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2002-2003-2004
THE PARLIAMENT OF THE
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES
FINANCIAL
FRAMEWORK
LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL
2004
EXPLANATORY
MEMORANDUM
(Circulated by authority of the Minister for
Finance and Administration,
Senator the Honourable Nick Minchin)
Table of Contents
Abbreviation or
Common Term |
Full Term or Description
|
Agency
|
An agency that is subject to the FMA Act, that is a Department of
State, a Department of the Parliament or a prescribed Agency under the
Financial Management and Accountability Regulations 1997
|
CAC Act
|
Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997
|
CAC Act authority
|
A statutory authority that is subject to the CAC Act
|
CAF
|
Commercial Activities Fund – abolished on 1 July 1999 by
the FMLA Act 99
|
CRF
|
Consolidated Revenue Fund
|
Draft FFLA Bill
|
Exposure Draft of the Financial Framework Legislation Amendment
Bill, dated 18 February 2003, examined in JCPAA Report 395
|
FFLA Bill
|
Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Bill 2004
|
Finance
|
Department of Finance and Administration
|
Finance Minister
|
Minister for Finance and Administration – previously the Minister for
Finance
|
FMA Act
|
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997
|
FMLA Act 99
|
Financial Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999
|
JCPAA
|
Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit
|
JCPAA Report 395
|
Report 395 of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit, Inquiry
into the Draft Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Bill, tabled 20
August 2003
|
RMF
|
Reserved Money Fund – abolished on 1 July 1999 by the
FMLA Act 99
|
Financial
Framework
Legislation Amendment
Bill 2004
1. The Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Bill 2004
(FFLA Bill) proposes amendments to 112 Acts and the repeal of 28
Acts.
2. The main purposes of the proposed amendments are
to:
• align the financial management provisions of 73 Acts with
provisions of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997
(FMA Act) which were amended by the Financial Management Legislation
Amendment Act 1999 (FMLA Act 99). The amendments to the
FMA Act were part of the adoption, by the Commonwealth, of the accrual
budgeting and reporting framework on 1 July 1999;
• add to
the information requirements for a determination made by the Minister for
Finance and Administration (Finance Minister) that establishes a Special Account
under section 20 of the FMA Act;
• transfer from the Treasurer to
the Finance Minister powers and functions, in 25 Acts, to approve investments,
money raising and guarantees for specific entities that are legally separate
from the Commonwealth, and to provide the Finance Minister with power to
delegate these powers and functions;
• update, clarify and align other
financial management and reporting provisions.
1. Acts proposed for
repeal are redundant. If they were not repealed they would require amendment as
a consequence of the FMLA Act 99.
2. The amendments and repeals
of Acts are contained in three Schedules:
• Schedule 1 covers
amendments relating to the FMLA Act 99 and Special
Accounts;
• Schedule 2 covers other amendments; and
• Schedule
3 covers the repeal of Acts.
1. Passage of the FFLA Bill is required
to facilitate the adoption of appropriate administrative practices through
clearer legislative provisions generally.
2. The Joint Committee of
Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) examined an earlier exposure draft of the
FFLA Bill in 2003 and recommended that it be introduced into Parliament as
soon as feasible. The FFLA Bill has been updated by reference to the
Government’s response to the report of the JCPAA and for other
developments.
3. The proposed amendments and repeals have no financial impact.
4. On 18 February 2003 an Exposure Draft of the Financial Framework
Legislation Amendment Bill (Draft FFLA Bill) was released by the Finance
Minister for public comment and an inquiry conducted by the JCPAA.
5. On
20 August 2003 the JCPAA tabled in Parliament report 395, Inquiry into the
Draft Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Bill
(JCPAA Report 395). The Report made a number of recommendations and
conclusions proposing and supporting changes.
6. On 26 June 2004 the
Government tabled its response to JCPAA Report 395 agreeing to most of
the recommendations and conclusions. The Government response is recorded at
Attachment A of this Explanatory Memorandum. Comments that provide links
between the Government’s response and parts of this Explanatory Memorandum
are recorded in Attachment B of this Explanatory Memorandum.
7. The structure of the FFLA Bill comprises four clauses that then refer to three schedules containing the substantive amendments to other Acts. These notes describe the four clauses and their effect.
8. This clause provides that when the FFLA Bill is passed it may be
cited as the Financial Framework Legislation Amendment
Act 2004.
9. This clause provides that most of the items in the schedules in the
FFLA Bill will, if passed, commence on the day on which the Financial
Framework Legislation Amendment Act 2004 receives Royal Assent. Exceptions
are:
• the abolition of the Rural Transactions Centres Account and the
Television Fund Account, to commence on 1 July 2005. These are Special Accounts
established under the Telstra Corporation Act 1991;
and
• the saving of agreements made under the Telstra Corporation
Act 1991 in relation to the Rural Transactions Centres Account and the
Television Fund Account, to commence on 1 July 2005; and
• the
amendments to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2004 do
not commence if Schedule 1 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Commission Amendment Act 2004 Act does not
commence.[1]
1. This clause provides that the amendments and repeals of Acts are contained
in three schedules:
• Schedule 1 comprises amendments that relate
to the FMLA Act 99 and Special Accounts. The schedule is divided into
two parts.
- Part 1 of Schedule 1 comprises the removal of references to
the Loan Fund. The FMLA Act 99 abolished the Loan Fund.
- Part 2
of Schedule 1 includes amendments relating to Special Accounts. The
FMLA Act 99 abolished the Reserved Money Fund (RMF) and replaced
components of the RMF with Special Accounts. Part 2 of Schedule 1 also includes
the replacement of references to paid “into the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” (CRF) with references to paid “to the Commonwealth” to
reflect the adoption of a self-executing CRF that underpinned the
FMLA Act 99.
• Schedule 2 covers other amendments. Most of
these transfer powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister to approve
certain financial activities of entities that are legally separate from the
Commonwealth.
• Schedule 3 covers the repeal of Acts. Most of these
Acts were identified because they would, if they were not redundant, have
required amendment in Schedule 1.
1. This clause relates to Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill, which
amends provisions dealing with Special Accounts and/or which contain references
to money paid to the CRF. The clause provides that a decision, action or other
thing made under a provision that is amended in Part 2 of Schedule 1, and that
has effect immediately before the commencement of the Financial Framework
Legislation Amendment Act 2004, has a corresponding effect as if it had
been made under the provision as amended in Part 2 of Schedule 1.
2. The
effect of this saving provision is to ensure that the clarification of statutory
wording proposed by the FFLA Bill does not affect any decisions actions or
other things made under the previous wording.
3. As noted above regarding the effect of clause 3 of the FFLA Bill, Schedule
1 covers amendments that reflect the concepts of a self-executing CRF and of a
Special Account.
4. The CRF is created under the Australian Constitution at section 81 which
provides that:
All revenue and moneys raised or received by the Executive
Government of the Commonwealth shall form one Consolidated Revenue Fund to be
appropriated for the purposes of the Commonwealth.
5. As explained in
the second submission made by the Department of Finance and Administration
(Finance) to the JCPAA during its enquiry into the Draft FFLA Bill, section 81
does not deal with the manner in which the moneys forming the CRF shall be kept
nor with the keeping and auditing of the public accounts. Importantly, however,
the CRF under the Constitution needs to be distinguished from the way that it
was previously described in legislation, specifically, the Audit Act
1901. This Act approached the financial framework through fund accounting:
for example, it created the Loan Fund and the Trust Fund, which were interpreted
as being separate from the accounting fund called the CRF.
6. The FMA Act
replaced the Audit Act 1901 on 1 January 1998 and originally the FMA Act
largely continued these fund accounting arrangements. Specifically, it
continued the Loan Fund and replaced the Trust Fund with the RMF and the
Commercial Activities Fund (CAF). Amendments made to the FMA Act by the FMLA
Act 99 abolished fund accounting and introduced the concept of a Special
Account. A Special Account is a record of amounts in the CRF that are allocated
for a specific purpose. Components of the RMF and the CAF were transferred to
individual Special Accounts.
7. Most of the amendments proposed in
Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill arise as a direct consequence of the
commencement of the FMLA Act 99 on 1 July 1999. Provisions
in the FMLA Act 99 deemed that specified consequential
amendments to other Acts and instruments were made from that date. These
deeming provisions are outlined in Attachment C of this Explanatory
Memorandum. The amendments in Schedule 1 make textual changes to Acts, to align
the Acts with the deeming provisions, thereby making those deeming provisions
redundant.
8. The introduction of a Bill to make these changes was
foreshadowed by then Parliamentary Secretary to the Finance Minister in the
Second Reading Speech, made on 10 February 1999, for the introduction of the
Financial Management Legislation Amendment Bill 1999, which lead to the
FMLA Act 99.
9. The main proposed amendments that arise as a consequence
of the FMLA Act 99 are:
• abolition of references to the Loan
Fund and reflecting that any amounts that would have been in that Fund are
instead within the CRF;
• abolition of the RMF, with amounts allocated
to the RMF being, instead, allocated to the CRF;
• replacement of
references to components of the RMF with Special Accounts;
and
• replacement of references to paid “into the Consolidated
Revenue Fund” with references to paid “to the
Commonwealth”.
1. Part 1 of Schedule 1 deletes references to “Loan Fund” and,
where appropriate, replaces them with references to the “Consolidated
Revenue Fund”. This type of amendment replaces the deeming provision
contained in section 6 of the FMLA Act 99.
2. Seventeen Acts
are included in Part 1 for amendment.
3. Part 2 of Schedule 1 contains two broad types of proposed amendments:
• references to components of the RMF are replaced with references to
Special Accounts; and
• references to “paid to Consolidated
Revenue Fund” are replaced with references to “paid to the
Commonwealth”.
1. These types of amendments are outlined below.
2. Seventy-four Acts are included in Part 2 for amendment, five of which
are also included in Part 1 of Schedule 1.
3. The first type of amendment in Part 2 of Schedule 1:
• replaces
references to “Reserve” or “component of the Reserved Money
Fund” with “Account” or “Special Account”. In
most cases the individual name of the Reserve is not changed, apart from
replacing “Reserve” at the end of the name with
“Account”;
• replaces words used to describe financial
transactions relating to the Reserve. For example the words
“money”, “paid into” and “paid out of” are
replaced with the words “amount”, “credited to” and
“debited from” respectively. This is done to reflect the fact that
Special Accounts are ledgers recording amounts in the CRF whereas the RMF was
drafted on the basis of being a Fund containing money outside the
CRF.
1. This type of amendment replaces the deeming provisions contained
in subsections 5(5) and 5(6) of the FMLA Act 99.
2. As stated in the Explanatory Memorandum for the FMLA Act 99, a
self-executing CRF means that “money raised or received by the Executive
Government automatically forms part of the CRF, without the need to credit a
ledger account designated CRF or make a payment into a bank account so
designated.” This type of amendment arises as a consequence of the
adoption of a self-executing CRF that underpinned the
FMLA Act 99.
3. Accordingly, the deeming provision in section 7
of the FMLA Act 99 states that “a reference to payment of an
amount into the Consolidated Revenue Fund is to be read as a reference to
payment of the amount to the Commonwealth (unless the amount is already public
money)”.[2]
4. However,
if the amount is public money it is in the CRF and therefore the reference
“paid to the Commonwealth” is redundant and should not be used to
replace “paid to the Consolidated Revenue Fund”. In these
circumstances the latter reference is repealed in the FFLA Bill without
being replaced.
5. This type of amendment replaces the deeming
provisions contained in section 7 of the FMLA Act 99. It reflects the
fact that public money under the FMA Act is also within the CRF, and hence
and an appropriation is required before it can be used to make any payments.
6. Proposed amendments in Schedule 1 that are not a direct consequence of the
commencement of the FMLA Act 99 are outlined below.
7. The deeming provision in paragraph 5(6)(c) of the FMLA Act 99
states that a reference in an instrument to paying an amount out of a component
of the RMF is to be read as paying the amount out of the CRF and debiting the
amount from the Special Account.
8. In the FFLA Bill, reference to
“debited from the Account and paid by the Commonwealth” is used
instead of the deeming provision, where it is clear that the amount is to be
paid out of the CRF. This proposal:
• complements the reference to
paid to the Commonwealth, used in the deeming provision contained in section 7
of the FMLA Act 99; and
• recognises that some amounts
debited from a Special Account are for the purpose of making notional
payments[3], rather than real
payments, and therefore are not payments of the amount “out of the
CRF”.
1. The FFLA Bill does not propose the repeal of references to amounts
paid into the CRF in Acts that provide for the collection of public money by an
entity that is not part of the legal entity of the Commonwealth and that has the
power to hold money on its own account. An example of such a body is one
subject to the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997
(CAC Act). The FFLA Bill proposes, instead, that the provisions
be replaced with a reference to paid “to the Commonwealth”. This
approach is intended to clarify that the money is to be paid to the Commonwealth
by the collecting entity even though it has already entered the CRF. Details of
these proposed amendments are recorded in Attachment D of this
Explanatory Memorandum.
2. The enabling legislation of some Special Accounts specifically authorise
the crediting of amounts to the Account that are appropriated by Parliament for
the purposes of the Special Account. Details are recorded in Attachment
E of this Explanatory Memorandum.
3. These provisions are not aligned
with the Appropriation Acts in that the Appropriation Acts no longer appropriate
amounts for the purposes of specific Special Accounts. Accordingly, the
FFLA Bill proposes that these provisions be replaced with a Note providing
a cross-reference to the general authority provided in the Appropriation Acts.
These Notes are identical to the Notes proposed for insertion in the
FMA Act (Items 140 and 143 of Schedule 1). These amendments are linked to
the Government’s response to recommendation 3 of
JCPAA Report 395.
4. The proposed amendments to the FMA Act in Schedule 1 are designed to
clarify the framework applying to Special Accounts that was initially
established by the FMLA Act 99 and inserted into the FMA Act on
1 July 1999.
5. This amendment relates to recommendation 1 of
the JCPAA Report 395 that proposed amendments in the FFLA Bill to subsection
20(1) of the FMA Act should specify that a determination of the Finance Minister
establishing a Special Account:
• should include a reference to amounts
that are allowed or required to be debited from a Special Account, linked to the
reference to the purposes of the Special Account; and
• may specify
that amounts debited from a Special Account may be or must be otherwise than for
the making of real or notional payments.
1. Item 58 of Schedule 1 proposes that this Act establish the Aboriginal
Advancement Account. This will to replace the ability, under subsection 38(6)
of the Act, for the Minister (that is, the Minister responsible for the Act) to
establish the Aboriginal Advancement Account.
2. This amendment derives
from recommendation 4 of the JCPAA Report 395 that the FFLA Bill should include
an amendment to establish the Aboriginal Advancement Account under section 38 of
the Aboriginal Land (Lake Condah and Framlingham Forest) Act 1987.
The Condah Land Account and the Framlingham Forest Account should be subsumed
into the Aboriginal Advancement Account.”
3. Item 458 of Schedule 1 proposes the abolition of the Untimed Local Call
Access Account from the date of Royal Assent. Items 456 and 491 of Schedule 1
propose the abolition of the Rural Transaction Centres Account and the
Television Fund Account, respectively from 1 July 2005.
4. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1 is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
5. Item 1 repeals paragraph 17(ka). The paragraph defines the Loan Fund, which was abolished by the FMLA Act 99.
6. Item 2 repeals section 114. Section 114 provides that certain payments to
an institution or other body may be made out of the CRF and/or the Loan Fund.
With the abolition of the Loan Fund there is no need to specify the Fund from
which payments are made. All payments are made from the CRF.
7. Item 2
also repeals section 117. Subsection (1) provides for the Finance Minister to
authorise reimbursement of the CRF from the Loan Fund. Subsection (2) is
dependent on action taken in subsection (1). The Loan Fund has been abolished;
hence the section is redundant.
8. Item 3 amends subsection 118(1) by
omitting the reference to “and the Loan Fund are”. The first part
of the amended subsection is: “The Consolidated Revenue Fund is, by force
of this subsection, appropriated as necessary ... ”.
9. Items 4 and 5 amend sections 8 and 9, respectively, by:
• replacing the reference, in section 8, to “making payments to
the Consolidated Revenue Fund in accordance with section 10” with
“making payments and advances to the States for the purposes of this
Part”;
• replacing the reference, in section 9, to
“making payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in accordance with
section 10, and the Loan Fund is appropriated, as necessary, for those
purposes” with “making payments and advances to the States for the
purposes of this Part”.
1. Both sections are included in Part II of
the Act which covers Housing Agreements with the States. Section 10 is repealed
by Item 6. The adoption of a self-executing CRF, with the commencement of the
FMLA Act 99, means that amounts borrowed by the Treasurer under
section 8 automatically form part of the CRF.
2. Item 6 repeals section
10. Subsection 10(1) provides for the Finance Minister to authorise
reimbursement of the CRF from the Loan Fund. Subsection 10(2) is dependent on
action taken in subsection (1). The Loan Fund has been abolished; hence the
section is redundant.
3. Items 7 and 8 amend sections 12 and 13, respectively, by:
• replacing the reference, in section 12, to “making payments to
the Consolidated Revenue Fund in accordance with section 14” with
“making payments and advances to the States for the purposes of this
Act”;
• replacing the reference, in section 13, to
“making payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in accordance with
section 14, and the Loan Fund is appropriated, as necessary, for those
purposes” with “making payments and advances to the States for the
purposes of this Act”.
1. Section 14 is repealed by Item 9. The
introduction of a self-executing CRF, with the commencement of the
FMLA Act 99, means that amounts borrowed by the Treasurer under
section 12 automatically form part of the CRF.
2. Item 9 repeals section
14. Subsection 14(1) provides for the Finance Minister to authorise
reimbursement of the CRF from the Loan Fund. Subsection 14(2) is dependent on
action taken in subsection (1). The Loan Fund is abolished; hence the section
is redundant.
3. Items 10 and 11 amend sections 13 and 14, respectively, by:
• replacing the reference, in section 13, to “making payments to
the Consolidated Revenue Fund in accordance with section 15” with
“making payments and advances to the States for the purposes of this
Act”;
• replacing the reference, in section 14, to
“making payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in accordance with
section 15, and the Loan Fund is appropriated, as necessary, for those
purposes” with “making payments and advances to the States for the
purposes of this Act”.
1. Section 15 is repealed by Item 12. The
adoption of a self-executing CRF, with the commencement of the
FMLA Act 99, means that amounts borrowed by the Treasurer under
section 13 automatically form part of the CRF.
2. Item 12 repeals
section 15. Subsection 15(1) provides for the Finance Minister to authorise
reimbursement of the CRF from the Loan Fund. Subsection 15(2) is dependent on
action taken in subsection (1). The Loan Fund is abolished; hence the section
is redundant.
3. Item 13 repeals section 3. The section provides for the Finance Minister
to expend moneys standing to the credit of the Loan Fund for the purposes of any
appropriation when the receipts of the CRF are insufficient to meet expenditure
from that Fund. The Loan Fund is abolished; hence the section is redundant.
4. Items 14 and 15 amend section 4 by:
• replacing the
reference to “moneys standing to the credit of the Loan Fund” with
“amounts in the Consolidated Revenue Fund”;
• omitting the
reference to “under the last preceding section”.
1. Item 16 amends subsection 7(4) by replacing the reference to
“payable out of the Loan Fund” with “payable out of the
Consolidated Revenue Fund.”
2. Item 17 amends section 4 by omitting the reference to “or out of the
Loan Fund”. The amended section provides for payments and advances out of
the CRF.
3. Items 18 and 19 amend section 6 by:
• replacing
the reference to “borrowing,” with “borrowing and”; and
• omitting the reference to “and for the purpose of making
payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in accordance with section 7”.
1. Item 20 repeals section 7; hence the reference being omitted in
section 6 is redundant. The amended section 6 is: “Moneys borrowed under
section 5 shall be issued and applied only for the expenses of borrowing and for
the purpose of making payments and advances to the States in accordance with
this Act.”
2. Item 20 repeals section 7. Subsection (1) provides
that the Treasurer may authorise reimbursement of the CRF from the Loan Fund.
Subsection (2) is dependent on action taken in subsection (1). The Loan Fund
has been abolished; hence the section is redundant.
3. Item 21 amends
section 8 by deleting the reference to the Loan Fund. The amended section is:
“The Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated as necessary for the
purposes of this Act.”
4. Item 22 amends section 6 by deleting the reference to the Loan Fund. The
amended section provides for payments and advances out of the
CRF.
5. Items 23 and 24 amend section 8 by:
• replacing the
reference, in subsection (1), to “borrowing,” with “borrowing
and”;
• omitting the references, in subsections (1) and (2), to
“and for the purpose of making Payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund
in accordance with section 9”.
