PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE.
No. 79 of 1951.
An Act to amend the Commonwealth Public Works Committee Act 1913–1947.
[Assented to 11th December, 1951.]
[Date of commencement, 8th January, 1952.]
BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—
Short title and citation.
1.—(1.) This Act may be cited as the Public Works Committee Act 1951.
(2.) The Commonwealth Public Works Committee Act 1913–1947, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Public Works Committee Act 1913–1951.
Conditions precedent to commencing public works.
2. Section fifteen of the Commonwealth Public Works Committee Act 1913–1947 is amended by inserting after sub-section (6.) the following sub-section:—
“(6a.) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, the Governor-General may, at any time when the Parliament is not in session or the House of Representatives is adjourned for a period exceeding one month or for an indefinite period, refer to the Committee, for inquiry and report to the House of Representatives, a proposed work the estimated cost of which exceeds Twenty-five thousand pounds, and, upon receipt of the report, the House of Representatives shall deal with the matter as provided in the last preceding sub-section.”.
3. Sections thirty-six, thirty-seven, thirty-eight and thirty-nine of the Commonwealth Public Works Committee Act 1913–1947 are repealed and the following sections inserted in their stead:—
Allowances
“36.—(1.) The Chairman and other members of the Committee shall be paid such allowances as are prescribed.
“(2.) The prescribed allowances are payable, upon the certificate of the Chairman or of the Vice-Chairman of the Committee, out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is appropriated accordingly.
Limitation of annual expenditure.
“37.—(1.) The total amount paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund in respect of allowances payable under the last preceding section shall not exceed Five thousand pounds in any financial year.
“(2.) Where, in any financial year, the amount of Five thousand pounds would, but for sub-section (1.) of this section, be exceeded, a proportionate abatement, to be determined by the Treasurer, shall be made in the sums payable, so as to reduce the amount so payable to the sum of Five thousand pounds.”.