States Grants (Pre-school Teachers Colleges)
No. 32 of 1971
An Act to amend the States Grants (Pre-school Teachers Colleges) Act 1968.
[Assented to 17 May 1971]
[Date of commencement 14 June 1971]
BE it enacted by the Queen’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 States Grants (Pre-school Teachers Colleges) Act 1971.
(2.) The States Grants (Pre-school Teachers Colleges) Act 1968 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.
(3.) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the States Grants (Pre-school Teachers Colleges) Act 1968–1971.
Definitions.
2. Section 3 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting from the definition of “the prescribed period” the words “thirtieth day of June, One thousand nine hundred and seventy-one” and inserting in their stead the words “thirty-first day of December, One thousand nine hundred and seventy-two”.
Reports by the Minister.
3. Section 9 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting sub-section (1.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-section:—
“(1.) The Minister shall cause a statement to be laid before each House of the Parliament as soon as practicable after the end of each year in the prescribed period and as soon as practicable after the thirty-first day of December, One thousand nine hundred and seventy-two, setting out the payments that have been authorized by him under this Act during that year, or during the period ending on the thirty-first day of December, One thousand nine hundred and seventy-two, as the case may be, and specifying the building projects in relation to which the payments have been so authorized.”
Overview
The States Grants (Pre-school Teachers Colleges) Act 1971, enacted on 17 May 1971 and commenced on 14 June 1971, was introduced to amend the States Grants (Pre-school Teachers Colleges) Act 1968. This Act was enacted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia to address specific deficiencies within the original Act, particularly concerning the prescribed period for certain provisions and the reporting obligations of the Minister. The primary objective of this legislation was to extend the prescribed period and to modify the reporting requirements to ensure that payments authorized under the Act were transparently and effectively communicated to the Parliament. The Act amended the definition of "the prescribed period" to extend it until 31 December 1972 and revised the Minister's reporting obligations to include detailed statements on payments authorized under the Act for each year and the period ending on 31 December 1972.
Scope and Application
The States Grants (Pre-school Teachers Colleges) Act 1971 applies to the administration and funding of pre-school teachers colleges in the participating Australian states, providing a mechanism for the Commonwealth to offer financial assistance towards these institutions. The Act amends the original States Grants (Pre-school Teachers Colleges) Act 1968, extending the prescribed period for which grants can be authorised, now concluding on the 31st of December, 1972. The Minister for Education is required to report annually on the payments made under the Act, ensuring transparency and accountability in the distribution of funds. The Act’s reach is national, impacting all states that participate in the scheme, and it does not explicitly state any exclusions or exemptions, thereby applying broadly to all eligible pre-school teachers colleges within the specified timeframe. Any further detail or clarification regarding the administration and application of the Act may be found in subordinate instruments issued by the relevant authorities.
Key Provisions
The States Grants (Pre-school Teachers Colleges) Act 1971 introduces amendments to the States Grants (Pre-school Teachers Colleges) Act 1968. Section 1 of the Act provides for the citation of the amended legislation, referring to the original act as the "Principal Act" and indicating that the amended act may be cited as the "States Grants (Pre-school Teachers Colleges) Act 1968–1971." Section 2 makes a significant amendment to the definition of "the prescribed period" by changing the end date from 30 June 1971 to 31 December 1972. This alteration affects the timeframe during which certain provisions of the Principal Act apply.
Under the Act, the Minister is mandated to lay a statement before each House of the Parliament detailing the payments authorised under the Act. As per Section 3, this statement must be provided as soon as practicable after the end of each year within the prescribed period and also after 31 December 1972. The statement must specify the building projects for which payments have been authorised, ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of grants for pre-school teacher colleges.
The Act imposes several obligations on the Minister. Firstly, the Minister must ensure that a statement is laid before Parliament annually during the prescribed period and also after 31 December 1972. This statement must accurately reflect the payments authorised and the associated building projects. The requirement for prompt reporting ensures that Parliament and the public are kept informed about the allocation and use of funds. Non-compliance with these reporting obligations could lead to scrutiny and potential legal consequences.
The Act does not explicitly outline specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for breaches of its provisions. However, failure to comply with the reporting obligations could potentially lead to legal challenges, questioning the legitimacy of the payments made and the projects funded. Additionally, if the Minister's actions are deemed to be in breach of parliamentary procedures or the spirit of the Act, there could be broader political and administrative repercussions, though these are not specified within the text of the Act itself.