States Grants (Drought Assistance) Act (No. 2) 1966

Overview

The States Grants (Drought Assistance) Act (No. 2) 1966 was enacted to provide financial assistance to the states of New South Wales and Queensland to compensate for the loss of revenue due to the effects of drought. Enacted by the Queen, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, this Act came into operation on the day it received Royal Assent. The policy objective is to alleviate the financial strain on these states, which suffered significant revenue losses due to drought conditions. The financial assistance provided under this Act is to be paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, ensuring the designated funds are allocated specifically for this purpose as outlined in the accompanying schedule. This legislative response aimed to support the affected states in managing the economic repercussions of drought.

Scope and Application

The States Grants (Drought Assistance) Act (No. 2) 1966 applies specifically to the states of New South Wales and Queensland, providing them with financial assistance to compensate for revenue losses incurred due to the effects of drought. The legislation mandates that the specified financial assistance be paid during the financial year commencing on 1 July 1966. The amounts to be provided are outlined in the schedule attached to the Act, with New South Wales receiving $8,000,000 and Queensland receiving $2,750,000, totalling $10,750,000. The payments are to be made from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is appropriately allocated for this purpose. The Act is confined to the Commonwealth jurisdiction, directly impacting the specified states by providing necessary financial support to mitigate the economic effects of drought conditions. The legislation does not explicitly state any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds, nor does it extend its application through subordinate instruments.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the States Grants (Drought Assistance) Act (No. 2) 1966 (the Act) detail the financial assistance to be granted to the states of New South Wales and Queensland to compensate for revenue losses due to drought effects. Section 3 specifies the amount of assistance payable to each state, with New South Wales to receive $8,000,000 and Queensland $2,750,000, totalling $10,750,000 for the year commencing 1 July 1966. The Act, which comes into operation on the day it receives Royal Assent as stated in section 2, ensures that these payments are made from the Consolidated Revenue Fund as per section 4. The Act imposes specific obligations on the parties involved. The Commonwealth of Australia, through the Treasury, is obligated to disburse the specified financial assistance to New South Wales and Queensland, as outlined in section 3. The states, in turn, are entitled to receive the compensation as specified in the schedule to the Act. The obligation to make payments from the Consolidated Revenue Fund is also clearly articulated in section 4, ensuring that the necessary funds are appropriated for this purpose. The Act does not explicitly outline specific offences, penalties, or consequences for non-compliance with its provisions. However, non-compliance with the Act's requirements could potentially lead to civil or administrative consequences, given the statutory nature of the obligations. In practice, failure to make the specified payments or misappropriating funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund could be subject to scrutiny and legal action, although such consequences are not detailed within the Act itself. The Act primarily focuses on ensuring the timely and appropriate distribution of financial assistance to the affected states.