Supplementary Appropriation (Works and Buildings) Act 1938-39

Overview

The Supplementary Appropriation (Works and Buildings) Act 1938–39, enacted in 1940, was introduced to provide an additional appropriation out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the financial year ending 30 June 1939. This Act was enacted by the Parliament of Australia, reflecting a policy objective to allocate further funds for various public works and buildings, including defence works, infrastructure for government departments, and business undertakings. The Act ensures that the specified sum of £91,368 is appropriated for designated purposes, as outlined in the schedule attached to the Act. This allocation was intended to support critical infrastructure and services in response to the needs of the period, particularly given the context of global events that influenced the demand for public works and defence preparations.

Scope and Application

The Supplementary Appropriation (Works and Buildings) Act 1938–39 pertains to the allocation of funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the fiscal year ending 30 June 1939. This Act appropriates a total sum of £91,368 for various purposes, including additions, new works, and buildings across several Commonwealth departments and services. The allocation is divided into three main parts: departments and services excluding business undertakings and territories of the Commonwealth, business undertakings, and territories of the Commonwealth. Specifically, the funds are designated for the Parliament, Prime Minister’s Department, Department of the Treasury, Department of the Interior, and Department of Defence, as well as for business undertakings like Commonwealth Railways and the Postmaster-General’s Department, and for territories such as the Australian Capital Territory. This legislation applies to these specified entities and services within the Commonwealth of Australia, ensuring that the allocated funds are utilised appropriately for the outlined purposes.

Key Provisions

The Supplementary Appropriation (Works and Buildings) Act 1938-39 (sections 1 and 2) serves to allocate an additional sum of £91,368 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the fiscal year ending on June 30, 1939, specifically for the purposes of additions, new works, and buildings. This allocation is to be accounted for under the appropriations made in the Appropriation (Works and Buildings) Act 1938-39, effective from the commencement date of this Act, which is July 2, 1940. The funds are distributed across various departments and services, including those that are not business undertakings or territories of the Commonwealth, business undertakings, and the territories of the Commonwealth. The Act imposes specific obligations on the various departments and services to ensure that the allocated funds are utilised in accordance with the purposes specified in the Act. For example, the Department of the Interior is responsible for managing the allocation for Governor-General's establishments, which includes buildings, works, sites, fittings, and furniture. Similarly, the Department of Defence is tasked with overseeing the allocation for defence works in Darwin. The Postmaster-General's Department must ensure that funds are used for telegraph and miscellaneous services, as well as for the national broadcasting service. These departments are required to report on the use of these funds in a manner consistent with the Act. The Act does not explicitly outline specific offences, penalties, or consequences for breaches of its provisions. However, any misuse or misallocation of the funds would likely be subject to general financial mismanagement laws and regulations, which could result in civil or criminal penalties. These could include fines, imprisonment, or both, depending on the severity of the breach. The maximum penalties would be determined by the applicable laws governing public financial management and fraud within the Commonwealth.