Western Australia Grant (Beef Cattle Roads) Act 1962

Overview

The Western Australia Grant (Beef Cattle Roads) Act 1962 was enacted by the Commonwealth Parliament to provide financial assistance to the State of Western Australia for works related to roads used for the transport of beef cattle in the northern part of the state. This legislation aims to support the infrastructure necessary for the beef cattle industry, ensuring the roads in the northern region are suitable for the transport of beef cattle. The Act specifies the maximum financial assistance that can be provided over the period of four years, with a decreasing cap from £700,000 for the first year to £750,000 for subsequent years. Additionally, the Act outlines the conditions under which the Commonwealth can approve works, sets standards for design and construction, and requires statements of expenditure to be submitted by Western Australia for the payment of the grant.

Scope and Application

The Western Australia Grant (Beef Cattle Roads) Act 1962 is a legislative instrument enacted to facilitate the appropriation of a grant originated in the House of Representatives for the purpose of providing financial assistance to the State of Western Australia for specific works related to roads intended for the transport of beef cattle. This Act applies to the years ending on the thirtieth day of June 1963 and each of the next three succeeding years. It exclusively applies to the northern part of the State of Western Australia, which is defined as the area north of the twentieth parallel of south latitude. The Act allows the State to request approval from the Commonwealth for specified works related to roads in this designated area, with the Treasurer having the authority to approve these works. The Commonwealth provides financial assistance to the State in the form of amounts equal to the expenditures made by the State on these approved works, subject to certain limits and conditions. For instance, the annual cap on payments is set at £700,000 for the first year and £750,000 for the subsequent years, and the total payments over the four years cannot exceed half of the total expenditures on all approved works. Additionally, the Act includes provisions for the approval of design and construction standards, the submission of expenditure statements, and the exclusion of certain expenditures from being considered under another act, the Commonwealth Aid Roads Act 1959. The Act also covers the issuance of advances by the Treasurer and the repayment of overpayments by the State.

Key Provisions

The Western Australia Grant (Beef Cattle Roads) Act 1962 primarily provides financial assistance to the State of Western Australia for specific road works designed for the transport of beef cattle. Section 1 establishes the act’s short title, while section 2 dictates that the Act comes into operation upon receiving Royal Assent. Section 3 defines key terms, including the geographic scope of the Act by referring to the northern part of the State and the term ‘the State’ itself. The Act applies to the year ending on 30 June 1963, and the subsequent three years as per section 4. Section 5 allows the State to request Commonwealth approval for specific road works, which the Treasurer can then approve on behalf of the Commonwealth. Financial assistance is detailed in section 6, specifying the amounts payable to the State for approved works, subject to annual and aggregate expenditure limits. Standards for design and construction are established in section 7, and the Treasurer has the authority to direct that payments be withheld if approved standards are not met. Section 8 requires the State to submit statements of expenditure, accompanied by a certificate from the State’s Auditor-General, to be eligible for payments under the Act. Section 9 excludes certain expenditures from being considered under the Commonwealth Aid Roads Act 1959. Advances can be made to the State under section 10, and overpayments must be repaid to the Commonwealth as per section 11. Finally, section 12 appropriates payments from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. The Act imposes several obligations on the State of Western Australia and the Commonwealth. The State must request and obtain approval for specified road works as per section 5 and must adhere to the approved standards of design and construction as per section 7. The State is obligated to submit accurate statements of expenditure, including a certificate from the State’s Auditor-General, within six months of the expenditure being made, as per section 8. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in the withholding of payments. The Commonwealth, through the Treasurer, has the duty to approve works, approve standards, and make payments or advances, but retains the authority to direct that payments be withheld for non-compliance with approved standards. The Act delineates potential consequences for non-compliance. If the State incurs expenditure on works that do not comply with the approved standards of design and construction, the Treasurer may direct that payments under the Act shall not be made in respect of that expenditure as per section 7. Additionally, overpayments made to the State must be repaid to the Commonwealth upon demand by the Treasurer as per section 11. The Act does not explicitly state penalties for breach of its provisions, but the withholding of payments and the requirement to repay overpayments serve as significant deterrents and consequences for non-compliance.