1. Item 25 repeals section 9;
hence the references being omitted in subsections 8(1) and (2) are redundant.
The amended subsection 8(1) is: “Moneys borrowed under section 7 shall be
issued and applied only for the expenses of borrowing and for the purpose of
making payments and advances to a State to which this Act applies in accordance
with this Act”.
2. Item 25 repeals section 9. Subsection (1)
provides that the Finance Minister may authorise reimbursement of the CRF from
the Loan Fund. Subsection (2) is dependent on action taken in subsection (1).
The Loan Fund has been abolished; hence the section is redundant.
3. Item
26 amends section 10 by deleting the reference to the Loan Fund. The amended
section is: “The Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated as necessary
for the purposes of this Act.”
4. Item 27 repeals sections 112 and 115.
• Section 112 provides that
certain payments may be made out of the CRF or the Loan Fund. With the
abolition of the Loan Fund there is no need to specify the Fund from which
payments are made. All payments are made from the CRF.
• Section
115(1) provides for the Finance Minister to authorise reimbursement of the CRF
from the Loan Fund. Subsection (2) is dependent on action taken in subsection
(1). The Loan Fund has been abolished; hence the section is
redundant.
1. Item 28 amends section 116 by deleting the reference to the
Loan Fund. The amended section is: “The Consolidated Revenue Fund is
appropriated as necessary for the purposes of this Act”.
2. Item 29 repeals sections 84 and 87.
• Section 84 provides that
certain payments may be made out of the CRF or the Loan Fund. With the
abolition of the Loan Fund there is no need to specify the Fund from which
payments are made. All payments are made from the CRF.
• Subsection
87(1) provides for the Finance Minister to authorise reimbursement of the CRF
from the Loan Fund. Subsection (2) is dependent on action taken in subsection
(1). The Loan Fund has been abolished; hence the section is
redundant.
1. Item 30 amends section 88 by deleting the reference to the
Loan Fund. The amended section is: “The Consolidated Revenue Fund is
appropriated as necessary for the purposes of this Act”.
2. Item 31 amends section 9, and the heading of section 9, by omitting the
references to “or the Loan Fund”.
3. Items 32 and 33 amend
section 11 by:
• replacing the reference to “borrowing,”
with “borrowing and”;
• omitting the reference to
“and for the purposes of making payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund
in accordance with section 12”.
1. Item 34 repeals section 12;
hence the reference being omitted in section 11 is redundant. The amended
section 11 is: “Moneys borrowed under sub-section 10(1) shall be issued
and applied only for the expenses of borrowing and for the purposes of making
payments to the States and the Northern Territory in accordance with this
Act.”
2. Item 34 repeals section 12. Subsection (1) provides that
the Finance Minister may authorise the reimbursement of the CRF from the Loan
Fund. Subsection (2) is dependent on action taken in subsection (1). The Loan
Fund has been abolished; hence the section is redundant.
3. Item 35
amends section 13 by deleting the reference to the Loan Fund. The amended
section is: “The Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated as necessary
for the purposes of this Act”.
4. Item 36 amends section 14, and the heading of section 14, by omitting the
references to “or the Loan Fund”.
5. Items 37 and 38 amend
section 16 by:
• replacing the reference to “borrowing,”
with “borrowing and”;
• omitting the reference to
“and for the purposes of making Payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund
in accordance with section 17”.
1. Item 39 repeals section 17;
hence the reference being omitted in section 16 is redundant. The amended
section 16 is: “Moneys borrowed under sub-section 15(1) shall be issued
and applied only for the expenses of borrowing and for the purposes of making
payments to the States and the Northern Territory in accordance with this
Act.”
2. Item 39 repeals section 17. Subsection (1) provides that
the Finance Minister may authorise the reimbursement of the CRF from the Loan
Fund. Subsection (2) is dependent on action taken in subsection (1). The Loan
Fund has been abolished; hence the section is redundant.
3. Item 40
amends section 18 by deleting the reference to the Loan Fund. The amended
section is: “The Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated as necessary
for the purposes of this Act”.
4. Item 41 amends section 14, and the heading of section 14, by omitting the
references to “or the Loan Fund”.
5. Items 42 and 43 amend
section 16 by:
• replacing the reference to “borrowing,”
with “borrowing and”;
• omitting the reference to
“and for the purposes of making payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund
in accordance with section 17”.
1. Item 44 repeals section 17;
hence the reference being omitted in section 16 is redundant. The amended
section 16 is: “Moneys borrowed under sub-section 15(1) shall be issued
and applied only for the expenses of borrowing and for the purposes of making
payments to the States and the Northern Territory in accordance with this
Act.”
2. Item 44 repeals section 17. Subsection (1) provides that
the Finance Minister may authorise the reimbursement of the CRF from the Loan
Fund. Subsection (2) is dependent on action taken in subsection (1). The Loan
Fund has been abolished; hence the section is redundant.
3. Item 45
amends section 18 by deleting the reference to the Loan Fund. The amended
section is: “The Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated as necessary
for the purposes of this Act”.
4. Item 46 amends section 14, and the heading of section 14, by omitting the
references to “or the Loan Fund”.
5. Items 47 and 48 amend
section 16 by:
• replacing the reference to “borrowing,”
with “borrowing and”;
• omitting the reference to
“and for the purposes of making payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund
in accordance with section 17”.
1. Item 49 repeals section 17;
hence the reference being omitted in section 16 is redundant. The amended
section 16 is: “Moneys borrowed under section 15 shall be issued and
applied only for the expenses of borrowing and for the purposes of making
payments to the States and the Northern Territory in accordance with this
Act.”
2. Item 49 repeals section 17. Subsection (1) provides that
the Finance Minister may authorise the reimbursement of the CRF from the Loan
Fund. Subsection (2) is dependent on action taken in subsection (1). The Loan
Fund has been abolished; hence the section is redundant.
3. Item 50
amends section 18 by deleting the reference to the Loan Fund. The amended
section is: “The Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated as necessary
for the purposes of this Act”.
4. Item 51 amends section 12, and the heading of section 12, by omitting the
references to “or the Loan Fund”.
5. Items 52 and 53 amend
section 14 by:
• replacing the reference to “borrowing,”
with “borrowing and”;
• omitting the reference to
“and for the purposes of making Payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund
in accordance with section 15”.
1. Item 54 repeals section 15;
hence the reference being omitted in section 14 is redundant. The amended
section 14 is: “Money borrowed under section 13 shall be issued and
applied only for the expenses of borrowing and for the purposes of making
payments to the States in accordance with this Act.”
2. Item 54
repeals section 15. Subsection (1) provides that the Finance Minister may
authorise the reimbursement of the CRF from the Loan Fund. Subsection (2) is
dependent on action taken in subsection (1). The Loan Fund has been abolished;
hence the section is redundant.
3. Item 55 amends section 16 by deleting
the reference to the Loan Fund. The amended section is: “The
Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated as necessary for the purposes of this
Act”.
4. Item 56 repeals sections 10 and 13.
• Section 10 provides
for payments “to be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund or the Loan
Fund”. With the abolition of the Loan Fund there is no need to specify
the Fund from which payments are made. All payments are made from the
CRF.
• Subsection 13 (1) provides for the Finance Minister to authorise
reimbursement of the CRF from the Loan Fund. Subsection (2) is dependent on
action taken in subsection (1). The Loan Fund has been abolished; hence the
section is redundant.
1. Item 57 amends section 14 by deleting the
reference to the Loan Fund. The amended section is: “The Consolidated
Revenue Fund is appropriated as necessary for the purposes of this
Act”.
2. The amendments to the Act mainly cover the following Special
Accounts:
• the Condah Land Account;
• the Framlingham Forest
Account; and
• the Aboriginal Advancement Account.
1. The Act
establishes the first two mentioned Accounts and provides for the Minister
responsible for the Act to establish the Aboriginal Advancement
Account.
2. The outline of the amendments below is arranged under
separate subheadings, including a subheading covering each of the three Special
Accounts.
3. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1
of Schedule 1 is provided under the heading above to Section III of this
Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of
the FFLA Bill”.
4. Item 58 amends and restructures section 38. The heading of the section is
“Payments into and out of Reserves”. This is replaced with
“Credit of amounts to and debits from
Accounts”.
5. Subsection 38(1), in the FFLA Bill, provides
that the three Accounts established in section 38 are Special Accounts
“for the purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”. The subsection replaces subsection 38(11) of the Act
which provides that “A reserve established by this section is a component
of the Reserved Money Fund”.
6. Subsection (1) of the Act establishes a reserve known as the “Condah
Land Reserve”. This is replaced, in subsection 38(2) in the
FFLA Bill, with the continued existence of the “Condah Land
Account”. A Note is included under the amended subsection (2) that
“the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial
Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999”.
7. The
reference, in subsection (2) of the Act, to “There shall be paid into the
Condah Land Reserve, from time to time, out of the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” is replaced with “There must be credited to the Condah Land
Account, from time to time” (numbered subsection (3) in the
FFLA Bill).
8. The reference, in subsection (7) before the paragraph
(a), to “Moneys in the Condah Land Reserve shall be distributed by the
Minister” is replaced with “The amount standing to the credit of
the Condah Land Account must be applied”.
9. The reference, in
paragraph (7)(a), to: “one-half shall be paid to the Kerrup-Jmara Elders
Aboriginal Corporation” is replaced with “one-half must be debited
and paid by the Commonwealth to an Aboriginal Corporation nominated by the
Minister”. The reference to the Kerrup-Jmara Elders Aboriginal
Corporation is replaced because the Corporation went into liquidation in
2001.
10. The reference, in paragraph (7)(b), to “one half shall be
credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund” is replaced with “one
half must be debited for crediting under subsection (8)”, that is,
credited to the Aboriginal Advancement Account (explained in next
paragraph).
11. Subsection (7A) of the Act is: “Whenever an amount
is credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund under paragraph 7(b)” (that
is from the Condah Land Reserve) “an equal amount must be transferred to
the Aboriginal Advancement Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund”.
This is replaced, in the FFLA Bill in subsection (8), with “Whenever
an amount is debited from the Condah Land Account under paragraph (7)(b), an
equal amount must be credited to the Aboriginal Advancement
Account”.
12. Part of paragraph 10(b) of the Act is “one-half
of the royalties paid into the ... Condah Land Reserve (which would otherwise be
credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund under paragraph (7)(b) ... ) [is] to
be paid to”. This is replaced, in the FFLA Bill in paragraph
(12)(b), with “one-half of the royalties credited to the Condah Land
Account ... (which would otherwise be debited from the Account under paragraph
(7)(b) ... ) [is] to be debited and paid by the Commonwealth to”.
13. Subsection (3) of the Act establishes a reserve known as the
“Framlingham Forest Reserve”. This is replaced, in subsection 38(4)
in the FFLA Bill, with the continued existence of the “Framlingham
Forest Account”. A Note is included under the amended subsection (4) that
“the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial
Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999”.
14. The
reference, in subsection (4) of the Act, to “There shall be paid into the
Framlingham Forest Reserve, from time to time, out of the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” is replaced with: “There must be credited to the Framlingham
Forest Account, from time to time” (renumbered subsection (5) in the
FFLA Bill).
15. The reference, in subsection (8) before paragraph
(a) in the Act, to “Moneys in the Framlingham Forest Reserve shall be
distributed by the Minister” is replaced with “The amount standing
to the credit of the Framlingham Forest Account must be applied”
(renumbered subsection (9) in the FFLA Bill).
16. The reference, in
paragraph (8)(a) in the Act, to “one-half shall be paid to the Kirrae
Whurrong Aboriginal Corporation” is replaced with “one half must be
debited and paid by the Commonwealth to the Kirrae Whurrong Aboriginal
Corporation” (renumbered paragraph (9)(a) in the
FFLA Bill);
17. The reference, in paragraph (8)(b) in the Act, to
“one half shall be credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund” is
replaced with “one half must be debited for crediting under subsection
(10)”, that is, credited to the Aboriginal Advancement Account (renumbered
paragraph 9(b) in the FFLA Bill; explained in next
paragraph).
18. Subsection (8A) of the Act is: “Whenever an amount
is credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund under paragraph (8)(b)” (that
is from the Framlingham Forest Reserve) “an equal amount must be
transferred to the Aboriginal Advancement Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue
Fund”. This is replaced, in the FFLA Bill in subsection (10), with
“Whenever an amount is debited from the Framlingham Forest Account under
paragraph (9)(b), an equal amount must be credited to the Aboriginal Advancement
Account”.
19. Part of paragraph 10(b) of the Act is
“one-half of the royalties paid into the Framlingham Forest Reserve ...
(which would otherwise be credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund under
paragraph ... (8)(b)) [is] to be paid to”. This is replaced, in the
FFLA Bill in paragraph (12)(b), with “one-half of the royalties
credited to the ... Framlingham Forest Account (which would otherwise be debited
from the Account under paragraph ... (9)(b)), [is] to be debited and paid by the
Commonwealth to”.
20. Item 58 amends subsection 38(6) of the Act by establishing the Aboriginal
Advancement Account. This replaces the authority, in subsection 38(6) of the
Act, for the Minister (that is, the Minister responsible for the Act) to
establish the Aboriginal Advancement Account. This is proposed because the
framework for Special Accounts does not recognize a Special Account established
by a responsible Minister. Special Accounts are established either by Acts or
by determinations of the Finance Minister. The proposal reflects the
Government’s agreement to recommendation 4 of
JCPAA Report 395.
21. Subsection (9) of the Act is “The
Minister may pay money out of the Aboriginal Advancement Reserve for any of the
purposes mentioned in subsection (6)”. This is replaced, in the
FFLA Bill in subsection (11), with “The Minister may debit the
Aboriginal Advancement Account for the purpose mentioned in subsection (6).
Amounts equal to the amounts debited are paid by the
Commonwealth.”
22. The reference, in paragraph (10)(a) of the Act,
to “the funds of the Aboriginal Advancement Reserve at that date are to be
transferred to” is replaced with “amounts standing to the credit of
the Aboriginal Advancement Account at that date are to be debited and paid by
the Commonwealth to” (renumbered paragraph (12)(a) in the
FFLA Bill).
23. The reference, in subsection (12) of the Act, to “the investment of
money from a reserve established by this section, an amount equal to the
interest must be transferred to that reserve from the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” is replaced with “the investment of an amount standing to the
credit of an Account continued in existence or established by or under this
section, an amount equal to the interest must be credited to that Account”
(renumbered subsection (13) in the FFLA Bill).
24. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
25. Items 59 and 60 amend subsection 3(1) by replacing the
definition of “Reserve” with a definition of “Account”
– the Aboriginals Benefit Account.
26. Item 61 amends subsection
35(2A) by replacing the reference to “subsection 64(7)” with
“subsection 64(8)”, to reflect the amendments made to section 64.
Item 64 amends section 64 (explained below).
27. Item 62 replaces the
heading of Part VI, “Aboriginals Benefit Reserve”, with
“Aboriginals Benefit Account”.
28. Item 63 amends section 62
by:
• replacing the references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the
establishment of the “Aboriginals Benefit Reserve” as a
“component of the Reserved Money Fund” with references to the
continued existence of the “Aboriginals Benefit Account” as a
“Special Account for the purposes of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”. A Note is included, under the amended
subsection (1), as follows: “The Account was established by subsection
5(3) of the Financial Management Legislation Amendment
Act 1999”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection
(3), to “investment of money from the Reserve, an amount equal to the
interest must be transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” with “investment of an amount standing to the credit of the
Account, an amount equal to the interest must be credited to the Account”.
1. Item 63 also replaces the heading of the section 62,
“Aboriginals Benefit Reserve”, with “Aboriginals Benefit
Account”.
2. Item 63 repeals section 62A because it is redundant.
The section repeals section 21 of the Northern Territory (Administration)
Act 1910 and contains consequential provisions covering transfers of
amounts from the Trust Fund to the Trust Account.
3. Item 64 amends
sections 63, 64 and 64A. Section 63 is amended by:
• replacing the
reference, in subsection (2) of the Act, to “Subject to subsection (3),
there shall be paid into the Reserve, from time to time, out of the Consolidated
Revenue Fund” with “Subject to subsection (2), there must be
credited to the Account, from time to time” (renumbered subsection (1) in
the FFLA Bill);
• replacing two references in subsection (3) of
the Act:
- The reference to “since the commencement of this
section” is replaced with “since 26 January 1977”. The
inclusion of the date of the commencement of the subsection avoids confusion
arising from the commencement of this amendment to the provision;
- The
reference to “payable into the Reserve under subsection (2)” is
replaced with “credited to the Account under subsection (1)”.
- In the FFLA Bill the provision is renumbered subsection (2).
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (3A)(a) of the Act to
“after the commencement of this subsection” with “after 17
January 1990” (renumbered paragraph (3)(a) in the FFLA Bill). The
inclusion of the date of the commencement of the subsection avoids confusion
arising from the commencement of this amendment to the provision;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (3A) after paragraph (b) of
the Act, to “payable into the Reserve under subsection (2)” with
“to be credited to the Account under subsection (1)” (renumbered
subsection (3) in the FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (4), to “paid into the Reserve from time to time, out of the
Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “credited to the Account, from time
to time”;
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (5)(a), to
“before the commencement of this section” with “before 26
January 1977”. The inclusion of the date of the commencement of the
section avoids confusion arising from commencement of this amendment to the
provision;
• replacing subsection (5A) of the Act. The provision in
the Act is:
There shall be transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated
Revenue Fund amounts equal to any moneys paid to any person to the Commonwealth
for the purposes of the Trust Account.
- The replacement provision is:
There must be credited to the Account amounts equal to any money paid by any
person to the Commonwealth for the purposes of the Account (renumbered
subsection (6) in the FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (5B) of the Act, to “transferred to the Reserve from the
Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “credited to the Account”
(renumbered subsection (7) in the FFLA Bill).
1. Item 64 also
replaces the heading of section 63, “Payments into Reserve”, with
“Credit of amounts to Account”.
2. Item 64 also amends
section 64 by:
• replacing two references in subsection (1):
- The
reference to “paid out of the Reserve from time to time” is replaced
with “debited from the Account from time to time, and paid by the
Commonwealth”.
- The reference to “paid into the Reserve in
accordance with subsection 63(2) or (4)” is replaced with “credited
to the Account in accordance with subsection 63(1) or (4)”. Subsection
63(2) is renumbered 63(1) by this Item (explained above);
• replacing
two references, in subsection (3) before paragraph (a):
- The reference to
“paid out of the Reserve” is replaced with “debited from the
Account and paid by the Commonwealth”.
- The reference to
“subsection 63(2)” is replaced with “subsection 63(1)”.
Subsection 63(2) is renumbered 63(1) by this Item (explained above).
• replacing the references, in paragraphs (3)(a) and (b) to
“paid into the Reserve” with “credited to the Account”.
The reference, in paragraph (3)(a), to “subsection 63(2)” is also
replaced with “subsection 63(1)”. Subsection 63(2) is renumbered
63(1) by this Item (explained above);
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (4) to “paid out of the Reserve” with “debited from
the Account and paid by the Commonwealth”;
• replacing the
reference, in subsection (4A) of the Act, to “out of the Reserve”
with “debited from the Account” (renumbered subsection (5) in the
FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in subsection (5) of the
Act, to “paid out of the Reserve” with “debited from the
Account and paid by the Commonwealth” (renumbered subsection (6) in the
FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in subsection (6) of the
Act, to “paid out of the Reserve under subsection (4) or (5)” with
“debited from the Account under subsection (4) or (6)” (renumbered
subsection (7) in the FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (7), to “shall be paid to the Land Council out of the
Reserve” with “must be paid to the Land Council by the Commonwealth
and debited from the Account” (renumbered subsection (8) in the
FFLA Bill).
1. Item 64 also replaces the heading of the section,
“Payments out of Reserve”, with “Debits from the
Account”.
2. Item 64 also amends to section 64A
by:
• deleting the reference, in subsection (1), to “after 30
June 1982”. The reference is redundant because the date has
passed;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (1), to
“transfer of such amount as he specifies in the direction from the Reserve
to the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “debit from the Account of
such amounts as he or she specifies in the
direction”;
• replacing 3 references in subsection (2):
- The
reference to “transfer of a specified amount from the Reserve to the
Consolidated Revenue Fund” is replaced with “debit of a specified
amount from the Account”.
- The reference to “the transfer of
that amount but there shall also be transferred from the Reserve to the
Consolidated Revenue Fund” is replaced with “the debit of that
amount. But there must also be debited from the Account”.
- The
reference to “and the transfer of that additional amount shall discharge
that liability” is replaced with “The debit of that additional
amount discharges that liability”.
