MAIN ROADS DEVELOPMENT.
No. 17 of 1925.
An Act relating to Main Roads Development.
[Assented to 14th September, 1925.]
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 and citation.
1.—(1.) This Act may be cited as the Main Roads Development Act 1925.
(2.) Section one of the Main Roads Development Act 1924-1925 is amended by omitting from sub-section (3.) thereof the figures “1925” and inserting in their stead the figures “1924”.
(3.) The Main Roads Development Act 1923-1924 is, in this Act, referred to as the Principal Act.
(4.) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Main Roads Development Act 1923-1925.
Commencement.
2. This Act shall be deemed to have commenced on the thirtieth day of June One thousand nine hundred and twenty-five.
Appropriation.
3. Section three of the Principal Act is amended by omitting therefrom the words “One million pounds” and inserting in their stead the words “One million seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds”.
Payment of appropriation to Trust Account.
4. Section four of the Principal Act is amended by omitting from sub-section (3.) thereof the words “Upon the commencement of this Act”.
Grants to States.
5. Section five of the Principal Act is amended by inserting therein before the word “Schedule” the word “First”.
6. After section six of the Principal Act the following section is inserted:—
Additional payments for reconditioning or strengthening.
“6a.—(1.) In addition to the amounts payable under section five of this Act, the Minister may, subject to this Act, pay from the Trust Account established in pursuance of this Act, to the Government of each State of the Commonwealth, amounts not exceeding those respectively specified in the Second Schedule to this Act.
“(2.) Any payment made under this section shall be for the purpose of reconditioning or strengthening existing main roads to which this Act applies.”.
Details of proposals.
7. Section eight of the Principal Act is amended by inserting in paragraph (a) thereof, after the words “proposed roads”, the words “(or, as the case may be, of the proposed reconditioning”, or strengthening of existing main roads)”.
Schedule.
8. The Principal Act is amended by omitting the Schedule thereto and inserting in its stead the following Schedules:—
“SCHEDULES.
First Schedule.
“The First Schedule.
Maximum amount which may be paid to each State:— | £ |
New South Wales....................................... | 414,000 |
Victoria.............................................. | 270,000 |
Queensland........................................... | 282,000 |
South Australia......................................... | 171,000 |
Western Australia....................................... | 288,000 |
Tasmania............................................. | 75,000 |
Second Schedule.
“The Second Schedule.
Maximum amount which may be paid to each State:— | £ |
New South Wales....................................... | 69,000 |
Victoria.............................................. | 45,000 |
Queensland........................................... | 47,000 |
South Australia......................................... | 28,500 |
Western Australia....................................... | 48,000 |
Tasmania............................................. | 12,500.” |
Overview
The Main Roads Development Act 1925 was enacted by the Commonwealth Parliament to address the need for improved infrastructure in Australia's main road networks. The Act amended the existing Main Roads Development Act 1923-1924, increasing the appropriation amount and adjusting the payment structure to the states for the development and reconditioning of main roads. The Act also introduced additional payments for the reconditioning or strengthening of existing main roads, with specific amounts allocated to each state based on their needs. The policy objective was to enhance the efficiency and safety of the main road networks across Australia by providing necessary funds and resources for road development and maintenance.
Scope and Application
The Main Roads Development Act 1925 applies to the governments of each State within the Commonwealth of Australia, specifically those of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. It provides for the appropriation of funds to be used for the development and reconditioning or strengthening of main roads. The Act amends and builds upon the Main Roads Development Act 1923-1924, referred to as the Principal Act, by adjusting the appropriation amount and introducing additional payments for the reconditioning or strengthening of existing main roads. The Act’s jurisdiction is limited to the states within the Commonwealth of Australia, and it does not extend to territories or external areas. The Act allows the Minister to make payments from a Trust Account established in pursuance of this Act to the State governments for the specified purposes. Subordinate instruments may further detail the implementation and administration of these provisions.
Key Provisions
The Main Roads Development Act 1925, as amended, makes several key changes to the existing Main Roads Development Act 1923-1924. It amends the appropriation amount from One million pounds to One million seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds (sections 1 and 3). It also modifies the payment schedule for grants to states, specifying that payments are to be made from the Trust Account and not upon the commencement of the Act (sections 4 and 5). Additionally, the Act introduces new provisions for additional payments for the reconditioning or strengthening of existing main roads, with specified maximum amounts for each state detailed in the Second Schedule (sections 6 and 6a).
The Act imposes specific obligations on the Minister, who is responsible for making payments from the Trust Account to the governments of each state for the purposes outlined in the Act (section 6a). These obligations include ensuring that any additional payments made under section 6a are strictly for the reconditioning or strengthening of existing main roads (section 6a(2)). The Act also mandates the inclusion of details of proposals for road development or reconditioning in the submission to the relevant authorities (section 7). These obligations are designed to ensure that the funds are used appropriately and effectively for the intended infrastructure improvements.
Failure to comply with the provisions of the Act may result in various consequences. While the Act does not explicitly detail specific offences or penalties, breaches of the obligations and requirements could potentially lead to legal actions under general principles of contract law or administrative law. For instance, if the Minister fails to adhere to the specified purposes for which funds are to be used, this could be challenged in court. Additionally, if funds are misappropriated, this could result in civil or criminal liability, depending on the nature and intent of the breach. The penalties for such breaches would depend on the specific circumstances and applicable laws at the time of the breach.