STATUTORY RULES.
1917. No. 45.
AMENDMENT OF THE TREASURY REGULATIONS UNDER THE AUDIT ACT 1901–1912.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following amendments of the Treasury Regulations under the Audit Act 1901–1912 to come into operation forthwith.
Dated the twenty-eighth day of February, One thousand nine hundred and seventeen.
R. M. FERGUSON,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
JOHN FORREST,
Treasurer.
__________
Clause 107a to be amended by the insertion after the words “Invalid and Old-age Pensions” of the words “War Pensions, allotment of pay of members of Naval and Military Forces on active service.”
A new clause, clause 107b, reading as follows, to be inserted after clause 107a:—
“Clause 107b. Moneys payable in respect of the Commonwealth Government line of steamers shall be paid from the Commonwealth Public Account into the Commonwealth Government Line of Steamers Trust Account at the Commonwealth Bank. An amount payable under this clause shall be included in an account in Form 29b which, when duly certified, shall be forwarded to the Sub-Treasury, accompanied by Form 18 signed by the Authorizing Officer.”
Clause 118 to be amended by adding “107b” after “107a”.
A new clause to be added to the Regulations, as follows:—
“155.—The Treasurer may, by writing under his hand, delegate to any other person, any of the powers conferred on the Treasurer by these Regulations.”
Form No. 29b (Clause l07b). Departmental Registration Number Treasury Voucher Number.
THE COMMONWEALTH PUBLIC ACCOUNT.
Dr. to The Commonwealth Government Line of Steamers Trust Account.
Head of Expenditure to which the | | Trust Fund-Commonwealth Government |
account is chargeable | line of Steamers Account. |
For pounds shillings and pence (£ : : ), being the amount of advance approved by the Treasurer.
________
I certify that this account is correct. I direct that the amount be paid to the credit of the Commonwealth Government Line of Steamers Trust Account at the Commonwealth Bank,
Certifying Officer.
Date
_________
(Bank receipt for payment of the account to be attached hereto by the Treasury Paymaster.)
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Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
C.2113.—Price 3d.
Overview
The Statutory Rules of 1917, specifically No. 45, introduces amendments to the Treasury Regulations under the Audit Act 1901–1912. Enacted by the Governor-General with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, these amendments aim to address the need for more efficient financial management and allocation of funds, particularly in relation to war pensions and the Commonwealth Government Line of Steamers. The Treasury Regulations were updated to include provisions for the allotment of pay for members of the Naval and Military Forces on active service, as well as to ensure the payment of moneys in respect of the Commonwealth Government Line of Steamers is managed through a designated trust account at the Commonwealth Bank. This legislative instrument reflects the government’s policy objective to streamline financial processes and enhance accountability in the allocation of public funds during a period of significant national expenditure.
Scope and Application
The Legislative Instrument, Statutory Rules 1917 No. 45, pertains to amendments of the Treasury Regulations under the Audit Act 1901–1912. This Act applies to the Commonwealth of Australia and is enacted to modify existing regulations concerning financial matters within the federal government. Specifically, it extends to War Pensions, allotment of pay for members of Naval and Military Forces on active service, and moneys payable in respect of the Commonwealth Government line of steamers. These changes are intended to ensure that specific funds are directed into designated accounts, namely the Commonwealth Government Line of Steamers Trust Account at the Commonwealth Bank, and to streamline the process of accounting for these funds by requiring the use of specific forms such as Form 29b and Form 18. Additionally, the Act grants the Treasurer the authority to delegate certain powers to other individuals, thereby facilitating administrative efficiency. The amendments come into effect immediately, as stipulated by the Governor-General, and encompass the addition and modification of clauses within the Treasury Regulations to reflect these changes.
Key Provisions
The Statutory Rules 1917, No. 45 amends the Treasury Regulations under the Audit Act 1901–1912. The main changes include the addition of new clauses and the amendment of existing ones. Specifically, Clause 107a has been updated to include "War Pensions, allotment of pay of members of Naval and Military Forces on active service" (Clause 107a). Additionally, Clause 107b has been inserted to detail the payment of moneys for the Commonwealth Government line of steamers, which must be transferred from the Commonwealth Public Account into the Commonwealth Government Line of Steamers Trust Account at the Commonwealth Bank. This payment must be documented on Form 29b and certified before being sent to the Sub-Treasury with Form 18 signed by the Authorising Officer (Clause 107b). Clause 118 has also been amended to include the new Clause 107b.
The amendments impose several obligations on the relevant parties. Firstly, the Treasurer must ensure that moneys for War Pensions and the allotment of pay for active service members are included in the Commonwealth Public Account. Secondly, the Treasurer must oversee the transfer of funds for the Commonwealth Government line of steamers into the designated trust account, ensuring all relevant forms are completed and certified correctly. Additionally, the Treasurer has the power to delegate any of their powers under these Regulations to another person by written notice (Clause 155).
Violations of these provisions may lead to various consequences. While the specific offences and penalties are not detailed in the text, breaches of the Audit Act 1901–1912 or the Treasury Regulations could potentially result in civil or criminal penalties. These might include fines or other sanctions as prescribed by relevant legislation. The exact penalties would depend on the nature and severity of the breach, as well as any additional laws that apply.