• replacing reference, in
subsection (3) before paragraph (a), to “each amount that he directs to be
transferred to the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “each amount that
he or she directs be debited from the Account”;
• replacing the
references, in paragraphs (3)(a) and (b), to “paid to the Consolidated
Revenue Fund” with “debited from the
Account”;
• replacing the two references, in subsection (4)
before paragraph (a), to “transferred from the Reserve to the Consolidated
Revenue Fund” with “debited from the Account;
• replacing
the references, in paragraphs (4)(a) and (b), to “paid to the Consolidated
Revenue Fund” with “debited from the
Account”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (5), to
“paid to the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with a reference to
“debited from the Account”;
• deleting the reference, in
subsection (5), to “out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund”. The
phrase is redundant under a self-executing CRF, because the provision also
includes the phrase “paid by the Commonwealth”;
• replacing
2 references in subsection (6):
- The reference to “paid to the
Consolidated Revenue Fund in relation to a particular Land Council shall,
notwithstanding that it is so paid to the Consolidated Revenue Fund” is
replaced with “debited from the Account in respect of a particular Land
Council must nonetheless”.
- The reference to “paid in
accordance with the requirements of that subsection out of the Reserve” is
replaced with “debited from the Account and paid by the Commonwealth in
accordance with that subsection”;
• deleting the references, in
subsection (7) before paragraph (a) and in paragraph (e), to “out of the
Consolidated Revenue Fund”. These phrases are redundant, under a
self-executing CRF, because the provisions also include the phrase “paid
by the Commonwealth”.
1. Item 64 also replaces the heading of
section 64A, “Transfer of amounts from Reserve to the Consolidated Revenue
Fund in certain circumstances” with “Debit of additional amounts
from Account”.
2. Item 65 amends subsection 64B(1) by replacing the
reference to “a Reserve” with “an Account”.
3. Items 66, 67 and 68 amend section 65 as follows:
• Item 66
replaces references in subsection 65(1) to “Reserve” with
“Account”.
• Item 67 amends the reference, in subsection
65(1), to “the making of payments out of the Reserve” with
“debiting the Account for the purposes of making
payments”.
• Item 68 amends subsections 65(2) and (3) by
replacing references to “Reserve” with
“Account”.
1. Item 68 also replaces, by means of a Note, the
heading of section 65, “Reserve Advisory Committee”, with
“Account Advisory Committee”.
2. Item 69 amends Schedule 5 by
replacing the subheading “Subsection 63(3)” with “Subsection
63(2)”. In Item 64 subsection 63(3) is renumbered 63(2) (explained
above).
3. Item 70 repeals paragraph 17(kb). The paragraph defines the RMF, which
was abolished by the FMLA Act 99. It is not considered necessary to
include a reference, in the Act, to Special Account because the term is
described in the FMA Act, the FMLA Act 99 and in enabling
legislation that establishes a Special Account.
4. Item 71 amends subsection 14(4) by replacing the reference to “paid
into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the
Commonwealth”. This type of amendment is explained under the heading
above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
5. Items 72 and 73 amend paragraphs 58(2)(aa) and (ab) by replacing the
references to “paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with
“paid to the Commonwealth”. This type of amendment is explained
under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum,
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
6. Item 74 amends section 16 by:
• restructuring subsection (1) so
that some of the text is divided into three separate
paragraphs;
• clarifying, in paragraph 16(1)(b), that levies, etc
payable to the National Registration Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary
Chemicals are received by the Authority“ on behalf of the
Commonwealth”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (2), to
amounts of levy and late payment penalty being paid “into the Consolidated
Revenue Fund” with paid “to the Commonwealth”.
1. The
collecting agent is the National Registration Authority for Agricultural and
Veterinary Chemicals, which is a statutory authority subject to the CAC Act
(CAC Act authority). The National Registration Authority for
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals is therefore able to handle money that is
not public money. Although the levy and penalty amounts are public money,
subsection 16(2) is retained and amended to make it clear that the amounts must
be paid to the Commonwealth. This type of amendment is explained under the
heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 75 amends section 19 by:
• restructuring subsection (1) so
that some of the text is divided into three separate paragraphs;
• clarifying, in paragraph 19(1)(b), that levies, etc payable to the
National Registration Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals are
received by the Authority “on behalf of the Commonwealth”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (2), to amounts of levy and
late payment penalty being paid “into the Consolidated Revenue Fund”
with paid “to the Commonwealth”.
1. The collecting agent is
the National Registration Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals,
which is a CAC Act authority. The Authority is therefore able to
handle money that is not public money. Although the levy and penalty amounts
are public money, subsection 19(2) is retained and amended to make it clear that
the amounts must be paid to the Commonwealth. This type of amendment is
explained under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum,
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
2. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
3. The Act commenced after the commencement of the
FMLA Act 99 and therefore does not contain references to the
RMF.
4. Items 76 and 77 amend subsections 8(1) and (2), respectively, by
replacing references to “money” with “amounts”. Item 76
also replaces, by means of a Note, the heading of section 8, “Money in
Account to be paid out before 1 July 2005”, with “Amounts standing
to the credit of Account to be paid out before 1 July 2005”.
5. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
6. Items 78 and 79 replace the definition of
“Reserve” with a definition of
“Account”.
7. Items 80 and 81 amend paragraph 5(1)(d) and the
heading of Part IV, respectively, by replacing references to
“Reserve” with “Account” – the Australia-Japan
Account.
8. Item 82 amends sections 17 and 18. Section 17 is amended by
replacing the references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the establishment of
the “Australia-Japan Reserve” as a “component of the Reserved
Money Fund” with references to the continued existence of the
“Australia-Japan Account” as a “Special Account for the
purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”. A Note is included, under the amended subsection (1),
that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial
Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999”;
9. Item 82
also replaces the heading of section 17, “Establishment of Reserve”,
with “Australia-Japan Account”.
10. Item 82 also amends
section 18 by:
• replacing the reference, before paragraph (a), to
“transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with
“credited to the Account amounts equal to”;
• replacing
paragraph (a). The provision in the Act is:
moneys appropriated by the
Parliament for the purposes of the Reserve.
- The provision is replaced
with the following Note at the end of the section:
An Appropriation Act
provides for amounts to be credited to a Special Account if any of the purposes
of the Account is a purpose that is covered by an item in the Appropriation Act.
- This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III
of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in
Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
• replacing the references, in
paragraphs (b) and (c), to “moneys standing to the credit of the
Reserve” with “an amount standing to the credit of the
Account” (renumbered paragraphs (a) and (b) in the
FFLA Bill).
1. Item 82 also replaces the heading of the section,
“Moneys of Reserve” with “Credit of amounts to
Account”.
2. Item 83 amends subsection 19(1) by replacing the
reference to “Moneys standing to the credit of the Reserve” with
“Amounts standing to the credit of the Account”.
3. Item 83
also replaces, by means of a Note, the heading of section 19, “Application
of moneys of Reserve”, with “Application of amounts standing to the
credit of the Account”.
4. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
5. Items 84 and 85 amend section 3 by replacing the
definition of “Reserve” with a definition of “Account”
– the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
Account.
6. Item 86 amends sections 33, 34 and 35. Section 33 is amended
by replacing the references, in subsections (1) and (2) to the establishment of
the “Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
Reserve” as a “component of the Reserved Money Fund” with
references to the continued existence of the “Australian Centre for
International Agricultural Research Account” as a “Special Account
for the purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”. A Note is included, under the amended subsection (1),
as follows: “The Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the
Financial Management Legislation Amendment
Act 1999”.
7. Item 86 also replaces the heading of section
33, “Establishment of Reserve”, with “Australian Centre for
International Agricultural Research Account”.
8. Item 86 also
amends section 34 by:
• replacing the reference, in the text before
paragraph (a), to “transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated
Revenue Fund” with “credited to the Account” and integrating
paragraph (b) with that text;
• replacing paragraph (a). The
provision in the Act is:
all money appropriated by the Parliament for the
purposes of the Reserve.
- The provision is replaced with the following Note
at the end of the section:
An Appropriation Act provides for amounts to be
credited to a Special Account if any of the purposes of the Account is a purpose
that is covered by an item in the Appropriation Act.
- This type of
amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of this
Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of
the FFLA Bill”.
1. Item 86 also replaces the heading of section
34, “Payments into Reserve” with “Credit of amounts to
Account”.
2. Item 86 also amends section 35 by replacing the
reference, before paragraph (a), to “Amounts standing to the credit of the
Reserve may be paid out” with “Amounts standing to the credit of the
Account may be debited for the following purposes”.
3. Item 86 also
replaces the heading of section 35, “Payments from Reserve”, with
“Debits from Account”.
4. Item 87 amends subsection 36(1) by
replacing the reference to “moneys standing to the credit of the
Reserve” with “amounts standing to the credit of the
Account”.
5. Item 88 amends subsection 36(2) by replacing the
reference to “Moneys shall not be expended from the Reserve” with
“Amounts must not be debited from the Account”.
6. Items 89 and 90 amend subsections 54(2) and 54(4), respectively, by
replacing the references to “paid into the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” with “paid to the Commonwealth”. This type of amendment
is explained under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
7. Item 91 repeals subitem 11(2) of Schedule 5. Subitems 11(1) and (2)
are:
• The assets and liabilities of each statutory authority
become assets and liabilities of the Commonwealth at commencement time (subitem
11(1)).
• Money vested in the Commonwealth under subitem (1) must be
paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” (subitem
11(2)).
1. Subitem 11(2) is redundant because the CRF is now
self-executing. This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to
Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments
Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 92 repeals
subitem 12(4) of Schedule 5. The provision is:
An authorised person must not
specify in a direction:
(a) an amount that is greater than the following:
(i) amounts paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund under subitems 11(2) and
13(3);
(ii) amounts of interest or dividends or any other amounts produced
by, or derived from, an asset in the Commonwealth under subitem 11(1); or
(b)
an amount, that when added to other amounts specified in the direction, or in
other directions under this item, result in an amount greater than the total of
the amounts referred to in subparagraph (a)(i) and (ii).
3. Subitem
12(4) requires amendment because of the references to subitems 11(2) and 13(3)
which are proposed for repeal in Items 91 and 93. However, because subitem
12(4) is redundant it is proposed for repeal instead.
4. Item 93 repeals
subitem 13(3) of Schedule 5. Subitems 13(2) and 13(3) are:
• An
authorised person may sell any asset of the kind referred to in subitem (1) on
behalf of the Commonwealth (subitem 13(2)).
• Any amount paid to the
Commonwealth on the sale of an asset under subitem (2) must be paid into the
Consolidated Revenue Fund (subitem 13(3)).
1. Subitem 13(3) is redundant
because the CRF is now self-executing. This type of amendment is explained
under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum,
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
2. Item 94 repeals item 29 of Schedule 5. Subitem 29(3)
refers to a premium for a statutory authority being “paid into, or
transferred within, the Consolidated Revenue Fund under section 96G of the
[Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988]”. Section
96G of that Act has been repealed; making subitem 29(3) redundant. The
remainder of item 29 is also redundant; hence the whole of item 29 is proposed
for repeal.
3. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
4. Item 95 amends section 56 by:
• replacing the
references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the establishment of “the
ARPANSA Reserve” as a “component of the Reserved Money Fund”,
with references to the continued existence of the “ARPANSA Account”
as a “Special Account for the purposes of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”. A Note is included, under the amended
subsection (1), that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of
the Financial Management Legislation Amendment
Act 1999”;
• replacing subsection (3) before paragraph
(a). The provision in the Act is:
The following amounts must be transferred
to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- The replacement
provision is:
Amounts equal to the following must be credited to the
Account;
• replacing paragraph 3(a). The provision in the Act
is:
money appropriated by the Parliament for the purposes of the Reserve.
- The provision is replaced with the following Note at the end of the
section:
An Appropriation Act provides for amounts to be credited to a
Special Account if any of the purposes of the Account is a purpose that is
covered by an item in the Appropriation Act.
- This type of amendment is
explained under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum,
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
• replacing the reference, in paragraphs (3)(e), to “the
investment of money from the Reserve”, with “the investment of an
amount standing to the credit of the Account” (renumbered paragraph (3)(d)
in the FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (3)(f),
to “property paid for with money from the Reserve”, with
“property paid for after a debit of the Account in respect of an amount
equal to the purchase price of the property” (renumbered paragraph (3)(e)
in the FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in paragraph
(3)(g), to “ paid out of the Reserve”, with “debited from the
Account” (renumbered paragraph (3)(f) in the FFLA Bill);
• replacing the references, in paragraph (3)(h) and in subsection (4)
before paragraph (4)(a), to “purposes of the Reserve”, with
“purposes of the Account”. (Paragraph (3)(h) is renumbered
paragraph (3)(g) in the FFLA Bill.)
1. Item 95 also replaces the
heading of section 56, “ARPANSA Reserve” with “ARPANSA
Account”.
2. Item 96 repeals subsections 135(7) and 161(7). These subsections provide
that money paid to the Commonwealth, by the Australian Securities and
Investments Commission and the Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee
respectively, “forms part of the Consolidated Revenue Fund”. These
subsections are now redundant because, under a self executing CRF, money raised
or received by the Executive Government automatically forms part of the CRF.
This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of
this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
1 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. The Act includes provisions which:
• establish a component of the
RMF known as the Common Investment Fund Equalization Reserve (Equalization
Reserve) which is now a Special Account;
• establish the Common
Investment Fund (Common Fund). (The Common Fund is not a Special Account.);
• establish the Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (Official Trustee) as a
corporation sole that is not subject to the CAC Act;
• enable the
Official Trustee to open and maintain, with authorised deposit-taking
institutions, such accounts for the purposes of the Common Fund as are necessary
for the purposes of the Common Fund;
• establish an Official Receiver
for each District which is a part of Australia declared to be a Bankruptcy
District for the purposes of the Act:
- An Official Receiver is not a body
corporate but, under subsections 18(8) and 18(8AA) of the Act, an Official
Receiver may exercise some of the powers, and perform some of the functions of
the Official Trustee, acting in the name of, and on behalf of, the Official
Trustee.
• authorise money to be transferred between the Common Fund
and the CRF and credited to, and debited from, the Equalization Account.
1. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
2. Items 97 and 98 amend section 20A by replacing the
definition of “Equalization Reserve” with a definition of
“Equalization Account” – the Common Investment Fund
Equalization Account.
3. Item 99 amends sections 20G and 20H. Section
20G is amended by replacing the references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the
establishment of “the Common Investment Fund Equalization Reserve”
as a “component of the Reserved Money Fund”, with references to the
continued existence of “the Common Investment Fund Equalization
Account” as a “Special Account for the purposes of the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997”. A Note is included,
under the amended subsection (1), that “the Account was established by
subsection 5(3) of the Financial Management Legislation Amendment
Act 1999”.
4. Item 99 also replaces the heading of section
20G, “Common Investment Fund Equalization Reserve” with
“Common Investment Fund Equalization Account”.
5. Item 99
also amends section 20H by:
• replacing the references, in subsections
(1) and (2) to “paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” (from the
Common Fund) with “paid to the Commonwealth”;
• replacing
subsection (2A) of the Act. The provision in the Act is:
Whenever a payment
is made into the Consolidated Revenue Fund under subsection (1) or (2), an equal
amount must be transferred to the Equalization Reserve from the Consolidated
Revenue Fund.
- The replacement provision is:
Whenever a payment is made
to the Commonwealth under subsection (1) or (2), an equal amount must be
credited to the Equalization Account (renumbered subsection (3) in the
FFLA Bill);
• replacing, in subsection (3) after paragraph (b),
the reference to “is payable out of the Equalization Reserve into the
Common Fund”, with “is to be debited from the Equalization Account
and paid into the Common Fund” (renumbered subsection (4) in the
FFLA Bill);
• replacing two references in subsection (4):
- The
reference to “whether any amounts standing to the credit of the
Equalization Reserve are not required for the purposes of subsection (3)”,
is replaced with “whether any amounts standing to the credit of the
Equalization Account are not required for the purposes of subsection (4)”.
- The reference to “shall be paid out of the Equalization Reserve into
the Consolidated Revenue Fund” is replaced with “are to be debited
from the Equalization Account”.
- In the FFLA Bill this provision
is renumbered subsection (5);
• replacing subsection (5) of the Act.
The provision is:
Whenever an amount required by subsection (3) to be paid
out of the Equalization Reserve exceeds the amount standing to the credit of the
Equalization Reserve, an amount equal to the excess must be transferred to the
Equalization Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- The amended
provision is:
Whenever an amount required by subsection (4) to be debited
from the Equalization Account exceeds the amount standing to the credit of the
Equalization Account, an amount equal to the excess must be credited to the
Equalization Account.
- In the FFLA Bill this provision is numbered
subsection (6).
1. Item 99 also replaces the heading of section 20H,
“Payment of moneys into and out of the Equalization Reserve” with
“Credits to and debits from the Equalization
Account”.
2. Item 100 amends sub-subparagraph 139L(b)(i)(A) by
replacing the reference to “Child Support Reserve” with “Child
Support Account”.
3. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
4. Item 101 inserts a new subsection 153A(4A), which is:
“Money received by the Official Receiver under subsection (4) is received
on behalf of the Commonwealth”. Subsection (4) deals with debts paid to
the Official Receiver.
5. Item 102 amends subsection 153A(5) by:
• deleting the reference to “the Official Receiver must pay that
money into the Consolidated Revenue Fund and”.
• replacing the
reference to “paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund by a trustee”
with “paid to the Commonwealth by a trustee”.
1. The first
mentioned reference is unnecessary because of the insertion, under Item 101, of
the new subsection 153A(4A). Under the self-executing CRF debts paid to the
Official Receiver under subsection (4) are part of the CRF.
2. Item 103
amends subsection 163(2) by replacing the reference to “paid into the
Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the
Commonwealth
3. Item 104 replaces subsection 163A(3). The provision
is:
Any amount paid to any Official Receiver under subsection (2) is to be
paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
4. The replacement provision
is:
Money received by the Official Receiver under subsection (2) is received
on behalf of the Commonwealth.
5. Item 105 inserts a new subsection
252A(4A), which is: “Money received by the Official Receiver under
subsection (4) is received on behalf of the Commonwealth”. Subsection (4)
deals with debts paid to the Official Receiver.
6. Item 105 also amends
subsection 252A(5) by:
• deleting the reference to “the Official
Receiver must pay that money into the Consolidated Revenue Fund and”; and
• replacing the reference to “paid into the Consolidated Revenue
Fund by a trustee” with “paid to the Commonwealth by a
trustee”.
1. The first reference is unnecessary because of the
insertion, under this item, of the new subsection 252A(4A). Under the
self-executing CRF debts paid to the Official Receiver under subsection (4) are
part of the CRF.
2. Items 106, 107 and 108 amend subsections 254(2),
254(2A) and 254(3), respectively, by replacing references to payment “into
the Consolidated Revenue Fund”, with “to the Commonwealth”.
Item 106 also replaces, by means of a Note, the heading of section 254
“Payment of unclaimed moneys into Consolidated Revenue Fund”, with
“Payment of unclaimed moneys to the Commonwealth”.
3. Item 109 amends subclause 51(8) of Schedule 4 by replacing the reference
to payments “into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “to the
Commonwealth”. Item 109 also replaces the heading of subclause 51(8),
“Payment into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “Payments to
the Commonwealth”.
4. The amounts are charge or late payment
penalty, payable to the Australian Broadcasting Authority, on behalf of the
Commonwealth (subclause 51(6)). The Australian Broadcasting Authority is a
CAC Act authority. Although the amounts are public money, subclause
51(8) is retained and amended to make it clear that the amounts must be paid to
the Commonwealth. This type of amendment is explained under the heading above
to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments
Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
5. Item 110 amends subsection 48(4) by replacing the reference to “paid
into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the
Commonwealth”. This type of amendment is explained under the heading
above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
6. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
7. Items 111 and 112 amend subsection 4(1) by replacing the
definition of “Reserve” with a definition of “Account”
– the Child Support Account.
8. Item 113 amends paragraph 53(c) by
replacing the reference to “transferred to the Reserve” with
“credited to the Account”.
9. Item 114 replaces Division 1 of
Part VI. This Division covers sections 73 to 75. The heading of the Division,
“Establishment and operation of Child Support Reserve”, is replaced
with “Child Support Account”.
10. Item 114 amends section 73
by replacing the references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the establishment of
“the Child Support Reserve” as a “component of the Reserved
Money Fund”, with references to the continued existence of the
“Child Support Account” as a “Special Account for the purposes
of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”. A
Note is included, under the amended subsection (1), that “the Account was
established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial Management Legislation
Amendment Act 1999”.
