Supplementary Appropriation (Works and Buildings) Act 1914-15

Overview

The Supplementary Appropriation (Works and Buildings) Act 1914-15 was enacted in 1917 to address the need for additional funding beyond what was initially allocated for the financial year ending 30 June 1915. This Act was passed by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia. It sought to appropriate a further sum of £42,630 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for various purposes, including additions, new works, and buildings across multiple government departments. The allocation was intended to facilitate critical infrastructure projects and administrative needs, thereby supporting the ongoing operations and expansion of government services during a period of heightened activity and national expenditure. The enacted body responsible for this Act was the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, which recognised the necessity to augment the initial appropriations to meet emerging demands and strategic priorities. The policy objective was to ensure that essential works and buildings projects were funded adequately, thus enabling the efficient functioning of government departments and the execution of public services.

Scope and Application

The Supplementary Appropriation (Works and Buildings) Act 1914-15 is an Act of the Commonwealth of Australia, designed to allocate additional funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1915, towards additions, new works, and buildings. This Act applies to various departments of the Commonwealth, including the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Defence, the Department of External Affairs, and the Department of Trade and Customs. The funds appropriated are intended for specific projects across different states, such as the acquisition of a site for the Commonwealth Bank in Sydney, the construction of a naval college at Jervis Bay, and the purchase of a shed for customs launch crew in South Australia, among others. The jurisdictional reach of the Act is national, encompassing multiple states and territories, with allocations made for various projects and services outlined in the attached schedule. No specific exclusions or exemptions are mentioned in the text, but the Act does detail the allocation of funds to specific departments and projects, which may implicitly restrict the application to those outlined. The Act’s application may be further extended or specified through subordinate instruments, although these are not mentioned in the provided text.

Key Provisions

The Supplementary Appropriation (Works and Buildings) Act 1914-15 (section 1) provides for the appropriation of a sum of £42,630 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the year ending 30 June 1915. This sum is to be used for additions, new works, and buildings as detailed in the Schedule to the Act (section 2). The Schedule specifies the distribution of funds among various departments, including the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Defence, the Department of External Affairs, and the Department of Trade and Customs. For example, under the Department of Home Affairs, £16,233 is allocated for various projects, including the acquisition of a site for the Commonwealth Bank in Sydney and the construction of post office buildings in New South Wales and Victoria. The Act imposes obligations on the relevant departments to utilise the appropriated funds strictly for the purposes specified in the Schedule. Each department must account for the expenditure of these funds to ensure that they are spent in accordance with the legislative intent. For instance, the Department of Home Affairs is required to use its allocated funds for the acquisition of sites and the construction of post office buildings, as detailed in the Schedule. Similarly, the Department of Defence must use its funds for the establishment of a naval college and the construction of a wireless station on Woodlark Island. Breaches of the obligations outlined in the Act may result in civil or criminal consequences. While the Act itself does not explicitly detail specific penalties for non-compliance, general principles of Australian law would apply. This could include legal action for misappropriating public funds, which could result in fines or imprisonment. The severity of the penalties would depend on the nature and extent of the breach, as well as the specific provisions of other relevant legislation. For example, misappropriating public funds could lead to charges under the Crimes Act 1914, which carries potential penalties including fines and imprisonment. The maximum penalties would be determined by the specific circumstances of the breach and the discretion of the court.