States Grants (Imported Houses) Act 1950

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STATES GRANTS (IMPORTED HOUSES).

No. 66 of 1950.

An Act to make provision for the Grant of Financial Assistance to the States in connexion with the Importation of Houses into Australia.

[Assented to 14th December, 1950.]

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 States Grants (Imported Houses) Act 1950.

Commencement.

2. This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

Definitions.

3. In this Act—

“costs”, in relation to imported houses, means the sum of the costs incurred or to be incurred in obtaining, transporting, importing and erecting the houses;

“housing authority”, in relation to a State, means a person or body—

(a) appointed under, or constituted by, an Act of the Parliament of the State; and

(b) nominated by the State and approved by the Minister as a housing authority for the purposes of this Act;

“the Commonwealth and State Housing Agreement” means the agreement between the Commonwealth and the States executed in accordance with the Commonwealth and State Housing Agreement Act 1945.

Financial assistance to the States.

4.—(1.) Subject to this Act, there shall be payable to each State, as financial assistance, in relation to the importation of houses after the twelfth day of October, One thousand nine hundred and forty-nine, by the State or by a housing authority of the State, amounts determined in accordance with this section.

(2.) The first payment to a State under this Act shall be an amount equal to—

(a) the amount (if any) by which the costs of the imported houses in respect of which the payment is made exceed the costs which would have been incurred in building the same number of comparable houses, not being imported houses, at the places and times at which the imported houses have been, or are to be, erected; or

(b) an amount calculated at the rate of Three hundred pounds for each of those imported houses,

whichever is the less.

(3.) The amount of each subsequent payment to a State under this Act shall be determined by ascertaining the amount which would be payable to the State under this Act if no previous payment had been made, and deducting from that amount the sum of the amounts previously paid.

(4.) If the Minister so determines, the amounts of the payments to be made to a State shall be ascertained by calculating separately the amounts that would be payable under the preceding provisions of this section in relation to houses imported by the State and by each housing authority of the State if the State, or that authority, as the case may be, were the sole importer of houses into the State.

Maximum number of houses.

5. The number of houses in respect of which payments under this Act are made shall not exceed thirty thousand.

Houses to be approved by Minister.

6. Payment shall not be made under this Act in respect of any imported houses unless the houses are approved, either before or after their importation, by the Minister.

Conditions of payments.

7. A payment to a State under this Act in respect of any imported houses shall be made upon the following conditions:—

(a) in the selection of the areas in which the houses are to be erected, primary consideration shall be given to the housing requirements of areas in which coal or steel is produced or in which other activities essential for national development are carried on;

(b) in the allocation of the houses, by way of lease or sale, preference shall be given to workers engaged, or to be engaged, in the production of coal or steel or in other activities essential for national development and, subject to that preference, the houses shall be allocated in accordance with the provisions contained in clause nine of the Commonwealth and State Housing Agreement; and

(c) such other conditions relating to the houses as the Minister determines, including conditions relating to the sale of the houses.

Powers of Minister.

8. The Minister may determine—

(a) the manner in which a claim by a State for a payment under this Act shall be made;

(b) the times at which such payments shall be made;

(d) any other matter relevant to the administration of this Act.

Delegation.

9.—(1.) The Minister may, in relation to any particular matter or class of matters, or to any particular State, by writing under his hand delegate to any person all or any of his powers or functions under this Act (except this power of delegation), so that the delegated powers or functions may be exercised by the delegate with respect to the matter or class of matters, or to the State, specified in the instrument of delegation.

(2.) Every delegation under this section shall be revocable at will and no delegation shall prevent the exercise of any power or function by the Minister.

Appropriation.

10. The Consolidated Revenue Fund is, to the extent of an amount not exceeding Nine million pounds, hereby appropriated for the purposes of payments under this Act.

Overview

The States Grants (Imported Houses) Act 1950 was enacted to address the need for financial assistance to the states for the importation of houses into Australia. The Act was introduced by the Commonwealth Parliament to support housing initiatives that would facilitate the post-war recovery and national development, particularly in areas related to coal and steel production, and other essential industries. The primary policy objective was to provide financial support to the states for the importation of prefabricated houses, ensuring these were allocated to areas and workers critical for national development. This was achieved by offering grants to states, subject to certain conditions, to cover the costs of importing and erecting these houses, thereby supplementing local housing efforts and addressing housing shortages in strategically important regions.

Scope and Application

The States Grants (Imported Houses) Act 1950 applies to each state in Australia and any housing authorities appointed by the states, providing financial assistance for the importation of houses. The Act's financial assistance applies to costs incurred in obtaining, transporting, importing and erecting houses, with payments subject to certain conditions such as prioritizing housing for areas where coal or steel is produced or other activities essential for national development. Payments are limited to a maximum of thirty thousand houses and must be approved by the Minister. The Act allows for the Minister to determine the method and timing of payments and to delegate powers as necessary, with appropriations up to Nine million pounds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. This legislation was enacted to support housing initiatives in Australia post-World War II, reflecting the urgency and national importance of providing adequate housing.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the States Grants (Imported Houses) Act 1950 (sections 4 and 5) establish the conditions and parameters under which financial assistance is provided to states for the importation of houses. Section 4 specifies the amounts payable to states for imported houses, ensuring that the payments are calculated based on either the difference in costs between imported and locally built houses or a fixed rate of £300 per house, whichever is less. It also details how subsequent payments should be determined by deducting previous payments from the amount that would be payable if no previous payments had been made. Section 5 caps the total number of houses eligible for financial assistance under this Act at 30,000. The Act imposes several obligations on the parties it governs. States and housing authorities must ensure that any imported houses for which they seek financial assistance are approved by the Minister (section 6). Payments are conditional upon certain criteria being met, including prioritising areas with housing needs in industries essential for national development and allocating houses preferentially to workers in these industries (section 7). Additionally, states and housing authorities must comply with any other conditions set by the Minister, such as those relating to the sale of the houses. Violations of the provisions set out in the Act can result in various consequences. Although specific offences and penalties are not detailed in the provided text, breaches of the conditions for payment or failure to comply with ministerial directives could potentially lead to financial penalties or the withholding of further payments. The Act also grants the Minister broad powers to determine the manner of claims, payment schedules, and calculation methods (section 8), and allows for the delegation of powers to other persons (section 9), ensuring that the administration of the Act remains flexible and efficient. The Act’s appropriation limit of £9 million (section 10) also underscores the financial framework within which these obligations and potential penalties operate.

Area of Law: Finance & Banking Law; Property Law
Instrument: Act
Concepts: Definitions & Interpretation; Commencement Provisions; Conditions of payments; Powers of Minister

Interactions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.

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