11. Item 114 also replaces the
heading of section 73, “Establishment, etc” with “Child
Support Account”.
12. Item 114 amends section 74
by:
• replacing the reference, in subsection (1) before paragraph (a),
to “transferred to the Reserve out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund”
with “credited to the Account”;
• replacing the reference,
in paragraph (1)(c), to “paid out of the Trust Account”, with
“paid in respect of a debiting from the Account”;
and
• replacing the reference, in subsection (2), to “transferred
to the Reserve”, with “credited to the
Account”.
1. Item 114 also replaces the heading of section 74,
“Payments into Reserve” with “Credit of amounts to
Account”.
2. Item 114 amends section 75 by:
• replacing
the reference, before paragraph (a), to “Money standing to the credit of
the Reserve may be applied”, with “The purposes of the Account
are”;
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (c), to “paid
into the Reserve” with “paid to the
Commonwealth”;
• renumbering paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) as
separate paragraphs under subsection 75(1);
• replacing paragraph (d).
The provision in the Act is:
in paying to the Consolidated Revenue Fund
amounts received from employers and payers of enforceable maintenance
liabilities in relation to cases in which amounts have been transferred from the
Consolidated Revenue Fund under section 77 or subsection 78(3).
- The
replacement provision, renumbered subsection 75(2), is:
Amounts received
from employers and payers of enforceable maintenance liabilities, in relation to
cases in which amounts have been credited to the Account under section 77 or
subsection 78(3), may be debited from the Account.
1. Item 114 also
replaces the heading of section 75, “Payments out of Reserve” with
“Purposes of the Account”.
2. Items 115 and 116 amend section
77 and paragraph 78(3)(d), respectively, by replacing the references to
“transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with
“credited to the Account”.
3. Item 117 amends subsection 9(4) by replacing the reference to “paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with a reference to “paid to the Commonwealth”. This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
4. Item 118 amends subsections 23(1) and (2) by:
• deleting
subsection (1). The provision is:
Notwithstanding anything in the terms of
an applied law, there must be credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund all
amounts received under an applied law that are required by section 81 of the
Constitution to be so credited.
- The provision is redundant because the CRF
is now self-executing, which means that moneys received by the Commonwealth form
part of the CRF. This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to
Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments
Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
• replacing subsection
(2) and renumbering it subsection (1). The provision in the Act is:
The
Commonwealth is liable to pay to a State amounts equal to amounts that are
credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund as mentioned in subsection (1) in
relation to an applied law of the State.
- The replacement provision is:
The Commonwealth is liable to pay to a State amounts equal to amounts
received by the Commonwealth (including amounts received by a State on behalf of
the Commonwealth) under an applied law of the State.
1. Item 119 amends
subsection 23(3) by replacing the cross-reference to “subsection
(2)” with “subsection (1)” to reflect the amendments contained
in the preceding item.
2. Items 120 and 121 amend subsection 1341(1) and paragraph 1341(2)(d), respectively, by replacing the references to “paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the Commonwealth”. This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
4. Item 122 amends paragraph 9A(c) by replacing the
reference to “pay” with “credit”. The reference relates
to proceeds to be credited to the Confiscated Assets
Account.[6]
5. Item 123 amends subsection 9B(2) by replacing the reference to “paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the Commonwealth”. This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
6. Items 124 and 125 amend subsection 41(2) and (4), respectively, by
replacing the references to “paid into the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” with “paid to the Commonwealth”. This type of amendment
is explained under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
7. Item 126 amends subsection 41(4) by replacing the reference to “paid
into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the
Commonwealth”. This type of amendment is explained under the heading
above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
8. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
9. Item 127 amends paragraph 208DA(3)(a) by replacing the
reference to “pay the money” (to the Confiscated Assets
Account[7]) with “credit the
amount of the money”.
10. Items 128, 129 and 130 amend
subparagraphs 208DA(3)(b)(iii), 243G(6)(a)(ii) and 243G(6)(b)(iii),
respectively, by replacing the references to “pay the remainder” (to
the Confiscated Assets Account) with “credit an amount equal to the
remainder”.
11. Item 131 amends subsection 243G(7)
by:
• replacing the reference, before paragraph (a), to “money or
proceeds” with “amounts”;
• replacing the reference,
in paragraph (a), to “pay to the Confiscated Assets Account” with
“credit to the Confiscated Assets Account”.
1. Item 132
amends subsection 243G(8) by replacing the reference to “pays, in
accordance with a direction under this section, money to the Confiscated Assets
Account”, with “credits, in accordance with a direction under this
section, an amount to the Confiscated Assets Account”.
2. Item 133
amends subsection 243P(2) by replacing the reference to “paid into the
Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the
Commonwealth”.
3. Item 134 amends the Long Title by replacing the reference to “into
the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “to the Commonwealth”.
This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of
this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
1 of the FFLA Bill”.
4. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
5. Item 135 amends sections 40 and 40A. Section 40 is
amended by:
• replacing the references, in subsections (1) and (1A), to
the establishment of the “Defence Service Homes Insurance Reserve”
as a “component of the Reserved Money Fund”, with references to the
continued existence of the “Defence Service Homes Insurance Account”
as a “Special Account for the purposes of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”. A Note is included, under the amended
subsection (1), that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of
the Financial Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999”. In
the FFLA Bill the provisions are numbered subsections (1) and
(2));
• replacing the reference, in subsection (2), to
“transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with
“credited to the Account” (renumbered subsection (3) in the
FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in subsection (3), to
“To the Reserve there must be debited all payments”, with “The
purpose of the Account is to make all payments”. In the FFLA Bill
the provision is numbered subsection (4).
1. Item 135 also replaces the
heading of the section, “Defence Service Homes Insurance Reserve”
with “Defence Service Homes Insurance Account”.
2. Item 135
also amends section 40A by:
• replacing four references in subsection
(1):
- The reference to “transferred to the Defence Service Homes
Insurance Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund” is replaced with
“credited to the Defence Service Homes Insurance Account”.
- The
two references to “Minister for Finance” are replaced with
“Finance Minister”.
- The reference to “the moneys
standing to the credit of the Reserve” is replaced with “the amount
standing to the credit of the Account”.
• replacing two
references in subsection (2):
- The reference to “money from the
Defence Service Homes Insurance Reserve” is replaced with “an amount
standing to the credit of the Defence Service Homes Insurance Account”.
- The reference to “transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated
Revenue Fund” is replaced with “an amount equal to the interest must
be credited to the Account”.
• inserting a new subsection (3)
that defines the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the
Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”.
1. Item 135 also replaces the heading of
section 40A, “Interest on moneys invested from the Defence Service Homes
Insurance Reserve” with “Interest on amounts
invested”.
2. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
3. Item 136 amends section 6 by:
• replacing the
references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the establishment of “a trust
account to be known as the Debt Retirement Reserve Trust Account” as a
“component of the Reserved Money Fund” with references to the
continued existence of “the Debt Retirement Reserve Trust Account”
as a “Special Account for the purposes of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”. A Note is included, under the amended
subsection (1), that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of
the Financial Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999”.
- The name of the Special Account is not changed (that is, the words
“Reserve Trust” are retained) because the name is included in the
Commonwealth/State/Territories “Financial Agreement (1994)” which is
contained in a Schedule of the Act;
• replacing subsection (3). The
provision is:
The purpose of the account is for the payment and receipt of
moneys in accordance with the 1994 Financial Agreement.
- The replacement
provision is:
The purpose of the Account is to make payments in accordance
with the 1994 Financial Agreement.
- The replacement provision does not
include a reference to “receipt of moneys” because the crediting of
amounts to the Account is covered in subsection (4);
• replacing the
reference, in subsection (4), to “transferred to the account from the
Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “credited to the
Account”.
1. Item 136 also replaces the heading of section 6,
“Establishment of trust account”, with “Debt Retirement
Reserve Trust Account”.
2. Item 137 amends subsection 11(2) by replacing the reference to “pay
into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “pay to the
Commonwealth.
3. The proposed amendment to subsection 11(2) requires the
Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, a CAC Act authority, to
pay to the Commonwealth any amounts of levy or late payment penalty received by
it on behalf of the Commonwealth. Although the levy amounts are public money,
subsection 11(2) is retained and amended to make it clear that the amounts must
be paid to the Commonwealth. This type of amendment is explained under the
heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
4. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
5. Item 138 amends section 24 as
follows:
• Subsection (1) deals with cases where the Minister
determines that financial assistance shall not be paid out of the Superannuation
Protection Account.[8]
- The
reference, before paragraph (a), to “make a grant of financial assistance
out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund”, is replaced with “make a
grant of financial assistance not from the Account”.
- The reference,
after paragraph (b), to amounts of levy etc being “must be paid into the
Consolidated Revenue Fund”, is replaced with “must be paid to the
Commonwealth and not credited to the Account” (placed before paragraph (a)
in the FFLA Bill).
• Subsection (2) deals with cases where the
Minister determines to make a grant of financial assistance out of the
Superannuation Protection Account.
- The reference, before paragraph (a) to
“out of the Account” is replaced with “from the
Account”.
- The reference, after paragraph (b), to amounts of levy etc
“must be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” is replaced with a
reference to “must be paid to the Commonwealth and credited to the
Account” (placed before paragraph (a) in the FFLA Bill).
• Subsection (3) is repealed. The provision is:
There must be paid
into the Account amounts equal to amounts paid into the Consolidated Revenue
Fund under subsection (2).
- This is made redundant by the amendment
proposed to subsection (2) which provides for levy amounts to be credited to the
Account.
• Subsection (4) is repealed. The provision is:
The
Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated for the purposes of subsection (3).
- Amounts standing to the credit of a Special Account are part of the CRF;
therefore appropriations are not required for the purposes of crediting amounts
to a Special Account.
1. Item 139 amends subsection 20(1) of the FMA Act to expand the information
to be included in a determination of the Finance Minister that establishes a
Special Account. The existing provision is:
The Finance Minister may make a
written determination that does all or any of the following:
(a) establishes
a Special Account;
(b) allows or requires amounts to be credited to the
Special Account;
(c) specifies the purposes of the Special
Account.
1. The proposed amendment is:
The Finance Minister may make a
written determination that does all of the following:
(a) establishes a
Special Account;
(b) allows or requires amounts to be credited to the
Special Account;
(c) specifies the purposes for which amounts are allowed or
required to be debited from the Special Account.
1. The amendment
proposed for subsection 20(1) is intended to improve the transparency of Special
Accounts established by the Finance Minister by:
• requiring
determinations to specify all of the matters specified in the amendment,
rather than all or any of the matters listed in the existing subsection;
and
• requiring determinations to link the purposes of the Account with
the amounts that may be debited from the Account.
1. Item 139 also
inserts a new subsection 20(1A) to provide that:
a determination of the
Finance Minister that establishes a Special Account “may specify that an
amount may or must be debited from a Special Account ... otherwise than in
relation to the making of a real or notional
payment”.[9]
2. For
example, where the beneficiary of a program is no longer eligible to receive
payments from a Special Account, the amount standing to the credit of the
Account that is allocated to the beneficiary may be debited from the
Account.
3. The amendments proposed in Item 139 reflect the
Government’s agreement to recommendation 1 of JCPAA Report 395.
Attachments A and B of this Explanatory Memorandum outline the
Government’s response to the JCPAA report and passages in the Explanatory
Memorandum that deal with elements of the Government’s
response.
4. Items 141 and 144 insert new subsections 20(4A) and 21(1A)
to clarify that an amount standing to the credit of a Special Account that is
expended on the purposes of the Account can be applied in making notional
payments, unless the contrary intention appears. That is, the payment does not
result in money leaving the CRF, because the payee (and the payer) are both
parts of the legal entity of the Commonwealth and do not have authority to
handle money other than public money. This is explained in Note 1 to subsection
20(4A) and the Note to subsection 21(1A) and reflects the fact that a Special
Account is not part of an Agency but, rather, an account or ledger recording
amounts in the CRF that are earmarked for expenditure on the purposes of the
Account.
5. The new subsections 20(4A) and 21(1A) clarify the deeming
provision contained in paragraph 5(6)(b) of the
FMLA Act 99[10] and align
the Special Accounts framework with section 6 of the FMA Act. This section
provides that the FMA Act applies to a notional payment or receipt between
Agencies, or part of an Agency, as if it were a real payment or
receipt.
6. Items 140 and 143 insert Notes at the end of the subsections
providing a standing appropriation for the expenditure of the balance of a
Special Account (subsections 20(4) and 21(1)). The Notes are:
An
Appropriation Act provides for amounts to be credited to a Special Account if
any of the purposes of the Account is a purpose that is covered by an item in
the Appropriation Act.
7. The Notes complement the Notes inserted in
some enabling Acts[11] and reflect
the fact that Appropriation Acts no longer appropriate amounts specifically for
the purposes of particular Special Accounts. Appropriation Acts do, however,
contain standing provisions that authorise the crediting of appropriated amounts
to a Special Account if any of the purposes of a Special Account is a purpose
that is covered by an item in the Appropriation Act.
8. Item 142 numbers
the Note at the end of subsection 21(1) number 1, but does not alter the
contents of the Note.
9. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
10. Item 145 amends section 5 by:
• replacing the
references, in subsections (1) and (1A), to the establishment of a
“reserve called the Forestry Reserve” as a “component of the
Reserved Money Fund” with references to the continued existence of the
“Forestry Account” as a “Special Account for the purposes of
the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”. A Note
is included, under the amended subsection (1), as follows: “The Account
was established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial Management Legislation
Amendment Act 1999”. In the FFLA Bill subsection
(1A) is renumbered section (2);
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (2) before paragraph (a), to “transferred to the Reserve from
the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “credited to the Account”
(renumbered subsection (3) in the FFLA Bill);
• amending paragraph
(2)(b). The provision is:
moneys appropriated by Parliament for the purposes
of the Reserve or payable to the Reserve under any other law.
- The first
part of the provision is replaced with the following Note placed at the end of
the provision numbered subsection (3) in the FFLA Bill:
An
Appropriation Act provides for amounts to be credited to a Special Account if
any of the purposes of the Account is a purpose that is covered by an item in
the Appropriation Act.
- This type of amendment is explained under the
heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
- The second part
of the provision is replaced with:
amounts to be credited to the Account
under any law (renumbered paragraph (3)(b) in the FFLA Bill);
• renumbering paragraph (2)(a) as (3)(a);
• replacing the
reference, in subsection (3), to “Money in the Reserve”, with
“An amount standing to the credit of the Account” (renumbered
subsection (4) in the FFLA Bill);
• amending subsection (4). The
provision is:
If interest is received by the Commonwealth from the investment
of money from the Reserve, an amount equal to interest must be transferred to
the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund
- The replacement provision,
renumbered subsection (5), in the FFLA Bill is:
If interest is received
by the Commonwealth from the investment of an amount standing to the credit of
the Account, an amount equal to the interest must be credited to the Account.
1. Item 145 also replaces the heading of section 5, “Forestry
Reserve”, with “Forestry Account”.
2. Item 146 amends section 39I(1) by replacing the reference to “paid
into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the
Commonwealth”. The amended provision and section 39H requires the Great
Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to pay to the Commonwealth amounts of charge
and late payment penalty collected by it. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Authority is a CAC Act authority. Although the charge and late
payment penalty are public money, subsection 39I(1) is retained and amended to
make it clear that the amounts must be paid to the Commonwealth. This type of
amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of this
Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of
the FFLA Bill”.
3. Item 147 amends subsection 39I(2)
by:
• replacing the references to “CRF amount” with
“Commonwealth amount”;
• replacing the reference to
“paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the
Commonwealth”.
1. The proposed amendment also rearranges the
sequence of words in the second half of the provision.
2. Items 148 and
149 amend subsections 39I(3) and 39I(4), respectively, by replacing the
references to “CRF amount” with “Commonwealth
amount”.
3. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
4. Items 150 and 151 amend subsection 34(1) by replacing the
definition of “Reserve” with a definition of “Account”
– the Higher Education (HECS) Account.
5. Item 152 replaces the
heading of Part 4.3 of Chapter 4, “Higher Education (HECS) Reserve”
with “Higher Education (HECS) Account”.
6. Item 153 amends
sections 59 and 60. Section 59 is amended by replacing the references, in
subsections (1) and (2), to the establishment of “the Higher Education
(HECS) Reserve” as a “component of the Reserved Money Fund”
with references to the continued existence of the “Higher Education (HECS)
Account” as a “Special Account for the purposes of the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997”. A Note is included,
under the amended subsection (1) that “the Account was established by
subsection 5(3) of the Financial Management Legislation Amendment
Act 1999”.
7. Item 153 also replaces the heading of
section 59, “Establishment of Reserve” with “Higher Education
Account”.
8. Item 153 also amends section 60
by:
• replacing the reference, in subsection (1) before paragraph (a),
to “transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund”,
with “credited to the Account” (renumbered section 60 in the
FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (1)(c), to
“payments to be made out of the Reserve”, with “payments to be
debited from the Account” (renumbered paragraph (c) in the
FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (1)(d), to
“Reserve”, with “Account” (renumbered paragraph (d) in
the FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (1)(e), to
“money from the Fund”, with “an amount standing to the credit
of the Account” (renumbered paragraph (e) in the
FFLA Bill).
1. Item 153 also replaces the heading of section 60,
“Payment to Reserve” with “Credit of amounts to
Account”.
2. Item 154 amends section 61 by replacing the reference,
in subsection (1) before paragraph (a), to “Money in the Reserve”,
with “Amounts standing to the credit of the Account”.
3. Item
154 also replaces, by means of a Note, the heading of section 61
“Application of Reserve” with “Application of an amount
standing to the credit of the Account”.
4. Item 155 amends section 116 by deleting the reference “and for the
purpose of making payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in accordance with
section 117”. The reference is redundant because section 117 is repealed
in Item 2 of this Schedule.
5. Items 156 and 157 replace the definition, in subsection 128U(1), of
“Aboriginals Benefit Reserve”, with a definition of
“Aboriginals Benefit Account”. This amendment is a consequence of
the amendment proposed to section 62 of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern
Territory) Act 1976 in Item 63 of this schedule.
6. Item 158
amends subsection 128U(1), under the definition of mining payment, by:
• inserting in paragraph (a), after the phrase “a payment made
on or after 1 July 1979”, a reference to “and before the day that
the Financial Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999
commenced,”;
• inserting a new paragraph (aa) as follows:
a
payment made on or after the day that the Financial Management Legislation
Amendment Act 1999 commenced by the Commonwealth in respect of a debit
from the Aboriginals Benefit Account to the extent that the payment represents
an amount credited to the Aboriginals Benefit Account in pursuance of subsection
63(1) or (4) of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory)
Act 1976; and.
- The reference in this paragraph to
“subsection 63(1)” takes account of the amendments made in Item 64
of this schedule, to section 63 of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern
Territory) Act 1976.
1. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
2. The provision establishing the Industrial Chemicals
Account (section 100A) commenced after the commencement of the
FMLA Act 99 and therefore does not contain references to the
RMF.
3. Item 159 amends paragraphs 100B(1)(f), (g), (h) and (j) by
replacing the references to “money from the Account” with
“amounts standing to the credit of the Account”.
4. Item 160 repeals section 9. The provision is: “Any payment made to
Australia by the Fund or the Bank shall be paid into the Consolidated Revenue
Fund”. Under a self-executing CRF a payment made to Australia, that is
the Australian Government, is automatically part of the CRF. Hence the
provision is redundant. This type of amendment is explained under the heading
above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
5. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
6. Items 161 and 162 amend subsection 3(1) by replacing the
definition of “Reserve” with a definition of “Account”
– the Interstate Road Transport Account.
7. Item 163 replaces the
heading of Part IV, “Interstate Road Transport Reserve”, with
“Interstate Road Transport Account”.
8. Item 164 amends
sections 21 and 22. Section 21 is amended by:
• replacing the
references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the establishment of “the
Interstate Road Transport Reserve” as a “component of the Reserved
Money Fund”, with references to the continued existence of the
“Interstate Road Transport Account” as a “Special Account for
the purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”. A Note is included, under the amended subsection (1)
that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial
Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999”;
• replacing
the reference, in subsection (3), to “the investment of money from the
Reserve, an amount equal to the interest must be transferred to the Reserve from
the Consolidated Revenue Fund”, with “the investment of an amount
standing to the credit of the Account, an amount equal to the amount of interest
must be credited to the Account”.
1. Item 164 also replaces the
heading of section 21, “Interstate Road Transport Reserve”, with
“Interstate Road Transport Account”.
2. Item 164 also amends
subsections 22(1) and (2) by replacing the references, in subsections (1) and
(2) to “There shall be paid into the Reserve, out of the Consolidated
Revenue Fund”, with “There must be credited to the
Account”.
