Victoria Grant (River Murray Salinity) Act 1968

Legislation au C1968A00034 Not in force Act

Legislation content

Victoria Grant (River Murray Salinity)

No. 34 of 1968

An Act to grant Financial Assistance to the State of Victoria in connexion with Measures to reduce the Salinity of the River Murray.

[Assented to 13 June 1968]

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.

1. This Act may be cited as the Victoria Grant (River Murray Salinity) Act 1968.

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 on or after the twenty-first day of December, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven, in carrying out the works, and doing the other things, referred to in the Schedule to this Act.

(2.) The amounts payable to the State under this Act shall not exceed, in the aggregate, Three million six hundred thousand 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 shall 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 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 burnished to the Treasurer—

(a) a statement in respect of that expenditure in 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(1.).

MATTERS IN RESPECT OF WHICH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS GRANTED

Part I.

1. The construction at Lake Hawthorne near Mildura of a pumping station with the capacity to pump water at the rate of approximately twenty cubic feet per second by means of the works referred to in the next succeeding paragraph.

2. The construction of works to convey saline water to evaporating basins at a distance of approximately seven miles from the pumping station.

3. The construction of embankments to provide evaporating basins having a total area of approximately three thousand acres.

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

5. The acquisition of land required for the carrying out of any of the works referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this Part of this Schedule, and the payment of compensation for land affected by any of those works.

The Schedule—continued

Part II.

1. The construction near Kerang of two diversion weirs.

2. The construction at Barr Creek near Kerang of a pumping station with the capacity to pump water at the rate of approximately sixty cubic feet per second by means of the works referred to in the next succeeding paragraph.

3. The construction of works to convey saline water to Lake Tutchewop at a distance of approximately six miles from the pumping station and to evaporating basins between the pumping station and Lake Tutchewop.

4. The construction of works to divert floodwaters from the evaporating basins.

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

6. The acquisition of land required for the carrying out of any of the works referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this Part of this Schedule, and the payment of compensation for land affected by any of those works.

 

Overview

The Victoria Grant (River Murray Salinity) Act 1968 was enacted to provide financial assistance to the State of Victoria for measures aimed at reducing the salinity of the River Murray. The Act was passed by the Parliament of Australia and received Royal Assent on 13 June 1968. The problem it was introduced to address was the increasing salinity in the River Murray, which posed a significant risk to the agricultural productivity and environmental health in the region. The policy objective of the Act was to support the State of Victoria in implementing works to mitigate the salinity levels in the River Murray, thus contributing to the overall management and conservation of the river. The Act outlines the provision of financial assistance up to a maximum of three million six hundred thousand dollars, contingent upon the State meeting certain conditions, including the provision of detailed information about the works undertaken and the approval of contracts exceeding five hundred thousand dollars.

Scope and Application

The Victoria Grant (River Murray Salinity) Act 1968 is a Commonwealth Act that provides financial assistance to the State of Victoria for specific works aimed at reducing the salinity of the River Murray. This Act applies to the State of Victoria and covers expenditures incurred by the state for works related to the construction of pumping stations, conveyance of saline water, embankments for evaporating basins, and land acquisition. The financial assistance is capped at three million six hundred thousand dollars in total. The Act outlines conditions under which financial assistance can be claimed, such as the requirement for the state to provide information and obtain ministerial approval for certain contracts. Additionally, the Act permits the Minister to vary the description of the works as needed, subject to the state's request and ministerial approval. The Act’s application is limited to specific works outlined in the Schedule and is subject to the furnishing of necessary information and adherence to prescribed conditions.

Key Provisions

The Victoria Grant (River Murray Salinity) Act 1968 (referred to as the Act) provides financial assistance to the State of Victoria for specific measures aimed at reducing the salinity of the River Murray. The key operative sections of this Act include the grant of financial assistance (section 4), conditions under which the assistance can be withheld (section 6), and the authority of the Minister to modify the description of work (section 5). The Act also outlines the requirements for providing information and approvals related to the expenditure on these works (sections 6 and 7). Under the Act, the State of Victoria is entitled to receive financial assistance from the Commonwealth for specific works aimed at reducing the salinity of the River Murray, as detailed in the Schedule to the Act. The financial assistance is limited to a maximum aggregate amount of Three million six hundred thousand dollars (section 4). The Act stipulates that the State must provide necessary information and obtain approval from the Minister for certain works, particularly those involving contracts over Five hundred thousand dollars (section 6). Additionally, the State must furnish statements and certificates regarding the expenditure, as approved by the Treasurer (section 7). The Act imposes several obligations on the State of Victoria, including the requirement to furnish information about the design and construction of the works to the Minister (section 6(a)). The Minister must be satisfied that the design and construction of the works align with the purposes for which they were proposed (section 6(b)). For contracts exceeding Five hundred thousand dollars, the State must obtain the Minister's approval before incurring such expenditure (section 6(c)). Moreover, the State must provide detailed statements and relevant certificates to the Treasurer regarding the expenditure (section 7). Breach of the obligations and requirements outlined in the Act can lead to civil and financial consequences. Specifically, the State is required to repay any overpayments made under the Act, including advances, to the Commonwealth upon demand by the Treasurer (section 9). The Act also specifies that any payment made to the State is subject to the condition that the State will repay any excess amounts, ensuring financial accountability and compliance with the Act's provisions.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Environmental Law
Instrument
Act
Concepts
Commencement Provisions
Grant of financial assistance
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

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.