |
Western Australia.................. | 50,000 | 25,000 |
Tasmania........................ | 12,500 | 6,250 |
Total.................... | 161,000 | 80,500 |
Overview
The Appropriation (Unemployment Relief) Act 1936 was enacted to address the economic challenges faced by Australia during the Great Depression, particularly focusing on unemployment relief. This Act was passed by the Commonwealth Parliament and involves the appropriation of funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to provide financial assistance to the states. The policy objective of the Act is to support specific industries, namely metalliferous mining and forestry, to alleviate unemployment through targeted state-administered programs. The Act appropriates a total sum of Four hundred and fifty-one thousand five hundred pounds, which is to be distributed among the states under conditions approved by the Treasurer, ensuring the funds are used effectively for the intended relief purposes.
Scope and Application
The Appropriation (Unemployment Relief) Act 1936 pertains to the allocation of funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the financial years ending 30th June 1937 and 30th June 1938, aimed at providing relief to the metalliferous mining and forestry industries to combat unemployment. The act grants specified amounts to each state, contingent on the approval of the Treasurer regarding the method and conditions under which these funds are to be used. These grants are intended to support the metalliferous mining and forestry sectors as part of broader unemployment relief efforts. The act's scope extends across all states in Australia, as evidenced by the detailed schedules listing the specific amounts for each state. The Act does not explicitly state exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds, but the grants are subject to the conditions set by the Treasurer, which could implicitly set boundaries on their application. The Act's application is further managed through the Treasurer's discretion in the method and timing of payments, allowing for flexibility in implementation.
Key Provisions
The Appropriation (Unemployment Relief) Act 1936 (section 2) establishes an appropriation of Four hundred and fifty-one thousand five hundred pounds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to be used for financial assistance to the states. This appropriation is intended to provide relief to the metalliferous mining and forestry industries, both of which are struggling with unemployment during the specified financial years ending on 30 June 1937 and 30 June 1938.
Under section 3 of the Act, the specific amounts that can be granted to each state are detailed in two schedules. The First Schedule specifies the maximum amounts for grants to be used for assistance to the metalliferous mining industry, while the Second Schedule provides the maximum amounts for grants to be used for forestry. The grants are conditional upon the approval of the Treasurer regarding the manner and conditions of use. These grants are to be paid to the states at times and in the manner approved by the Treasurer (section 4).
The Act imposes obligations on the states to use the grants in accordance with the conditions approved by the Treasurer. Specifically, the grants for the metalliferous mining industry and forestry must be applied strictly for the intended purpose of relieving unemployment within those sectors. Furthermore, the states are required to comply with the Treasurer's directives on the timing and method of payment of the grants.
Breach of the conditions attached to the grants or failure to comply with the Treasurer's directives may lead to legal consequences. While the Act does not explicitly detail offences, penalties, or specific consequences for non-compliance, the nature of the appropriation and the conditional grants suggests that failure to adhere to the stipulated conditions could result in the withholding of funds or other enforcement actions by the Commonwealth. The precise penalties or consequences would be determined in accordance with the relevant laws and administrative practices in place at the time.