3. Item 164 also replaces the heading of section 22,
“Money to be paid into Reserve”, with “Amounts to be credited
to Account”.
4. Item 165 amends subsection 23(1) by replacing the
reference to “shall be paid out of the Reserve to a State” with
“is to be debited from the Account and paid by the Commonwealth to a
State”.
5. Item 165 also replaces, by means of a Note, the heading
of section 23 “Money to be paid out of Reserve”, with “Amounts
to be debited from the Account”.
6. Item 166 amends subsection
23(4) by replacing the reference to “Payments out of the Reserve shall be
made” with “Payments under this Act must”.
7. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
8. Items 167 and 168 amend section 6 by replacing the
definition of “Reserve” with a definition of “Account”
– Lands Acquisition Account.
9. Item 169 amends section 89A by
replacing the references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the establishment of
“the Lands Acquisition Reserve” as a “component of the
Reserved Money Fund”, with references to the continued existence of
“the Lands Acquisition Account” as a “Special Account for the
purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”. A Note is included under the amended subsection (1)
that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial
Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999”.
10. Item 169
also replaces the heading of section 89A, “Establishment of Lands
Acquisition Reserve”, with “Lands Acquisition
Account”.
11. Item 170 amends subsections 90(2) to (5)
by:
• replacing subsection (2). The provision is:
The Minister may
pay the compensation into the Reserve.
- The amended provision is:
The
Minister may direct that an amount equal to the compensation be credited to the
Account;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (3), to “the
compensation otherwise payable into the Reserve”, with “the amount
of compensation that would otherwise be credited to the
Account”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (4), to
“On payment of the compensation into the Reserve, the compensation
shall,” with “On crediting the Account with the amount calculated
under subsection (3), the compensation must”;
• replacing the
reference, in subsection (5), to “the Minister shall pay to the person,
out of the Reserve, an amount equal to the amount of compensation paid into the
Reserve”, with “the Commonwealth must pay the person an amount equal
to the amount credited to the Account and debit the Account
accordingly”.
1. Item 170 also replaces, by means of a Note, the
heading of section 90, “Payment of compensation into Reserve”, with
“Crediting of amounts of compensation to the
Account”.
2. Item 171 amends subsections 114(2) to (4)
by:
• replacing subsection (2). The provision is:
The Minister may
pay the compensation into the Reserve.
- The amended provision is:
The
Minister may direct that an amount equal to the compensation be credited to the
Account;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (3), to “On
payment of the compensation into the Reserve, the compensation shall,”
with “On crediting the Account with the compensation, the compensation
must”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (4), to
“the Minister shall pay to the person, out of the Reserve, an amount equal
to the amount of compensation paid into the Reserve”, with “the
Commonwealth must pay the person an amount equal to the amount credited to the
Account and debit the Account accordingly”.
1. Item 171 also
replaces, by means of a Note, the heading of section 114, “Payment of
compensation into Reserve”, with “Crediting of amounts of
compensation to the Account”.
2. Item 172 amends subsection 50(3) by replacing the reference: “paid
into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the
Commonwealth”. This type of amendment is explained under the heading above
to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments
Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
4. The Act commenced after the commencement of the
FMLA Act 99 and therefore does not contain references to the
RMF.
5. Item 173 amends paragraphs 41(d) and (e) by replacing the
references to “money from the Account” with “amounts standing
to the credit of the Account”.
6. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
7. Items 174 and 175 amend the title of the Act, and the
reference in section 1, respectively, by replacing “National Cattle
Disease Eradication Reserve Act 1991” with “National
Cattle Disease Eradication Account Act 1991”.
8. Items 176
and 179 amend section 3 by replacing the definition of “Reserve”
with a definition of “Account” – the National Cattle Disease
Eradication Account.
9. Items 177, 178, 180 and 181 amend section 3 by
replacing the definitions of “Reserve’s component of charge”
and “Reserve’s component of levy”, with “Account’s
component of charge” and “Account’s component of
levy”.
10. Item 182 amends section 4 by replacing the references,
in subsections (1) and (2), to the establishment of the “National Cattle
Disease Eradication Reserve” as a “component of the Reserved Money
Fund”, with references to the continued existence of the “National
Cattle Disease Eradication Account” as a “Special Account for the
purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”. A Note is included, under the amended subsection (1),
that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial
Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999”.
11. Item 182
also replaces the heading of section 4, “Establishment of Reserve”,
with “National Cattle Disease Eradication Account”.
12. Items
183 and 184 amend sections 4A and 4B by replacing the references to
“Reserve’s component of charge” and “Reserve’s
component of levy” with “Account’s component of charge”
and “Account’s component of levy” respectively.
13. Items 183 and 184 also replace, by means of Notes, the headings of
sections 4A and 4B in the same way as the amendments to the content of the
sections.
14. Items 185 to 189 amend subsection 5(1) as
follows:
• Item 185 replaces the reference, before paragraph (aaa), to
“paid into the Account” with “credited to the
Account”.
• Items 186 replaces the references, in paragraphs
(aaa) and (aab), to “Reserve’s component of charge” and
“Reserve’s component of levy”, with references to
“Account’s component of charge” and “Account’s
component of levy” respectively;
• Item 187 repeals paragraph (c)
and Item 189 replaces the provision with a Note located at the end of subsection
5(1). The provision in the Act is:
[There are to be paid into the Account]
... amounts advanced out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purposes of
the Reserve.
- The Note that replaces it is:
An Appropriation Act
provides for amounts to be credited to a Special Account if any of the purposes
of the Account is a purpose that is covered by an item in the Appropriation Act.
- This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III
of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in
Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
• Item 188 amends paragraph (d) by
replacing the reference to “money from the Reserve” with “an
amount standing to the credit of the Account”.
1. Item 186 also
replaces, by means of a Note, the heading of section 5, “Payments into the
National Cattle Disease Eradication Reserve”, with “Credit of
amounts to Account”.
2. Item 190 amends section 6 as
follows:
• The reference, before paragraph (a), to “Money
standing to the credit of the Reserve may, with the approval of the Minister, be
expended”, is replaced with “The amount standing to the credit of
the Account may, with the approval of the Minister, be debited for the following
purposes”.
• Paragraph (b) is restructured into two separate
provisions, numbered paragraph (1)(b) and subsection (2). The second part of
paragraph (b) in the Act is:
[in making payments to the Consolidated Revenue
Fund] ... in respect of any expenses connected with the eradication of any
disease of cattle that is endemic in Australia that have been paid out of that
Fund.
- The reference to “the Fund” means the CRF, which means
that the expenses were not paid out of the RMF. The amended provision proposed
(numbered paragraph (1)(b) in the FFLA Bill) is:
making payments in
respect of any expenses connected with the eradication of any disease of cattle
that is endemic in Australia that have been paid by the Commonwealth and have
not been debited from the Account.
• The first part of paragraph (b)
in the Act is:
in making payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in respect
of advances referred to in paragraph 5(1)(c).
- Items 187 and 189 replace
paragraph 5(1)(c) with a Note. The amended provision proposed (numbered
subsection 6(2) in the FFLA Bill) is:
An amount that has been credited
to the Account under an Appropriation Act, may be debited from the Account.
1. Item 190 also replaces the heading of section 6, “Application
of National Cattle Disease Eradication Reserve”, with “Application
of National Cattle Disease Eradication Account”.
2. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
3. Items 191 and 192 amend section 4 by replacing the
definition of “Reserve” with a definition of “Account”
– the Medical Research Endowment Account.
4. Items 193, 194 and 195
amend paragraph 7(1)(c), section 11A and paragraphs 35(2)(a) and (b)
respectively, by replacing the reference to “Reserve” with
“Account”.
5. Item 196 replaces the heading of Part 7,
“Medical Research Endowment Reserve”, with “Medical Research
Endowment Account”.
6. Item 197 amends sections 49 and 50. Section
49 is amended by:
• replacing the references, in subsections (1) and
(2), to the establishment of the “Medical Research Endowment
Reserve” as a “component of the Reserved Money Fund” with
references to the continued existence of the “Medical Research Endowment
Account” as a “Special Account for the purposes of the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997”. A Note is included,
under the amended subsection (1), that “the Account was established by
subsection 5(3) of the Financial Management Legislation Amendment
Act 1999”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection
(3), to “the investment of money from the Reserve, an amount equal to the
interest must be transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue
Fund”, with “the investment of an amount standing to the credit of
the Account, an amount equal to the interest must be credited to the
Account”.
1. Item 197 also replaces the heading of section 49,
“Establishment of Reserve”, with “Medical Research Endowment
Account”.
2. Item 197 also amends section 50 as
follows:
• The reference, before paragraph (a) and paragraph (b) are
replaced and restructured as a section without paragraphs. The current
provisions are:
There must be transferred to the Reserve from the
Consolidated Revenue Fund ... amounts equal to amounts that are given or
bequeathed for the purposes of the Reserve.
- The replacement provision is:
There must be credited to the Account amounts equal to amounts that are
given or bequeathed for the purposes of the Account.
• Paragraph (a)
is replaced. The current provision is:
Amounts ... appropriated by
Parliament for the purposes of the Reserve.
- The provision is replaced with
the following Note at the end of the section.
An Appropriation Act provides
for amounts to be credited to a Special Account if any of the purposes of the
Account is a purpose that is covered by an item in the Appropriation Act.
- This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III
of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in
Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
1. Item 197 also replaces the
heading of section 50, “Payments into Reserve”, with “Credit
of amounts to Account”.
2. Items 198, 199 and 200 amend subsection
51(1), paragraphs 52(1)(a) and (b) and subsection 52(2), respectively by
replacing the references to “Reserve” with “Account”.
3. Item 198 also replaces, by means of a Note, the heading of section
51, “Purposes of the Reserve” with “Purposes of the
Account”.
4. Item 201 amends section 53 by replacing the reference
to “transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund”
with “credited to the Account”.
5. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule
1 is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
6. Item 202 amends the Long Title by replacing the reference
to “a Reserve” with “a Special Account”.
7. Items
203 and 204 amend section 4 by replacing the definition of “Reserve”
with a definition of “Account” – the National Residue Survey
Account.
8. Item 205 amends sections 6, 7 and 8. Section 6 is amended by
replacing the references, in subsections 6(1) and (2), to the establishment of
the “National Residue Survey Reserve” as a “component of the
Reserved Money Fund” with references to the continued existence of the
“National Residue Survey Account” as a “Special Account for
the purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”. A Note is included, under the amended subsection (1),
that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial
Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999”.
9. Item 205
also replaces the heading of section 6, “Establishment of Reserve”,
with “National Residue Survey Account”.
10. Item 205 also
amends section 7 by:
• replacing the reference, before paragraph (a),
to “transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund”
with “credited to the Account;
• renumbering paragraphs (a) and
(b) as paragraphs (b) and (c) respectively;
• renumbering paragraph (c)
as paragraph (d) and replacing the reference to “Reserve” with
“Account”;
• replacing part of paragraph (e). The
provision is:
amounts appropriated by Parliament for the purposes of the
National Residue Survey or the Reserve.
- The replacement provision
(renumbered paragraph (a) in the FFLA Bill) is:
amounts appropriated by
Parliament for the purposes of the National Residue Survey.
• replacing the other part of paragraph (e) with the following Note at
the end of the section:
An Appropriation Act provides for amounts to be
credited to a Special Account if any of the purposes of the Account is a purpose
that is covered by an item in the Appropriation Act.
- This type of
amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of this
Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of
the FFLA Bill”.
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (f) to
“the investment of money from the Reserve” with “the
investment of an amount standing to the credit of the Account” (renumbered
paragraph (e) in the FFLA Bill).
1. Item 205 also replaces the
heading of section 7, “Payments into National Residue Survey
Reserve”, with “Credit of amounts to National Residue Survey
Account”.
2. Item 205 also amends section 8 as
follows:
• The reference, in subsection (1) before paragraph (a), to
“Amounts standing to the credit of the Reserve may be spent in”, is
replaced with “Amounts standing to the credit of the Account may be
debited for the following purposes”.
• Paragraph (1)(b) of the
Act is renumbered as subsection (2) and the reference to “making payments
to the Commonwealth of amounts”, is replaced with “Amounts may be
debited from the Account”. In the FFLA Bill the provisions mentioned
in the amended paragraphs 2(a), (b) and (c) are also amended to reflect the
renumbering of paragraphs in section 7 and section 8 in this Item.
• Paragraph (1)(c) of the Act is renumbered as paragraph (1)(b) and
the reference to “paid into the Reserve”, is replaced with
“credited to the Account”.
• Paragraph (1)(d) of the Act
is replaced. The provision in the Act is:
if an amount that was paid into
the Reserve was appropriated by Parliament for the purposes of the Reserve on
condition that the amount be repaid – repaying the amount.
- The
amended provision (numbered subsection 8(3) in the FFLA Bill) is:
An
amount that has been credited to the Account under an Appropriation Act, may be
debited from the Account.
• Subsection (2) of the Act is renumbered
subsection (4) and the reference to “subsection (1)” is replaced
with “subsection (2)” to reflect the restructuring and renumbering
of section 8 made by this item.
1. Item 205 also replaces the heading of
section 8, “Payments out of Reserve”, with “Debits from
Account”.
2. Item 206 amends section 10 by:
• replacing
the references, before paragraph (a) and in paragraph (c), to
“Reserve” with “Account”;
• replacing the
reference, in paragraph (a), to “money paid into the Reserve” with
“amounts credited to the Account”;
• replacing the
reference, in paragraph (b), to “money paid out of the Reserve” with
“amounts debited from the Account”.
1. Item 207 amends
subsection 11(1) by replacing the reference to “funds paid or reimbursed
out of the Reserve” with “amounts debited from the
Account”.
2. Items 208, 209 and 210 amend the heading to Part 12, subsection 204(1) and
subparagraph 206(d)(vii) respectively, by replacing references to “Land
Fund” with “Land Account”. The complete title of the Land
Account is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Account. These
amendments follow from subsection 5(5) of the FMLA Act 99 which
provided that a reference in an instrument to a name ending with
“Reserve” or “Fund” is changed to the same name ending
with “Account”. This type of amendment is explained under the
heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. Amendments
to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner Act 1989
are not proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill while Parliament is
considering the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Amendment
Bill 2004.
4. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
5. Items 211 and 212 amend the Long Title and the Preamble
by replacing the references to “the Natural Heritage Trust of Australia
Reserve” with “the Natural Heritage Trust of Australia
Account”.
6. Items 213, 214 and 215 amend section 3 by replacing
the references, in the first, second and third star points, to
“Reserve” with “Account”.
7. Item 216 amend
section 3 by replacing the reference, in the fourth star point, to “Money
in the Reserve” with “Amounts standing to the credit of the
Account”.
8. Item 217 replaces the heading of Part 2, “The
Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Reserve”, with “The Natural
Heritage Trust of Australia Account”.
9. Item 218 amends sections 4
and 5. Section 4 is amended by replacing the reference to “The Natural
Heritage Trust of Australia Reserve is established”, with “There is
continued in existence the National Heritage Trust of Australia Account”.
A Note is included at the end of the section that “the Account was
established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial Management Legislation
Amendment Act 1999”.
10. Item 218 also replaces the
heading of section 4, “Establishment of the Natural Heritage Trust of
Australia Reserve”, with “Natural Heritage Trust of Australia
Account”.
11. Item 218 also amends section 5
by:
• replacing subsection (1). The provision is:
After the
commencement of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997, the Reserve is a component of the Reserved Money Fund.
- The replacement provision is:
The Account is a Special Account for the
purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.
• repealing subsections (2) and (3). These subsections cover the
period prior to the commencement of the FMA Act and provide for a
trust account for the purposes of the Audit Act 1901.
The provisions are redundant because the Audit Act 1901 has
been replaced by the FMA Act and other Acts.
1. Item 218 also
replaces the heading of 5, “Nature of the Reserve”, with
“Nature of the Account”.
2. Item 219 amends subsections 6(1)
and (2) by:
• replacing the reference, in subsection (1), to “the
investment of money in the Reserve are to be transferred to the Reserve from the
Consolidated Revenue Fund”, with “the investment of an amount
standing to the credit of the Account are to be credited to the
Account”;
• replacing Note 1 at the end of subsection (1). The
Note is currently:
- Money in the Reserve may be invested in accordance with
whichever of the following Acts is applicable: (a) the Financial Management
and Accountability Act 1997; (b) the Audit Act 1901.
- The amended Note is:
An amount standing to the credit of the Account
may be invested in accordance with the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997.
- The Audit Act 1901 was
replaced by the FMA Act and other Acts on 1 January 1998.
• deleting Note 2 at the end of subsection (1). The Note is:
“Under section 81 of the Constitution, income from investments must be
paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund”. The Note is redundant because
the CRF is now self-executing;
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (2), to “there is to be transferred to the Reserve from the
Consolidated Revenue Fund, in respect of the financial year, an amount equal to
the fixed-income percentage of the uninvested money in the Reserve”, with
“there is to be credited to the Account, in respect of a financial year,
an amount equal to the fixed-income percentage of the uninvested amount standing
to the credit of the Account”.
1. Item 219 also replaces, by means
of a Note, the heading of section 6 “Investments and income of the
Reserve”, with “Investments and income of the
Account”.
2. Item 220 amends subsection 6(3) by replacing the
references to “Minister for Finance” with “Finance
Minister”.
3. Item 221 amends subsections 6(4), (5) and (6)
by:
• replacing the reference, in subsection (4), to “the
Minister for Finance may, by written instrument, determine that a specified
amount is to be transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund by
way of an advance on account of the amount that may become transferable to the
Reserve”, with “the Finance Minister may, by written instrument,
determine that a specified amount is to be credited to the Account by way of an
advance on account of the amount that may be credited to the
Account”;
• replacing the two references, in subsection (5) to
“transferred” with “credited”;
• replacing the
references, in paragraphs (6)(a) and (b), to “transferred to the
Reserve” with “credited to the Account”. The second reference
to “transferred” in paragraph (6)(b) is also replaced with
“credited”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (6)
after paragraph (b), to “there is to be transferred to the Consolidated
Revenue Fund from the Reserve an amount equal to the excess” with
“an amount equal to the excess must be debited from the
Account”.
1. Item 221 also inserts a new subsection 6(7) that
provides a definition of the Finance Minister as the Minister who administers
the FMA Act.
2. Item 222 amends section 7 by replacing the reference
to “Money and investments of the Reserve” with “Amounts
standing to the credit of the Account and amounts invested by debiting the
Account”.
3. Item 222 also replaces the heading of section 7,
“Money and investments not held on trust” with “Amounts not
held on trust”.
4. Item 223 replaces the heading of Part 3,
“Purposes of the Reserve”, with “Purposes of the
Account”.
5. Item 224 amends section 8 by:
• replacing the
reference, before paragraph (a), to “purposes of the Reserve” with
“purposes of the Account”;
• deleting Note 1 at the end of
the section. The Note is:
After the commencement of the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997, subsection 20(5) of that Act
provides that money in the Reserve may be debited for the purposes of the
Reserve.
- This Note is now incorrect because the provision in the
FMA Act has been repealed. The Note is also unnecessary because section 9
(amended in Items 225 and 226) covers the debiting of amounts from the Account
for the purposes of the Account;
• deleting Note 2 at the end of the
section. The Note is:
Before the commencement of the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997, subsection 62A(6) of the
Audit Act 1901 provides that money in the Reserve may be
expended for the purposes of the Reserve.
- The Note is redundant because
the Audit Act 1901 was replaced by the FMA Act and other
Acts on 1 January 1998.
1. Item 224 also replaces the heading of section
8, “Purposes of the Reserve”, with “Purposes of the
Account”.
2. Item 225 amends subsection 9(1) by replacing the
reference to “Money in the Reserve” with “Amounts standing to
the credit of the Account”. The item also replaces, by means of a Note,
the reference in the heading of section 9 to “Trust” with
“Account”. The full amended heading is: “Debits of proceeds
from the partial privatisation of Telstra and interest earned from the
Account”.
3. Item 226 replaces subsection 9(2). The provision
is:
Money in the Reserve that represents interest earned by the Trust may be
debited for any purpose of the Reserve.
- The replacement provision is:
An amount standing to the credit of the Account that represents interest
earned on an amount standing to the credit of the Account may be applied for any
purpose of the Account.
1. Item 227 amends paragraphs 18(b) and (c)
by:
• replacing paragraph (b). The provision is:
after the
commencement of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997
– crediting amounts to the Natural Resource Management Reserve
established under the Natural Resources Management (Financial Assistance)
Act 1992;
- The replacement provision is:
crediting amounts to
the Natural Resources Management Account continued in existence under subsection
11(1) of the Natural Resources Management (Financial Assistance)
Act 1992.
