Victoria Grant (King River Dam) Act 1969

Legislation au C1969A00054 Not in force Act

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Victoria Grant (King River Dam)

No. 54 of 1969

An Act to grant Financial Assistance to the State of Victoria in connexion with the construction of a Dam on the King River south of Cheshunt in that State.

[Assented to 14 June 1969]

BE it enacted by the Queens Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title.

1. This Act may be cited as the Victoria Grant (King River Dam) Act 1969.

Commencement.

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

Definition.

3. In this Act, the State means the State of Victoria.

Grant of financial assistance.

4.—(1.) Subject to this Act, there are payable to the State, by way of financial assistance, amounts equal to the amounts expended by the State, after the commencement of this Act, in carrying out the works, and doing the other things, referred to in the Schedule to this Act.

(2.) The amounts paid to the State under this Act shall not exceed, in the aggregate, Four million dollars.


Power of Minister to vary description of work.

5. Where the State so requests, the Minister may from time to time, by instrument in writing, direct that this Act have effect in relation to a work referred to in the Schedule to this Act as if the description in that Schedule of that work were varied in such manner as is specified in the instrument.

Provision relating to carrying out of works.

6. The State is not entitled to financial assistance under this Act in relation to expenditure by the State, whether incurred before or after the commencement of this Act, in carrying out a particular work—

(a) where the Minister has requested the State to furnish information in relation to the design or construction of the work—unless the State has duly furnished that information;

(b) unless the Minister is satisfied that the design and construction of the work are in accordance with the purposes for which the work was proposed by the State; and

(c) where the expenditure was incurred under a contract (being a contract entered into after the commencement of this Act) providing for the expenditure of more than Five hundred thousand dollars—unless the contract was entered into with the approval of the Minister.

Information to be furnished by State in relation to expenditure.

7. The State is not entitled to financial assistance under this Act in relation to particular expenditure by the State unless the State has furnished to the Treasurer—

(a) a statement in respect of that expenditure in accordance with a form approved by the Treasurer, accompanied by a certificate of the Auditor-General of the State certifying that the expenditure shown in the statement was incurred in carrying out works, or doing other things, referred to in the Schedule to this Act; and

(b) such further information, if any, as the Treasurer requires in respect of that expenditure.

Advances.

8. The Treasurer may, at such times as he thinks fit, make advances of such amounts as he thinks fit to the State on account of an amount that may become payable under this Act to the State.

Overpayments.

9. Payment to the State under this Act of any amount (including an advance) is subject to the condition that the State will repay to the Commonwealth, on demand by the Treasurer, the amount by which, at the time of the demand, the total of the amounts (including advances) paid to the State under this Act exceeds the total of the amounts that have become payable to the State under section 4 of this Act.

Appropriation.

10. Amounts payable to the State under this Act are payable out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is appropriated accordingly.


THE SCHEDULE Section 4.

 

MATTERS IN RESPECT OF WHICH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS GRANTED

1. The construction of a dam on the King River at Horseshoe Bend south of Cheshunt, being a dam of a height sufficient to store approximately 10,000 acre-feet of water.

2. The construction of spillway and outlet works in connexion with the dam.

3. The construction of access roads to the dam and to the spillway and outlet works.

4. The relocation of roads and other services that may be affected by the storage of water in the dam.

5. The clearing of timber from the area to be covered by the water stored in the dam.

6. The carrying out of works incidental to any of the works referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this Schedule.

7. The establishment of construction camps required in connexion with the carrying out of any of the works referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this Schedule and the provision of services necessary for those camps, including the construction of roads and the provision of power, water, sewerage and telecommunication facilities.

8. The acquisition of land that is required for the carrying out of any of the works referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this Schedule or may be affected by any of those works.

 

Overview

The Victoria Grant (King River Dam) Act 1969 was enacted by the Commonwealth Parliament to provide financial assistance to the State of Victoria for the construction of a dam on the King River south of Cheshunt. The Act was introduced to address the need for significant infrastructure development in the region, particularly the construction of a dam and associated works. The primary policy objective of this Act is to support the state in undertaking major public works that would benefit the region through improved water storage and management capabilities. The Act allows for the payment of up to four million dollars in financial assistance, contingent on the provision of necessary information and approval of work designs and contracts by the Minister. This financial assistance is intended to facilitate the construction of the dam, related spillway and outlet works, access roads, relocation of affected services, and other incidental works, ensuring the project meets specified requirements and objectives.

Scope and Application

The Victoria Grant (King River Dam) Act 1969 provides financial assistance to the State of Victoria for the construction of a dam on the King River south of Cheshunt. This Act applies to the State of Victoria, with the financial assistance limited to specific works outlined in the Schedule. The Act, which came into operation upon receiving Royal Assent, grants up to four million dollars in financial aid for the construction of the dam, spillway and outlet works, access roads, relocation of affected roads and services, timber clearing, incidental works, construction camps, and land acquisition. The Minister has the power to vary the description of the work as specified, subject to the State's request. Financial assistance is contingent on the State providing necessary information and ensuring the works align with their original proposal, particularly for contracts exceeding five hundred thousand dollars, which must have the Minister's approval. The Treasurer can make advances and requires repayment in case of overpayments, with all amounts payable from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. This Act applies specifically to the State of Victoria and does not extend beyond the specified financial assistance and conditions outlined within its provisions.

Key Provisions

The Victoria Grant (King River Dam) Act 1969 (Act) provides financial assistance to the State of Victoria for the construction of a dam on the King River, south of Cheshunt. The Act, which received Royal Assent on 14 June 1969, includes specific financial assistance provisions (sections 4 and 10) and sets out the activities for which the assistance is granted (Schedule). The Act permits the Minister to vary the description of the work if requested by the State (section 5), and allows the Treasurer to make advances to the State (section 8). The State must furnish certain information and meet specific conditions to receive financial assistance (sections 6 and 7). The Act imposes several obligations on the State to be eligible for financial assistance. These include providing information to the Minister about the design or construction of the works (section 6(a)), ensuring the design and construction align with the purposes for which the works were proposed (section 6(b)), and obtaining the Minister's approval for contracts exceeding $500,000 (section 6(c)). Additionally, the State must furnish expenditure statements and an Auditor-General's certificate to the Treasurer (section 7). Failure to meet these obligations may result in the State not being entitled to financial assistance under the Act. The Act does not explicitly outline specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for breach. However, it includes provisions for the repayment of overpayments (section 9) and the appropriation of amounts payable to the State (section 10). While the Act does not state maximum penalties for breaches, the requirement to repay overpayments implies a financial penalty for non-compliance. The Act's focus is primarily on ensuring proper financial oversight and management rather than detailing punitive measures for breaches.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Environmental Law
Finance & Banking Law
Instrument
Act
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Commencement Provisions
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Enforcement Powers
Overpayments

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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.