WAR PENSIONS APPROPRIATION.
No. 65 of 1938.
An Act to grant and apply out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund a sum for War Pensions.
[Assented to 10th December, 1938.]
Preamble.
BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, for the purpose of appropriating the grant originated in the House of Representatives, as follows:—
Short title.
1. This Act may be cited as the War Pensions Appropriation Act 1938.
Commencement.
2. This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.
Appropriation of £10,000,000 for war pensions.
3. There shall be payable out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is hereby appropriated accordingly, for the purposes of the Trust Account established under the Audit Act 1901–1934 and known as the War Pensions Fund, the sum of Ten million pounds for war pensions.
Overview
The War Pensions Appropriation Act 1938 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to address the financial needs of war pensioners following World War I. This Act was introduced to provide a substantial appropriation of £10,000,000 for the payment of war pensions, ensuring that those who had served and were in need of financial support received the necessary funds. The policy objective of this Act was to establish and facilitate the timely payment of pensions to eligible veterans through the War Pensions Fund, which was managed under the Audit Act 1901–1934. The Act came into operation immediately upon receiving Royal Assent, thereby enabling the prompt allocation of the appropriated funds to meet the pension obligations.
Scope and Application
The War Pensions Appropriation Act 1938 applies to the appropriation of funds for the provision of war pensions. It is a Commonwealth Act that authorises the payment of £10,000,000 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund into the War Pensions Fund established under the Audit Act 1901–1934. This Act applies to the Commonwealth of Australia and provides the necessary financial resources to support war pensions, thus directly affecting individuals who are eligible for such pensions, such as veterans and their dependants. The Act's scope is limited to the appropriation of specified funds for war pensions and does not extend to other forms of government support or pensions. While the Act itself does not detail specific exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds, any further application and administration of the war pensions would be governed by other related legislation and regulations.
Key Provisions
The War Pensions Appropriation Act 1938 (sections 1–3) is a legislative instrument enacted to allocate funds for war pensions from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. Section 1 provides the act with a short title, while section 2 states that the act will come into operation on the day of Royal Assent. The primary purpose of the act, outlined in section 3, is the appropriation of £10,000,000 for the War Pensions Fund, established under the Audit Act 1901–1934. This fund is designated to disburse war pensions.
The Act imposes certain obligations and requirements on the parties involved. The government, as the appropriating authority, must ensure that the specified sum is allocated to the War Pensions Fund. This fund, established under the Audit Act 1901–1934, has the responsibility to manage and distribute these funds appropriately to eligible war pensioners. Furthermore, the Act mandates that these funds must be used exclusively for the intended purpose of providing war pensions.
The Act does not explicitly detail specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for breaches of its provisions. However, breaches of the appropriation process or misuse of the allocated funds could potentially lead to legal scrutiny and consequences under broader public finance and audit legislation. These might include penalties for misappropriating public funds, fraud, or other related offences, although the specific penalties would be governed by the applicable laws at the time of the breach.