- Subsection 11(1) of the Natural Resources Management
(Financial Assistance) Act 1992 is amended in Item 261 of Schedule 1;
• repealing paragraph (c). The provision is:
before the
commencement of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997
– crediting amounts to the Natural Resources Management Fund established
under the Natural Resources Management (Financial Assistance)
Act 1992.
- The provision is redundant because the FMA Act has
commenced.
1. Item 228 amends subsections 19(1) and 20(1) by replacing
the references to “Reserve” with
“Account”.
2. Item 229 amends subsection 21(1) by replacing
the reference to “spend money in the Reserve for a purpose of the
Reserve” with “spend an amount standing to the credit of the Account
for a purpose of the Account”.
3. Item 230 replaces the heading to
Part 4, “Crediting of amounts to the Reserve”, with
“Crediting of amounts to the Account”.
4. Items 231 to 234
amend sections 22 and 22A as follows:
• Items 231 and 233 amend
subsections 22(1) and 22A(1) by replacing references to “transferred to
the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund”, with “credited to
the Account”.
• Items 232 and 234 amend subsections 22(2) and
22A(2) by replacing references to “transferred to the Reserve”, with
“credited to the Account”.
1. Item 235 amends section 23 by
replacing the references, in subsections (1) and (2), to “Reserve”
with “Account”.
2. Item 236 amends sections 24, 25, 26, 27,
28 and 29. Section 24 is amended by:
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (1), to “Reserve” with “Account”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (2), to “transferred to
the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “credited to
the Account”.
1. Item 236 also amends section 25
by:
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (1)(a), to “money in
the Reserve is spent”, with “an amount standing the credit of the
Account is debited and paid by the Commonwealth”;
• replacing
the reference, in subsection (2), to “transferred to the Reserve from the
Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “credited to the
Account”.
1. Item 236 also amends section 26
by:
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (1)(a), to “money
debited from the Reserve”, with “amounts debited from the Account
and paid by the Commonwealth”; and
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (2), to “transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated
Revenue Fund” with “credited to the Account”.
1. Item
236 also amends sections 27, 28 and 29 by:
• replacing the references,
in paragraphs 27(1)(a), 28(1)(a) and 29(1)(a) to “money in the Reserve is
spent” with “an amount standing to the credit of the Account is
debited and paid by the Commonwealth”;
• replacing the
references, in subsections 27(2), 28(2) and 29(2), to “transferred to the
Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “credited to the
Account”.
1. Item 236 also replaces the heading of section 27,
“Income from assets acquired using Reserve money”, with
“Income from assets acquired using amounts credited to the Account”.
2. Item 236 also replaces the heading of section 28, “Proceeds of
disposal of assets acquired using Reserve money”, with “Proceeds of
disposal of assets acquired using amounts credited to the
Account”.
3. Item 236 also replaces the heading of section 29,
“Income from projects and related activities funded with Reserve
money”, with “Income from projects and related activities funded
with amounts credited to the Account”.
4. Items 237 and 238 amend
paragraphs 31(b) and 40(2)(a) respectively, by replacing references to
“Reserve” with “Account”.
5. Item 239 amends
subsection 40(3) by:
• replacing the references, before paragraph (a)
and in paragraph (e), to “Reserve” with
“Account”;
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (3)(a),
to “spend money in the Reserve” with “spend an amount standing
to the credit of the Account”; and
• replacing the reference, in
paragraph (3)(b), to “investments of the Reserve”, with
“investment of an amount standing to the credit of the
Account”.
1. Items 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247 and 248
amend subsection 41(1), paragraph 41(3)(a), subsections 41(4) and 42(2),
paragraphs 43(1)(a), 45(1)(e) and 46(1)(d), subsection 47(1) and paragraph
47(2)(a), respectively, by replacing the references, in all of the provisions,
to “Reserve” with “Account”.
2. Items 243 and 244
also replace, by means of Notes, the headings of sections 42, 43 and 44 by
replacing the references to “Reserve” with “Account”.
The amended headings are:
• section 42: Minimum balance in the Account
after 30 June 2001
• section 43: Annual report about the
Account
• section 44: Audit of annual financial statements of the
Account.
1. Item 249 repeals section 48. The provision is:
(1) After
the commencement of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997, the Reserved Money Fund is appropriated as necessary for the
purposes of this Act.
(2) Subsection (1) has effect only to the extent (if
any) to which the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997
does not already provide for sufficient appropriation.
(3) Before the
commencement of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997, the Trust Fund established by the
Audit Act 1901 is appropriated as necessary for the purposes of
this Act.
(4) Subsection (3) has effect only to the extent (if any) to
which the Audit Act 1901 does not already provide for a
sufficient appropriation.
2. Subsections 48(1) and (2) of the Act are
not required because subsection 21(1) of the FMA Act provides the standing
appropriation for expenditure of amounts credited to a Special Account
established by an Act.[12]
Subsections 48(3) and (4) of the Act are redundant because the FMA Act has
replaced the Audit Act 1901.
3. Item 250 amends
subsection 49(1) by replacing the reference to “money debited from the
Reserve” with “an amount debited from the
Account”.
4. Item 251 amends subsections 49(2) and (3)
by:
• replacing subsection (2). The provision in the Act is:
After
the commencement of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997, a reference in paragraph 11(4)(a) of the Natural Resources
Management (Financial Assistance) Act 1992 to amounts appropriated from
time to time by the Parliament includes a reference to money debited from the
Reserve in accordance with paragraphs 8(k) and 18(c) of this Act.
- The
amended provision is:
A reference in paragraph 11(4)(a) of the Natural
Resources Management (Financial Assistance) Act 1992 to amounts
appropriated from time to time by the Parliament includes a reference to an
amount debited from the Account in accordance with paragraphs 8(k) and 18(b) of
this Act.
- Paragraph 11(4)(a) of the Natural Resources Management
(Financial Assistance) Act 1992 is amended in Item 261. Paragraph
18(b) of this Act is amended in Item 227;
• repealing subsection (3).
The provision is:
Before the commencement of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997, a reference in paragraph 11(4)(a) of the
Natural Resources Management (Financial Assistance) Act 1992 to
amounts appropriated from time to time by the Parliament includes a reference to
money debited from the Reserve in accordance with paragraphs 8(k) and 18(c) of
this Act.
- The provision is redundant because the FMA Act has
commenced. Paragraph 18(c) of this Act is repealed in Item 227.
1. Item
252 amends subsections 49(4) and (5) by replacing references to “money
debited from the Reserve” with “an amount debited from the
Account”.
2. Item 253 repeals sections 51 and 52. Subsection 51(3)
and 52(2) provide for the sections to cease to have effect on the commencement
of the FMA Act. The sections are redundant because the FMA Act has
commenced.
3. Items 254 and 255 amend section 54 by replacing the
definition of “Reserve” with a definition of “Account”
– the Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Account.
4. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
5. Items 256 to 260 amend the Long Title, subsection 4(1),
subsection 6(5) and the heading to Part 3 respectively, by replacing the
references to “Reserve”, with “Account”. The name of
the Account is the Natural Resources Management Account.
6. Item 261
amends section 11 by:
• replacing the references, in subsections (1)
and (2), to the establishment of the “Natural Resources Management
Reserve” as a “component of the Reserved Money Fund”, with
references to the continued existence of “Natural Resources Management
Account” as a “Special Account for the purposes of the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997”. A Note is included,
under the amended subsection (1), that “the Account was established by
subsection 5(3) of the Financial Management Legislation Amendment
Act 1999”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (3),
to “investment of money from the Reserve, an amount equal to the interest
must be transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund”,
with “investment of an amount standing to the credit of the Account, an
amount equal to the interest must be credited to the
Account”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (4) before to
paragraph (a), to “transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated
Revenue Fund”, with “credited to the Account amounts equal to the
following”;
• replacing paragraph (4)(a). The provision is:
amounts appropriated from time to time by the Parliament.
- The
provision is replaced with the following Note at the end of the section.
An
Appropriation Act provides for amounts to be credited to a Special Account if
any of the purposes of the Account is a purpose that is covered by an item in
the Appropriation Act.
- This type of amendment is explained under the
heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
• replacing, in paragraph (4)(b), the reference to
“Reserve” with “Account” (renumbered subsection 11(4)(a)
in the FFLA Bill);
• replacing, in subsection (5) before paragraph
(a), the reference to “The following are to be paid out of the
Reserve”, with “Amounts are to be debited from the Account for the
following purposes”;
• inserting, in paragraph (5)(b), the
reference “making payments in respect of”;
• replacing
paragraph (5)(c). The provision is:
other costs of administration of this
Act that the Minister considers appropriate to be paid out of the
Reserve.
- The amended provision is:
making payments in respect of other
costs of administration of this Act that the Minister considers appropriate to
be debited from the Account.
1. Item 261 also replaces the heading of
section 11, “Natural Resources Management Reserve”, with
“Natural Resources Management Account”.
2. Items 262 and 263
amend paragraphs 12(1)(a) and (b) and subsection 12(2), respectively, by
replacing the references to “Reserve”, with references to
“Account”.
3. Items 264, 265, 266 and 267 amend subsection 148D(3), sections 159 and
309, and subsection 407(1), respectively, by replacing the references to
payments to, or into the “Consolidated Revenue Fund”, with to
“the Commonwealth”.
4. The provisions, as amended, require
the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which is a
CAC Act authority, or other entities that are legally separate from
the Commonwealth, to pay to the Commonwealth amounts equal to money held in lieu
of penalties, unclaimed property and proceeds from the sale of unclaimed
property and unclaimed shipwrecks. Although these amounts are public money, the
provisions are retained and amended to make it clear that the amounts must be
paid to the Commonwealth. This type of amendment is explained under the heading
above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
5. The provision establishing the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Account
(section 150YN) commenced after the commencement of the FMLA Act 99
and therefore does not contain references to the RMF.
6. Items 268 and
269 replace paragraph 150YO(a). The provision is:
[The following amounts
must be credited to the Account] ... amounts appropriated by the Parliament for
the purposes of the Account.
7. The provision is replaced with the
following Note at the end of section 150YO:
An Appropriation Act provides for
amounts to be credited to a Special Account if any of the purposes of the
Account is a purpose that is covered by an item in the Appropriation Act.
8. This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to
Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments
Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
9. The abovementioned items amend the identified provisions in Schedules 1
and 3 of the first mentioned Act and in Schedules 2 and 3 in the second
mentioned Act by replacing the references to the “Reserve”, in
regular text and in italics, with “Account” in regular text and in
italics. The Account is the National Cattle Disease Eradication Account which
was established by the National Cattle Disease Eradication Reserve
Act 1991. Items 174 to 190 of this schedule amend this Act.
10. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
11. Items 284 to 287 amend subsection 4(1)
by:
• replacing the definition of “Reserve”, the
Confiscated Assets Reserve, with a definition of “Special Account”,
the Confiscated Assets Special Account. The word “Special” is
included in the title to distinguish the Account from the Confiscated Assets
Account established under Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
[13];
• replacing, in the
definitions of distributable funds and suspended funds, the references to
“money in the Reserve” with “amounts standing to the credit of
the Confiscated Assets Special Account”.
1. Item 288 amends
subparagraph 20(3)(b)(i) by replacing the reference to “pay the remainder
of the money to the Reserve” with “credit the amount of the
remainder of the money to the Confiscated Assets Special
Account”.
2. Item 289 amends subparagraph 20(3)(b)(ii) by replacing
the reference to “pay the remainder of those proceeds to the
Reserve” with “credit the amount of the remainder of those proceeds
to the Confiscated Assets Special Account”.
3. Item 290 amends
subparagraph 30(4)(b)(i) by replacing the reference to “pay the remainder
of the money to the Reserve” with “credit the amount of the
remainder of the money to the Confiscated Assets Special
Account”.
4. Item 291 amends subparagraph 30(4)(b)(ii) by replacing
the reference to “pay the remainder of those proceeds to the
Reserve” with “credit the amount of the remainder of those proceeds
to the Confiscated Assets Special Account”.
5. Item 292 replaces
the heading to Part IIA, “Confiscated Assets Reserve”, with
“Confiscated Assets Special Account”.
6. Item 293 amends
section 34A by replacing the references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the
establishment of the “Confiscated Assets Reserve” as a
“component of the Reserved Money Fund”, with references to the
“Confiscated Assets Account established by Part IIA of this Act”
continuing “in existence as the Confiscated Assets Special Account”
as a “Special Account for the purposes of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”. A Note is included, under the amended
subsection (1), that “the Confiscated Assets Account was established by
subsection 5(3) of the Financial Management Legislation Amendment
Act 1999”.
7. Item 293 also replaces the heading of
section 34A, “Establishment of Reserve”, with “Confiscated
Assets Special Account”.
8. Item 294 amends subsection 34B(1)
by:
• replacing the reference, in subsection 34B(1) before paragraph
(a), to “transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” with “credited to the Confiscated Assets Special
Account”.
1. Item 294 also replaces, by means of a Note, the
heading of section 34B, “Payments into Reserve”, with “Credits
to Confiscated Assets Special Account”.
2. Item 295 amends
paragraph 34B(1)(d) by replacing the reference to “paid into the
Reserve”, with “credited to the Confiscated Assets Special
Account”.
3. Item 296 amends subsections 34B(2) and (3)
by:
• replacing subsection (2). The provision is:
Subject to
section 34E, all amounts paid to the Reserve are to be identified in accordance
with the regulations as distributable funds or suspended funds and are to retain
that identity while they remain within the Reserve.
- The amended provision
is:
“Subject to section 34E, all amounts credited to the Confiscated
Assets Special Account are to be identified in accordance with the regulations
as distributable funds or suspended funds”;
• repealing
subsection 34B(3). The provision is:
Where an amount payable to the
Commonwealth must, under this section, be paid to the Reserve, payment of that
amount into the Reserve is, for all purposes, taken to be payment to the
Commonwealth.
- The provision is now redundant because an amount credited to
a Special Account is in the CRF, which means that it has been paid to the
Commonwealth.
1. Item 297 amends subsection 34C(1)
by:
• replacing the reference, before paragraph (a), to “The
purposes of the Reserve”, with “The purposes of the Confiscated
Assets Special Account”;
• replacing the reference, in
subparagraph (a)(iii), to “a payment to the Reserve”, with “a
credit to the Account”.
1. Item 297 also replaces, by means of a
Note, the heading of section 34C, “Payments out of Reserve”, with
“Debits from the Confiscated Assets Special Account”.
2. Item
298 amends subsection 34D(2) by:
• replacing the reference, in
paragraph (a), to “deducted from the balance of distributable funds in the
Trust Fund and” with “debited from the balance of distributable
funds standing to the credit of the Confiscated Assets Special Account”.
Paragraph (a) is subsumed in subsection (2);
• repealing paragraph
(b). The paragraph provides that the amount deducted under paragraph (a), must
be “paid to the Consolidated Revenue Fund”. The provision is
redundant because the Special Account records amounts in the CRF.
1. Item
298 also replaces, by means of a Note, the heading of section 34D,
“Transfer of balance of distributable funds to Consolidated Revenue
Fund”, with “Debiting balance of distributable funds standing to the
credit of Confiscated Assets Special Account”.
2. Item 299 amends
subsection 34E(1) by replacing the reference to “suspended funds in the
Reserve”, with “suspended funds standing to the credit of the
Confiscated Assets Special Account”.
3. Item 300 amends
subparagraph 49(6)(a)(ii) by replacing the reference to “pay the remainder
of the money to the Reserve” with “credit the amount of the
remainder of the money to the Confiscated Assets Special
Account”.
4. Item 301 amends subparagraph 49(6)(b)(iii) by
replacing the reference to “pay the remainder of those proceeds to the
Reserve” with “credit the amount of the remainder of those proceeds
to the Confiscated Assets Special Account”.
5. Item 302 amends
paragraph 49(7)(a) by replacing the reference to “pay to the
Reserve” with “credit to the Confiscated Assets Special
Account”.
6. Item 303 amends subsection 49(8) by replacing the
reference to “pays, in accordance with a direction under this section,
money to the Reserve” with “credits, in accordance with a direction
under this section, an amount to the Confiscated Assets Special
Account”.
7. Item 304 amends subsection 55(2) by replacing the
reference to “into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “to the
Commonwealth”.
8. Item 305 amends subparagraph 63(4)(a)(ii) by
replacing the reference to “pay the remainder of the money to the
Reserve” with “credit the amount of the remainder of the money to
the Confiscated Assets Special Account”.
9. Item 306 amends
subparagraph 63(4)(b)(iii) by replacing the reference to “pay the
remainder of those proceeds to the Reserve” with “credit the amount
of the remainder of those proceeds to the Confiscated Assets Special
Account”.
10. Item 307 amends paragraph 63(5)(a) by replacing the
reference to “pay to the Reserve” with “credit to the
Confiscated Assets Special Account”.
11. Item 308 amends subsection
63(6) by replacing the reference to “pays, in accordance with an order
under subsection (1), money to the Reserve”, with “credits, in
accordance with an order under subsection (1), an amount to the Confiscated
Assets Special Account”.
12. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
13. The Act commenced after the commencement of the
FMLA Act 99 and therefore does not contain references to the
RMF.
14. Item 309 amends subsection 288(2) by replacing the reference to
“paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the
Commonwealth.
15. Item 310 amends subsection 297(2) by replacing the
reference to “Suspended funds are funds in the Confiscated Assets
Account” with “Suspended funds are amounts credited to the
Confiscated Assets Account”.
16. Item 311 amends subsection 299(1)
by replacing the reference to “suspended funds in the Confiscated Assets
Account” with “suspended funds credited to the Confiscated Assets
Account”.
17. Item 312 amends subsection 299(7) by replacing the
reference to “Distributable funds are funds in the Confiscated Assets
Account” with “Distributable funds are amounts credited to the
Confiscated Assets Account.
18. The provision establishing the National Cultural Heritage Account
(section 25) commenced after the commencement of the FMLA Act 99 and
therefore does not contain references to the RMF.
19. Items 313 and 314
replace subsection 25A(1). The subsection is:
There may be credited to the
National Cultural Heritage Account any money appropriated by the Parliament for
an outcome of the Department.
20. The provision is replaced with the
following Note at the end of subsection 25A(2):
An Appropriation Act provides
for amounts to be credited to a Special Account if any of the purposes of the
Account is a purpose that is covered by an item in the Appropriation Act.
21. This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to
Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments
Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
22. Item 315 amends subsection 40(1) by replacing the reference to
“paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the
Commonwealth”. This type of amendment is explained under the heading
above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
23. Item 316
amends subsections 40(2) and (3) by:
• replacing subsection 40(2). The
provision is:
If an amount (the CRF amount) is paid into the
Consolidated Revenue Fund under subsection (1), there must be paid to the 1992
Fund an amount equal to the CRF amount.
- The replacement provision is:
If an amount is paid to the Commonwealth under subsection (1), the
Commonwealth must pay to the 1992 Fund an amount equal to that amount;
• replacing subsection 40(3). The provision is:
A payment of an
amount to the 1992 Fund under subsection (2) in respect of a particular CRF
amount is subject to a condition that, if the Commonwealth becomes liable to
refund the whole or a part of the CRF amount, the 1992 Fund must pay to the
Commonwealth an amount equal to the amount that the Commonwealth is liable to
refund.
- The amended subsection is:
A payment of an amount to the 1992
Fund under subsection (2) is subject to the condition that, if the Commonwealth
becomes liable to refund the whole or part of that amount, the 1992 Fund must
pay to the Commonwealth an amount equivalent to the amount that the Commonwealth
is liable to refund.
1. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
2. Item 317 amends section 38 by:
• replacing the
references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the establishment of the “Sea
Installations Reserve” as a “component of the Reserved Money
Fund”, with references to the continued existence of the “Sea
Installations Account” as a “Special Account for the purposes of the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”. A Note is
included, under the amended subsection (1) that “the Account was
established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial Management Legislation
Amendment Act 1999”;
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (3), to “transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated
Revenue Fund” with “credited to the Account”;
• replacing subsection (4). The provision is:
Where the Minister
determines, in writing signed by the Minister, that the amount standing to the
credit of the Reserve that represents the sum of money paid by a person as a
security under section 37 and of interest on that money exceeds the amount
required for the purposes of the security, the amount of the excess shall be
paid to that person.
- The amended provision is:
If the Minister
determines in writing that the amount standing to the credit of the Account that
represents the sum of the money paid by a person as a security under section 37,
and of interest on that money, exceeds the amount required for the purposes of
the security, the amount of the excess must be paid to that person by the
Commonwealth and the Account must be debited accordingly.
