NEW SOUTH WALES GRANT (DROUGHT RELIEF).
No. 43 of 1947.
An Act to grant and apply out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund a Sum for the purpose of making a Grant to the State of New South Wales for the purpose of Drought Relief.
[Assented to 12th June, 1947.]
[Date of commencement, 10th July, 1947.]
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 New South Wales Grant (Drought Relief) Act 1947.
Definitions.
2. In this Act—
“cereal crops” means crops of wheat, oats or barley or wheaten or oaten hay;
“the State” means the State of New South Wales.
Payment for financial assistance.
3. There shall be payable out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is hereby appropriated accordingly, the amount payable in accordance with this Act, but not exceeding in the whole the sum of Seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds, for the purpose of financial assistance to the State.
Allocation of grant.
4. The amount payable under this Act shall be such amount as the Governor-General determines, but no such determination shall be made until after the Minister has conferred with the Premier of the State concerning the amount to be paid.
Conditions of grant.
5. The amount granted and paid under this Act shall be paid to the State upon condition—
(a) that it is applied by the State, in a manner approved by the Minister, for the purpose of the alleviation of hardship suffered, in consequence of drought, by persons concerned in the production of cereal crops; and
(b) that an equal amount will be made available by the State and that the amount so made available will be applied by the State for the same purpose, and in the same manner, as the amount payable to the State under this Act.
Overview
The New South Wales Grant (Drought Relief) Act 1947 was enacted to address the pressing issue of drought-induced hardship in New South Wales by providing financial assistance to the state. Enacted by the Commonwealth Parliament, the Act was designed to offer relief specifically to those involved in the production of cereal crops, such as wheat, oats, barley, and related hays, who were severely impacted by drought conditions. The Act established a grant from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, up to a maximum of £750,000, to be paid to the state, contingent upon its allocation for the relief of drought-affected cereal crop producers. The policy objective of this Act was to ensure that the financial assistance provided by the Commonwealth would be matched by an equal amount from the state, thereby enhancing the overall impact of the relief efforts.
Scope and Application
The New South Wales Grant (Drought Relief) Act 1947 applies to the State of New South Wales and is concerned with the appropriation of funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to provide financial assistance for drought relief. The act applies to the relief of hardship suffered by individuals involved in the production of cereal crops due to drought conditions. The application of the grant is subject to conditions that require the State to match the Commonwealth’s contribution and apply the funds for the specified purpose, which is the alleviation of hardship related to drought. The geographic reach of this Act is confined to the state of New South Wales, with no mention of broader application across other states or territories. The act does not explicitly state any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds but implies that the allocation and application of the grant are subject to approval by the Minister, thereby extending or restricting its application through the ministerial determination process.
Key Provisions
The New South Wales Grant (Drought Relief) Act 1947 primarily establishes the framework for a financial grant to the State of New South Wales to be used for drought relief (section 3). The Act allows for an appropriation from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, with the total amount not exceeding £750,000 (section 3). The Governor-General determines the specific amount to be paid, but this determination can only be made after the Minister consults with the Premier of New South Wales regarding the required amount (section 4). The grant must be used to alleviate the hardship suffered by those involved in the production of cereal crops, such as wheat, oats, barley, or their respective hays (section 5(a)). Additionally, the State must commit an equal amount of funds for the same purpose and in the same manner as the grant received (section 5(b)).
The Act imposes several obligations on the parties involved. The Minister is required to consult with the Premier of New South Wales before determining the amount to be granted (section 4). Once the amount is determined, the State must ensure that the grant is used strictly for the alleviation of hardship caused by drought in the production of specified cereal crops (section 5(a)). Furthermore, the State is obligated to match the grant amount with its own funds, applying these matched funds for the same purpose and in the same manner as the grant (section 5(b)).
There are no explicit offences or penalties mentioned in the Act for non-compliance with its provisions. However, the failure to adhere to the conditions stipulated in section 5 could potentially lead to the recovery of the funds or other legal consequences as determined by the courts. This is because the Act specifies that the grant is conditional upon its use for the stated purposes and the State's matching contribution. While the Act does not outline specific penalties, any misuse of the grant could be subject to legal action to recover the funds or other judicial remedies.