1. Item 317
also replaces the heading of section 38, “Reserve for money paid as
security”, with “Sea Installations Account”.
2. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
3. Item 318 replaces the first star point of section 3
(which provides a simplified explanation of the Act). The provision is:
The
Australian Taxation Office has accounts that allow employers to deposit money
for their employees instead of making superannuation contributions.
4. The replacement provision is:
The Australian Taxation Office
administers a Special Account. Notional accounts are kept within the Special
Account. Employers may deposit money for their employees instead of making
superannuation contributions. These deposits are credited to the notional
accounts.
5. Item 319 also amends section 3 (which provides a simplified
explanation of the Act) by replacing the reference in the last star point to
“The accounts may also be used to hold”, with a reference to
“The accounts may also be credited with”.
6. Items 320 and
321 replace, in section 4, the definition of “Reserve”, with a
definition of “Special Account”. The name of the Special Account is
the Superannuation Holding Accounts Special Account. The word
“Special” is included in the title so that the “Special
Account” is clearly distinguished from the “accounts”, which
are notional accounts maintained within the Special Account (Item 327 amends
section 11 which provides a simplified outline of Part 3 which deals with
accounts.)
7. Item 322 replaces the heading to Part 2
“Superannuation Holding Accounts Reserve”, with
“Superannuation Holding Accounts Special Account”.
8. Item
323 amends section 7, which provides a simplified outline of Part 2,
by:
• replacing the reference, in the first starred line, to
“Superannuation Holding Accounts Reserve (the Reserve)” with
“Superannuation Holding Accounts Special
Account”;
• replacing the reference, in the second starred line,
to “Reserve” with “Special Account”;
• deleting the third starred line. The provision is:
The Reserved
Money Fund is appropriated for the purposes of this Act.
- This line relates
to the amendment to section 10, discussed below.
1. Item 324 amends
section 8 by:
• replacing the references, in subsection (1) and (2), to
the establishment of “a Reserve called the Superannuation Holding Accounts
Reserve” as a “component of the Reserved Money Fund”, with
references to “The Superannuation Holding Accounts Account is continued in
existence as the Superannuation Holding Accounts Special Account” as a
“Special Account for the purposes of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”. A Note is included under the amended
subsection (1) that “the Superannuation Holding Accounts Account was
established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial Management Legislation
Amendment Act 1999”. The word “Special” is included
in the new title of the Special Account to reduce confusion inherent in a name
that includes the words “Accounts Account”.
• deleting the
reference, in subsection (2), to “after the commencement of the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”. The
reference is now redundant because the FMA Act has
commenced;
• replacing Note 1 under subsection (2). The Note
is:
Note 1: Money in the Reserve may be invested under section 39 of the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.
- The
replacement Note is:
Note: An amount standing to the credit of the Special
Account may be invested under section 39 of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997.
• deleting Note 2 under subsection
(2). The Note is:
Under section 81 of the Constitution, income from
investments must be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- The Note is
redundant because the CRF is now self-executing, which means that income from
the investment is public money and in the CRF;
• deleting Note 3 under
subsection (2) and deleting subsection (3). These provisions refer to the Trust
Fund established by the Audit Act 1901, to the period before
the Audit Act 1901 was replaced with the FMA Act and to
the transition from the operation of the former Act to the latter Act. These
provisions are redundant because this period has now passed. The FMA Act
replaced the Audit Act 1901 on 1 January 1998.
1. Item
324 also replaces the heading of section 8, “Establishment of
Superannuation Holding Accounts Reserve”, with “Superannuation
Holding Accounts Special Account”.
2. Item 325 amends subsection
9(1) by replacing the references in the heading before subsection 9(1), and in
paragraph 9(1)(a), to “Reserve” with “Special Account”.
3. Item 325 also replaces, by means of a Note, the heading of section 9,
“Reserve is not a superannuation fund”, with “Special Account
is not a superannuation fund”.
4. Item 326 repeals section 10. The
provision is:
The Reserved Money Fund is appropriated as necessary for the
purposes of this Act.
5. This provision is redundant because Special
Accounts have replaced the components of the RMF. Special Accounts record
amounts in the CRF. Subsection 21(1) of the FMA Act provides the
appropriation authority for expenditure on the purposes of the Account of the
amounts standing to the credit of the Account. However subsection 76(6) of the
Small Superannuation Accounts Act 1995 is retained because it provides
the appropriation authority for the expenditure of amounts that are not standing
to the credit of the Special Account.
6. Item 327 amends section 11 which
provides a simplified outline of Part 3 (headed “Accounts”),
by:
• replacing the reference, in the first starred line to
“Accounts” with “Notional
accounts”;
• replacing the reference, in the first starred line,
to “Reserve” with “Special Account”.
1. Item 328
amends subsection 12(1) by replacing the reference to “Reserve” with
“Special Account”.
2. Item 329 amends section 14
by:
• inserting, after the first sentence of the section, the words
“These debits also involve debiting the Special
Account.”;
• replacing the reference, under the subheading
Transfer to superannuation fund or RSA, to “the balance of the
account may be transferred to a superannuation fund”, with “the
balance of the amount standing to the credit of the account may be debited from
the Special Account and paid by the Commonwealth to a superannuation
fund”;
• replacing the references (under the following
subheadings: “Balance of less than $200 – individual has ceased
to be employed by all depositors, Receipt of Commonwealth income support
payments, Disability, Individual turns 65, Individual at least 55 years old and
not an Australian resident) to “the balance of the account may be
withdrawn and paid to the individual” with “the balance of the
amount standing to the credit of the account may be debited from the Special
Account and paid by the Commonwealth to the
individual”;
• replacing the reference, under the subheading
Permanent departure from Australia, to “The balance of an
individual’s account may be withdrawn” with “The balance of
the amount standing to the credit of an individual’s account may be
debited from the Special Account”;
• replacing the reference,
under the subheading Death of an individual, to “the balance of the
account may be withdrawn and paid to the individual’s” with
“the balance of the amount standing to the credit of the account may be
debited from the Special Account and paid by the Commonwealth to the
individual’s”;
• replacing the reference, under the
subheading Refunds of deposits, to “the account may be debited for
the purposes of refunding deposits” with “an amount standing to the
credit of the account may be debited from the Special Account and paid by the
Commonwealth for the purposes of refunding deposits”.
1. Items 330
and 331 amend paragraphs 16(e) and 17(2)(d) respectively, by replacing the
references to “transferred to the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with
“debited from the Special Account”.
2. Item 332 amends
section 34, which provides a simplified outline of Part 5 (headed
“Crediting of deposits”), by:
• repealing paragraph (a).
The provision is:
credit the deposit to the Consolidated Revenue
Fund
- The provision is redundant because the CRF is now self-executing;
• replacing paragraph (b). The provision is:
transfer the deposit
to the Reserve.
- It is replaced with:
credit the deposit to the Special
Account” (first dot point in the FFLA Bill);
• converting
paragraph (c) to the second dot point.
1. Item 333 amends section 35 by:
• deleting subsection (1). The provision is:
The following steps
must be applied if a deposit, or purported deposit, is made in respect of an
individual.
- Given the details contained in the section the provision is
unnecessary;
• reducing the three steps to two for the crediting of
deposits to an account;
• deleting subsection (2), including the
heading of the subsection, and the Note to the subsection. The subsection
is:
The deposit or purported deposit is to be credited to the Consolidated
Revenue Fund.
- The Note is:
Under section 81 of the Constitution,
money received by the Commonwealth must be paid into the Consolidated Revenue
Fund.
- The provision and the Note are redundant because the CRF is now
self-executing.
• replacing the heading of subsection (3), “Step
2 - Transfer to Reserve”, with “Step 1 - Credit to Special
Account”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (3), to
“deposit is to be transferred from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to the
Reserve” with “deposit made in respect of an individual is to be
credited to the Special Account” (renumbered subsection (1) in the
FFLA Bill);
• replacing the heading of subsection (4), “Step
3 - Credit to account”, with “Step 2 – Credit to
individual’s account”;
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (4), to “amount is transferred to the Reserve under subsection
(3),” with “amount is credited to the Special Account,”
(renumbered subsection 35(2) in the FFLA Bill).
1. Item 334 amends
section 36, which provides a simplified outline of Part 6 (headed
“Crediting of interest”), by replacing the reference, in the first
starred line, to “transferring amounts from the Consolidated Revenue Fund
to the Reserve” with “crediting amounts to the Special
Account”.
2. Item 335 amends paragraph 38(a) by replacing the
reference to “money in the Reserve” with “amounts standing to
the credit of the Special Account”.
3. Item 336 amends paragraph
38(b) by replacing the reference to “amount of uninvested money in the
Reserve” with “amount standing to the credit of the Special Account
that remains uninvested”.
4. Item 337 amends subsection 39(5) by
replacing the reference to “money in the Reserve” with
“amounts standing to the credit of the Special Account”.
5. Item 338 amends section 40, which provides a simplified outline of
Division 3 of Part 6 (headed “Funding of interest”)
by:
• replacing the reference, in the first starred line, to
“transferring the net interest amount from the Consolidated Revenue Fund
to the Reserve” with “crediting the net interest amount to the
Special Account”;
• replacing the reference, in the second
starred line, to “Reserve” with “Special
Account”;
• replacing the reference, in the fourth starred line,
to “transferring money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with
“crediting an amount to the Special Account”;
and
• replacing the reference, in the fifth starred line, to
“transferred to the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “debited
from the Special Account.”
1. Item 339 amends sections 41 and 42.
Section 41 is amended by replacing the reference to “transferred from the
Consolidated Revenue Fund to the Reserve”, with “credited to the
Special Account”.
2. Item 339 also replaces the heading of section
41, “Transfer of net interest amount from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to
the Reserve”, with “Crediting of net interest amount to the Special
Account”.
3. Item 339 also amends section 42
by:
• replacing the reference, in subsection (1), to
“Reserve” with “Special Account”;
• replacing
the reference, in subsection (2), to “transferred to the Reserve”
with “credited to the Special Account”;
• replacing
subsection (3). The provision is:
The Unallocated Interest Pool is to be
debited for the purposes of crediting interest to an account.
- The
replacement provision is:
The balance of the Unallocated Interest Pool is to
be debited for the purposes of crediting interest to an individual’s
account.
1. Item 340 amends subsection 43(3) by replacing the reference
to “transferred from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to the Reserve”
with “credited to the Special Account”.
2. Item 340 also
replaces the heading of subsection 43(3), “Transfer of supplementation
amount”, with “Crediting of the supplementation
amount”.
3. Item 341 amends subsection 44(3)
by:
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (a), to “debited to
the Reserve”, with “debited from the Special Account” (the
amended paragraph (a) is subsumed the subsection in the
FFLA Bill);
• repealing paragraph (b). The provision is:
credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund
- The provision is redundant
because an amount standing to the credit of a Special Account is in the
Consolidated Revenue Fund.
1. Item 341 also replaces, by means of a
Note, the heading of section 44, “Re-transfer of unallocated interest to
the Consolidated Revenue Fund”, with “Debiting of unallocated
interest”.
2. Item 342 amends subsection 46(1) by replacing the
reference to “transferred to the Reserve” with “credited to
the Special Account”.
3. Item 343 replaces paragraph 50(2)(e). The
provision is:
the transfer of the balance of the account to the Consolidated
Revenue Fund under Part 9 (this event is to be known as the inactive account
transfer event).
4. The replacement provision is:
the debiting of
the balance of the account from the Special Account under Part 9 (this event is
to be known as the inactive account debit event).
5. Item 343
also replaces, by means of a Note, the heading of subsection 50(2),
“Allocation day event, withdrawal event and inactive account transfer
event”, with “Allocation day event, withdrawal event and inactive
account debit event”.
6. Items 344 and 345 amend subsection 50(5)
as follows:
• Item 344 replaces the reference, before paragraph (a), to
“inactive account transfer” with “inactive account
debit”.
• Item 345 replaces the reference, in paragraph (b), to
“day of the transfer” with “day of the
debit”.
1. Item 344 also replaces, by means of a Note, the heading
of subsection 50(5), “Inactive account transfer event”, with
“Inactive account debit event”.
2. Item 346 amends subsection
53(2) by replacing the reference to “the account is debited” with
“the account balance is debited”.
3. Item 346 also replaces
the heading of subsection 53(2), “Debit reversing interest credit”,
with “Reversing interest credit”. The amendment is intended to
provide more clarity to the heading.
4. Item 347 amends subsection 61(5)
by replacing the reference to “The Reserve is debited” with
“The Special Account is debited”.
5. Item 347 also replaces
the heading of subsection 61(5), “Reserve to be debited”, with
“Special Account to be debited”.
6. Item 347 also amends, by
means of a Note, the heading of subsection 61(6), “Account to be
debited”, with “Individual’s account to be
debited”.
7. Item 348 amends subsection 61A(3) by replacing the
reference to “Reserve” with “Special
Account”.
8. Items 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356 and 357
amend subsections 63(4), 64(4), 65(4), 66(6), 67(4), 67A(4), 68(4), 72(3) and
73(4), respectively, by replacing the references to “The Reserve is
debited” with “The Special Account is debited”.
9. The
abovementioned items also replace the headings of the above subsections,
“Reserve to be debited”, with “Special Account to be
debited”.
10. The abovementioned items also replace, by means of
Notes, the headings to subsections 63(5), 64(5), 65(5), 66(7), 67(5), 67A(5),
68(5), 72(4) and 73(5), “Account to be debited”, with
“Individual’s account to be debited”.
11. Item 358
amends section 75, which provides a simplified outline of Part 9 (headed
“Inactive accounts”), by:
• replacing the reference, in the
first starred line, to “the account balance will be transferred to the
Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “the account balance is to be
debited from the Special Account”;
• replacing the reference, in
the third starred line, to “a register of account balances transferred to
the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “a register of
individuals’ account balances debited”.
1. Item 359 amends
subsections 76(4), (5), (6) and (7) by:
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (4) and paragraph (a), to “an amount equal to the balance of
the account at the end of the period is to be debited from the Reserve
and” with “an amount equal to the balance of the individual’s
account as at the end of that period is to be debited from the Special
Account”;
• deleting paragraph (4)(b). The provision
is:
credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund
- The provision is redundant
because an amount debited from a Special Account but not paid to the individual
remains in the CRF;
• replacing subsection (5). The provision
is:
If an amount is credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund under
subsection (4), the account is debited by an amount equal to the credited
amount.
- The replacement provision is:
If an amount is debited from the
Special Account under subsection (4), the individual’s account is debited
by an amount equal to the amount debited from the Special Account;
• replacing subsection (6). The provision is:
If an amount has
been credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund under subsection (4) in respect
of the account, the individual may request the Commissioner of Taxation to pay
to the individual an amount equal to the credited amount.
- The replacement
provision is:
If an amount has been debited from the Special Account under
subsection (4), the individual may request the Commissioner of Taxation to pay
to the individual an amount equal to the amount debited from the Special
Account;
• replacing paragraph (7)(a). The provision is:
If an
amount has been credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund under subsection (4)
in respect of the account; and
- The replacement provision is:
If an
amount has been debited from the Special Account under subsection (4) in respect
of an individual’s account; and
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (7) after paragraph (b), to “an amount equal to the credited
amount” with “an amount equal to the amount debited from the Special
Account in respect of the individual’s account”.
1. Item 359
also replaces the heading of subsection 76(4), “Transfer to the
Consolidated Revenue Fund”, with “Debit from the Special
Account”.
2. Item 359 also replaces the heading to subsection
76(5), “Debiting of account balance”, with “Debiting of
individual’s account balance”.
3. Item 360 amends paragraph
77(a) by replacing the reference to “credited to the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” with “debited from the Special Account”.
4. Item
361 amends section 91A by replacing the reference to “deposit into an
individual’s account” with “credit to an individual’s
account”.
5. Item 362 amends subsection 91D(2) by replacing the
reference to “transferred from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to the
Reserve” with “credited to the Special
Account”.
6. Item 363 amends subsection 91D(3) by replacing the
reference to “transferred to the Reserve”, with “credited to
the Special Account”.
7. Item 364 amends subsection 42(4) by replacing the reference to “into
the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “to the Commonwealth”.
This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of
this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
1 of the FFLA Bill”.
8. Item 365 amends subsection 33(4) by replacing the reference to “into
the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “to the Commonwealth”.
This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of
this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
1 of the FFLA Bill”.
9. Item 366 repeals paragraph 114(c). The paragraph provides for borrowed
money to be applied for making “Payments to the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” for reimbursing the CRF from the Loan Fund as provided under section
115 of the Act. The Loan Fund was abolished by the FMLA Act 99 and
Item 27 of this Schedule repeals section 115 of the Act. Hence paragraph 114(c)
is redundant.
10. Item 367 repeals paragraph 86(c). The paragraph provides for borrowed
money to be applied for making “Payments to the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” for reimbursing the CRF from the Loan Fund as provided under section
87 of the Act. The Loan Fund was abolished by the FMLA Act 99 and
Item 29 of this Schedule repeals section 87 of the Act.
11. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
12. Items 368 and 369 amend subsection 3(1) by replacing the
definition of “Reserve” with a definition of “Account”
– the Students (Financial Supplement) Account.
13. Item 370 amends
section 12M by replacing the references in subsections (1) and (2) to the
establishment of the “Students (Financial Supplement) Reserve” as a
“component of the Reserved Money Fund”, with references to the
continued existence of the “Students (Financial Supplement) Account”
as a “Special Account for the purposes of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”. A Note is included under the amended
subsection (1) that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the
Financial Management Legislation Amendment
Act 1999”.
14. Item 370 also replaces the heading of
section 12M, “Students (Financial Supplement) Reserve”, with
“Students (Financial Supplement) Account”.
15. Item 371
amends subsections 12N(2) and (3) by:
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (2) before paragraph (a), to “paid into the Reserve out of the
Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “credited to the
Account”;
• replacing in paragraph (2)(a). The provision
is:
when it is paid into the Reserve, an amount equal to that amount is to be
paid out of the Reserve to the student on behalf of the corporation;
and
- The replacement provision is:
when it is credited to the Account,
an amount equal to that amount is to be paid by the Commonwealth to the student
on behalf of the corporation and debited from the Account; and;
• replacing the two references in subsection 12N(3):
- the
reference to “paid into the Reserve” is replaced with
“credited to the Account”;
- the reference to “paid as soon
as practicable out of the Reserve to the corporation” is replaced with
“paid as soon as practicable by the Commonwealth to the corporation and
debited from the Account”.
1. Item 372 amends the reference, in
paragraph 56(1)(f) after subparagraph (ii), to “payments are to be made to
persons out of the Reserve” with “payments are to be made to a
person by the Commonwealth in respect of a debiting of the
Account”.
2. These items amend the identified provisions by replacing references to
“into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” and “to the Consolidated
Revenue Fund” with “to the Commonwealth”. This type of
amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of this
Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of
the FFLA Bill”.
3. These items amend the identified provisions by replacing references to
“into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” and “to the Consolidated
Revenue Fund” with “to the Commonwealth”. This type of
amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of this
Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of
the FFLA Bill”.
4. In addition the following amendments are
made:
• Item 397 amends paragraph 124(1)(b) by:
- replacing the two
references to “into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “to
the Commonwealth”;
- replacing the reference to “contributions
shall be deemed not to have been” “contributions are taken not to
have been”.
• Item 397 also amends paragraph 124(1)(c) by
replacing the two references to “into the Consolidated Revenue Fund”
with “to the Commonwealth”.
1. Item 389 also replaces, by
means of a Note, the heading of section 112, “Payments into and out of the
Consolidated Revenue Fund”, with “Payments to the Commonwealth and
payments out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund”.
2. Items 411 to 414 amend paragraphs 15(1)(e), paragraph (b) of the note
to subsection 18(1), paragraph 19(4)(e) and table item 2 of subsection 24(3) by
replacing the references to “Superannuation Holding Accounts
Account” with references to “Superannuation Holding Accounts Special
Account”.
3. Items 415 and 416 amend section 56 to replace the
definition of the “Superannuation Holding Accounts Account” with a
definition of the “Superannuation Holding Accounts Special Account”.
The amended section 56 refers to the Account “continued in existence by
section 8 of the Small Superannuation Accounts Act 1995”.
Item 324 of this Schedule amends section 8 of that Act.
4. Item 417 amends subsection 65(5) by replacing the reference to
“transferred from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to the Superannuation
Holding Accounts Reserve” with “credited to the Superannuation
Holding Accounts Special Account”. The Special Account is established by
the Small Superannuation Accounts Act 1995 which is amended in Items
318 to 363 of this Schedule.
5. Item 418 amends subsection 69A(3)
by:
• replacing the text before paragraph (a) and paragraph (a). These
provisions are:
An amount equal to the excess is to be debited to the
Superannuation Holding Accounts Reserve; and
- The replacement provision is:
An amount equal to the excess is to be debited from the Superannuation
Holding Accounts Special Account” (paragraph (a) is subsumed in subsection
(3)).
• repealing paragraph (b). The paragraph provides for the amount
debited from the Superannuation Holding Accounts Reserve under paragraph (a) to
be “credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund”. The provision is
redundant because amounts credited to a Special Account are in the CRF. If an
amount debited from a Special Account does not represent a payment it remains in
the CRF.
1. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
2. Item 419 amends section 234 by:
• replacing the
references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the establishment of the
“Superannuation Protection Reserve” as a “component of the
Reserved Money Fund”, with references to the continued existence of the
“Superannuation Protection Account” as a “Special Account for
the purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”. A Note is included under the amended subsection (1),
that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial
Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999”;
• replacing
the reference, in subsection (3), to “money in the Reserve that is not
required for the purpose of making payments out of the Reserve must be
invested” with “an amount standing the credit of the Account that is
not required for the purposes of making payments of financial assistance
consequential on debits from the Account must be debited from the Account and
invested”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (4),
to “the investment of money from the Reserve, an amount equal to the
income must be transferred to the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” with “the investment of an amount standing to the credit of
the Account, an amount equal to the income must be credited to the
Account”.
1. Item 419 also replaces the heading of section 234 ,
“Superannuation Protection Reserve”, with “Superannuation
Protection Account”.
2. Item 420 amends subsection 235(1) by
replacing the references, in paragraphs (a) and (b), to the Minister determining
whether “the assistance is to be paid out of the Consolidated Revenue
Fund; or the assistance is to be paid out of the Reserve” with the
Minister determining “whether or not the amount of assistance is to be
debited from the Account”. The replacement for paragraphs (a) and (b) is
renumbered subsection (1) in the FFLA Bill.
3. Item 421 adds the
following Note at the end of subsection 235(1):
Subsection 21(1) of the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 appropriates the
Consolidated Revenue Fund for expenditure for the purposes of the Special
Account up to the balance for the time being of the Account.
4. Item 422
replaces subsection 235(2). The provision is:
If the Minister determines
that the assistance is to be paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the
Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated accordingly.
5. The replacement
provision is:
If the financial assistance is not debited from the Account,
the Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated as necessary for the purposes of
this section.
6. Subsection 24(2) of the Financial Institutions
Supervisory Levies Collection Act 1998 deals with the collection of
levies and the crediting of amounts of levy to the Account when the Minister
determines that financial assistance is to be paid by debiting the Account.
Item 138 of this Schedule amends section 24 of that Act.
7. Item 423
amends section 236 and 237. Section 236 is replaced. The current provision
is:
The purposes of the Reserve are to make payments of financial assistance
that are payable out of the Reserve pursuant to a determination by the Minister
under paragraph 235(1)(b) and to apply any excess referred to in subsection
237(2) in accordance with that subsection.
8. The replacement provision,
which is restructured into two subparagraphs, is:
The purposes of the Account
are:
(a) to make payments of financial assistance under a determination by
the Minister under subsection 235(1); and
(b) to apply any excess referred
to in subsection 237(2) in accordance with that subsection.
9. Item 423
also replaces the heading of section 236, “Purposes of Reserve”,
with “Purposes of Account”.
10. Item 423 also amends section
237 by:
• replacing the reference, in subsection (1), to “kept
within the Reserve” with “kept within the
Account”;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (2), to
“amounts paid by funds into the Reserve” with “amounts
credited to the Account from amounts paid by funds” (renumbered paragraph
(a) in the FFLA Bill);
• inserting in subsection (2), after
paragraph (b) the words “to be debited from the Account
and”.
1. Item 423 also replaces the heading of section 237,
“Separate notional payments to be kept within the Reserve”, with
“Separate notional accounts to be kept within the Account”.
2. Item 424 amends subsection 27(1) by replacing the reference to “paid
into the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “paid to the
Commonwealth”. The amended provision requires the Slot Manager to pay to
the Commonwealth amounts of penalties received by it.
3. The Slot
Manager is a separate legal entity from the Commonwealth and is able to handle
money that is not public money. Although the penalty payments are public money,
subsection 27(1) is retained and amended to make it clear that the amounts must
be paid to the Commonwealth. This type of amendment is explained under the
heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
4. Item 425
amends subsections 27(2) and (3) by:
• replacing subsection 27(2). The
provision is currently:
If an amount (the CRF amount) is paid into the
Consolidated Revenue Fund under subsection (1), the Commonwealth must pay to the
*Slot Manager an amount equal to the CRF amount.
- The replacement provision
is:
If an amount is paid to the Commonwealth as a civil penalty (Division 2)
or an infringement notice penalty (Division 3) the Commonwealth must pay to the
Slot Manager an amount equal to that amount.
• replacing subsection
27(3). The provision is:
A payment of an amount to the *Slot Manager under
subsection (2) in respect of a particular CRF amount is subject to a condition
that, if the Commonwealth becomes liable to refund the whole or part of the CRF
amount, the Slot Manager must pay to the Commonwealth an amount equal to the
amount that the Commonwealth is liable to refund.
- The replacement provision
is:
A payment of an amount to the Slot Manager under subsection (2) is
subject to the condition that, if the Commonwealth becomes liable to refund the
whole or part of that amount, the Slot Manager must pay to the Commonwealth an
amount equivalent to the amount that the Commonwealth is liable to
refund”
1. Item 425 also replaces, by means of a Note, the heading
of section 27, “Civil penalties and infringement notice penalties to be
paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund”, with “Civil penalties and
infringement notice penalties to be paid to the Commonwealth”.
2. Item 426 amends subparagraph 16(2)(a)(ii) by replacing the reference to
“paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund”, with “paid to the
Commonwealth”. This type of amendment is explained under the heading
above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. Items 427 and 428 amend subsections 73(9) and 468(9), respectively, by
replacing the references to “paid into the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” with “paid to the Commonwealth”.
4. The amounts
paid are charges and late payment penalties collected by the Australian
Communications Authority on behalf of the Commonwealth. The Australian
Communications Authority is a CAC Act authority and is therefore able
to handle money that is not public money. Although the charges and late
payment penalties are public money the subsections are retained and amended to
make it clear that the amounts must be paid to the Commonwealth. This type of
amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of this
Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of
the FFLA Bill”.
5. Items 427 and 428 also replace, by means of
Notes, the headings of subsections 73(9) and 468(9) respectively, “Payment
into Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “Payment to the
Commonwealth”.
6. The amendments to the Act mainly cover the following two Special Accounts
established by the Act:
• the Universal Service Account;
and
• the NRS
Account[14].
1. A general
explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1 is provided under
the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview
of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. The provision establishing the Universal Service Account (section 21)
commenced after the commencement of the FMLA Act 99 and therefore does
not contain references to the RMF.
3. Items 429 and 430 replace paragraph
21A(b). The paragraph is:
There must be credited to the Universal Service
Account ... (b) all money appropriated by law for the purposes of the Universal
Service Account.
4. The provision is replaced with the following Note at
the end of section 21A:
An Appropriation Act provides for amounts to be
credited to a Special Account if any of the purposes of the Account is a purpose
that is covered by an item in the Appropriation Act.
5. This type of
amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of this
Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of
the FFLA Bill”.
6. Items 431 and 432 amend paragraph 21B(1)(c) and
subsection 21B(3), respectively, by replacing the references to “amounts
paid into the Universal Service Account” with “amounts credited to
the Universal Service Account”.
7. Item 433 amends section 21C
by:
• replacing the reference, in subsection (1), to “payable to
the person out of the Universal Service Account” with “payable to
the person by the Commonwealth. The Universal Service Account is debited
accordingly”;
• replacing the references, in subsection (2) and
subsection (3) before paragraph (a), to amounts payable “out of the
Universal Service Account” with amounts payable “under subsection
(1)”;
• replacing the references, in paragraph (3)(b) and
subsection (4), to “payments out of the Universal Service Account”
with “payments by the Commonwealth in respect of amounts standing to the
credit of the Universal Service Account”.
1. Item 434 amends
subsection 21D(1) by replacing the reference to “any balance of the
Universal Service Account that remains after all amounts payable out of
it” with “any balance standing to the credit of the Universal
Service Account that remains after all payments payable by the Commonwealth in
respect of debits from the Account”.
2. Items 435 and 436 amend subsections 23D(5) and 101A(5), respectively, by
replacing the references to “paid into the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” with “paid to the Commonwealth”.
3. The amounts
paid are charges collected by the Australian Communications Authority on behalf
of the Commonwealth. The Australian Communications Authority is a
CAC Act authority and is therefore able to handle money that is not
public money. Although the amounts of penalty are public money the subsections
are retained and amended to make it clear that the amounts must be paid to the
Commonwealth. This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to
Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments
Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
4. Item 437 amends Division 4 of Part 3 by:
• replacing subsection
102(1). The subsection is:
The NRS Reserve that was, immediately before the
commencement of this section, in existence because of section 221I of the
Telecommunications Act 1997 continues in existence under and subject
to the provisions of this Act.
- The replacement provision is:
There is
continued in existence the NRS Account. A Note is included under the amended
subsection, that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the
Financial Management Legislation Amendment
Act 1999”;
• replacing subsection (2). The subsection
is:
The NRS Reserve is a component of the Reserved Money Fund.
- The
replacement provision is:
The NRS Account is a Special Account for the
purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (3), to
“NRS Reserve” with “NRS Account”;
• replacing
the reference, in subsection (4) before paragraph (a), to “transferred to
the NRS Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “credited
to the NRS Account”;
• replacing the reference, in paragraph
(4)(a), to “credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with
“paid to the Commonwealth”;
• replacing the reference, in
paragraph (4)(b), to “money in the NRS Reserve” with “an
amount standing to the credit of the NRS Account”.
1. Item 437 also
replaces the headings of Division 4 of Part 3 and section 102, “The NRS
Reserve” with “The NRS Account”.
2. The amendments to the Act mainly cover the following four Special
Accounts:
• the Rural Transaction Centres Account;
• the
Untimed Local Call Access Account;
• the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Account; and
• the Television Fund
Account.
1. The Regional Communications Infrastructure Account was
established by a determination of the Finance Minister. The other three
Accounts were established by the Act.
2. A general explanation of the
amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1 is provided under the heading above
to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments
Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. Items 438, 439, 440, 442, 443, 445 and 446 to amend section 44 by
replacing names ending with “Reserve” or “Fund” with the
same names ending with “Account”.
4. Item 447 replaces the heading of Division 2 of Part 9, “Rural
Transaction Centres Reserve”, with “Rural Transaction Centres
Account”.
5. Item 448 amends section 46 by:
• replacing
references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the establishment of the “Rural
Transaction Centres Reserve” as a “component of the Reserved Money
Fund”, with references to the continued existence of the “Rural
Transaction Centres Account” as a “Special Account for the purposes
of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”. A
Note is included under the amended subsection (1), that “the Account was
established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial Management Legislation
Amendment Act 1999”;
• replacing subsection (3). The
provision is:
Amounts equal to income derived from the investment of money in
the Rural Transaction Centres Reserve are to be transferred to the Rural
Transaction Centres Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- The
replacement provision is:
Amounts equal to income derived from the
investment of an amount standing to the credit of the Rural Transaction Centres
Account are to be credited to the Rural Transaction Centres Account;
• replacing subsection (4). The provision is:
The Rural
Transaction Centres Reserve is to be administered by the Department of Transport
and Regional Services.
- The replacement provision is:
The Rural
Transaction Centres Account is to be administered by the Department.
- This amendment is designed to avoid the risk of the provision becoming
out-of-date when a revised Administrative Arrangements Order is made. Section
19A of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 addresses references to
Ministers and Departments in Acts.
1. Item 448 also replaces the heading
of section 46, “Rural Transactions Centres Reserve”, with
“Rural Transaction Centres Account”.
2. Item 449 amends
section 47 by replacing the reference to “transferred to the Rural
Transaction Centres Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with
“credited to the Rural Transaction Centres Account”.
3. Item
447 also replaces, by means of a Note, the heading of the section,
“Transfer of money in the Rural Transaction Centres Reserve”, with
“Credits to the Rural Transaction Centres Account”.
4. Item
450 amends subsection 48(1) by replacing the reference to “Rural
Transaction Centres Reserve” with “Rural Transaction Centres
Account”.
5. Item 450 also replaces, by means of a Note, the
heading of section 48, “Purposes of the Rural Transaction Centres
Reserve”, with “Purposes of the Rural Transaction Centres
Account”.
6. Item 451 amends subsection 48(2) by replacing the
reference to “Money in the Rural Transaction Centres Reserve” with
“Amounts standing to the credit of the Rural Transaction Centres
Account”.
7. Item 452 amends subsection 49(1) by replacing the
reference to “transferred to the Rural Transaction Centres Reserve from
the Consolidated Revenue Fund by way of an advance on account of the amount that
may become transferable to the Rural Transaction Centres Reserve” with
“credited to the Rural Transaction Centres Account by way of an advance on
account of the amount that may be credited to the Rural Transaction Centres
Account”.
8. Item 453 amends subsection 49(2) by replacing the
references to “transferred” with
“credited”.
9. Items 454 and 455 amend subsections 50(1) and
51(1) respectively, by replacing the references to “Reserve” with
“Account”.
10. Item 441 repeals the definition of the Rural
Transaction Centres Account. Item 456 repeals Division 2 of Part 9 (that is,
sections 46 to 51) of the Act. Section 46 of the Act establishes the Rural
Transaction Centres Account. Clause 2 (rows 3 and 7) of the FFLA Bill
provides for these amendments to apply from 1 July 2005.
11. The
abolition of the Account is proposed because the effect of subsection 48(2) of
the Act is that amounts must not be debited from the Account from 1 July
2005.
12. Item 457 provides that an agreement made under sections 50 or
51 of the Act “that was in force immediately before the repeal of those
sections, by item 456 of this Schedule, continues in force, according to its
terms, after the repeal”. Clause 2 (row 7) of the FFLA Bill provides
for this amendment to apply from 1 July 2005.
13. Item 458 repeals Division 3 of Part 9 (that is, sections 52 to 57) of the
Act. Section 52 establishes the Untimed Local Call Access Account. The
abolition of the Account is proposed because the effect of subsection 54(2) of
the Act is that amounts must not be debited from the Account from 1 July
2003.
14. Item 459 provides that an agreement made under section 56 or 57
of the Act “that was in force immediately before the repeal of those
sections by Item 458 of this Schedule continues in force, according to its
terms, after the repeal”.
15. Item 460 replaces the heading to Division 4 of Part 9,
“Supplementation of the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure
Fund”, with “Supplementation of the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Account”.
16. Item 461 amends subsection 58(1) by
replacing the reference to “transferred to the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Fund from the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with
“credited to the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure
Account”.
17. Item 462 replaces subsection 58(2) before paragraph
(a). The provision is:
Money in the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Fund that represents an amount transferred under subsection (1)
may only be debited for the following purposes;
18. The
replacement provision is:
Amounts standing to the credit of the Regional
Telecommunications Infrastructure Account that represent an amount credited
under subsection (1) may only be debited and paid by the Commonwealth for the
following purposes.
19. Item 463 amends subsection 58(3) by
replacing the reference to “Fund” with
“Account”.
20. Item 464 replaces subsection 58(4) before
paragraph (a). The provision is:
Money in the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Fund that represents an amount transferred under subsection (1)
must not be debited after;
21. The replacement provision
is:
Amounts standing to the credit of the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Account that represent an amount credited under subsection (1)
must not be debited and paid by the Commonwealth after.
22. Item
465 amends subsection 58(5) by replacing the reference to “transferred to
the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund from the Consolidated
Revenue Fund by way of an advance on account of the amount that may become
transferable to the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund” with
“credited to the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Account by way
of an advance on account of the amount that may be credited to the Regional
Telecommunications Infrastructure Account”.
23. Items 466 and 467
amend subsections 58(6) and (7), respectively, by replacing the references to
“transferred” with “credited”.
24. Item 468
amends subsection 59(1) by replacing the reference to “transferred to the
Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund from the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” with “credited to the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Account”.
25. Item 469 replaces subsection 59(2)
before paragraph (a). The provision is:
Money in the Regional
Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund that represents an amount transferred
under subsection (1) may only be debited for the following purposes;
26. The replacement provision is:
Amounts standing to the credit
of the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Account that represent an
amount credited under subsection (1) may only be debited and paid by the
Commonwealth for the following purposes.
27. Item 470 amends
subsection 59(3) by replacing the reference to “Fund” with
“Account”.
28. Item 471 replaces subsection 59(4) before
paragraph (a). The provision is:
Money in the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Fund that represents an amount transferred under subsection (1)
must not be debited after;
29. The replacement provision
is:
Amounts standing to the credit of the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Account that represents an amount credited under subsection (1)
must not be debited and paid by the Commonwealth after.
30. Item
472 amends subsection 59(5) by replacing the reference to “transferred to
the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund from the Consolidated
Revenue Fund by way of an advance on account of the amount that may become
transferable to the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund” with
“credited to the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Account by way
of an advance on account of the amount that may be credited to the Regional
Telecommunications Infrastructure Account”.
31. Items 473 and 474
amend subsections 59(6) and (7), respectively, by replacing the references to
“transferred” with “credited”.
32. Item 475
amends subsection 60(1) by replacing the reference to “transferred to the
Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund from the Consolidated Revenue
Fund” with “credited to the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Account”.
33. Item 476 replaces subsection 60(2)
before paragraph (a). The provision is:
Money in the Regional
Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund that represents an amount transferred
under subsection (1) may only be debited for the following purposes;
34. The replacement provision is:
Amounts standing to the credit
of the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Account that represent an
amount credited under subsection (1) may only be debited and paid by the
Commonwealth for the following purposes.
35. Item 477 amends
subsection 60(3) by replacing the reference to “Fund” with
“Account”.
36. Item 478 replaces subsection 60(4) before
paragraph (a). The provision is:
Money in the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Fund that represents an amount transferred under subsection (1)
must not be debited after; ...
37. The replacement provision
is:
Amounts standing to the credit of the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Account that represent an amount credited under subsection (1)
must not be debited and paid by the Commonwealth after;
...
38. Item 479 amends subsection 60(5) by replacing the reference
to “transferred to the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund
from the Consolidated Revenue Fund by way of an advance on account of the amount
that may become transferable to the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure
Fund” with “credited to the Regional Telecommunications
Infrastructure Account by way of an advance on account of the amount that may be
credited to the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure
Account”.
39. Items 480 and 481 amend subsections 60(6) and (7),
respectively, by replacing the references to “transferred” with
“credited”.
40. Item 482 amends paragraphs 61(1)(a) and
62(1)(a) by replacing the references to “Fund” with
“Account”.
41. Item 483 replaces the heading of Division 5 of Part 9, “Television
Fund Reserve”, with “Television Fund Account”.
42. Item
484 amends section 63 by:
• replacing the references, in subsection (1)
and (2), to the establishment of the “Television Fund Reserve” as a
“component of the Reserved Money Fund”, with references to the
continued existence of the “Television Fund Account” as a
“Special Account for the purposes of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997.” A Note is included under the amended
subsection (1) that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the
Financial Management Legislation Amendment
Act 1999”;
• replacing subsection (3). The provision
is:
Amounts equal to income derived from the investment of money in the
Television Fund Reserve are to be transferred to the Television Fund Reserve
from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
• The replacement subsection
is:
Amounts equal to income derived from the investment of an amount standing
to the credit of the Television Fund Account are to be credited to the
Television Fund Account;
• replacing the reference, in subsection (4),
to “Reserve” with “Account”.
1. Item 484 also
replaces the heading of section 63, “Television Fund Reserve”, with
“Television Fund Account”.
2. Item 485 amends section 64 by
replacing the reference to “transferred to the Television Fund Reserve
from the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “credited to the Television
Fund Account”.
3. Item 485 also replaces, by means of a Note, the
heading of section 64, “Transfer of money to the Television Fund
Reserve”, with “Credit of amounts to the Television Fund
Account”.
4. Item 486 amends subsection 65(1) by replacing the
reference to “Reserve” with “Account”. Item 486 also
replaces, by means of a Note, the heading of section 65, “Purposes of the
Television Fund Reserve”, with “Purposes of the Television Fund
Account”.
5. Item 487 amends subsection 65(2) before paragraph (a),
by replacing the reference to “Money in the Television Fund Reserve”
with “Amounts standing to the credit of the Television Fund
Account”.
6. Item 488 amends subsection 66(1) by replacing the
reference to “transferred to the Television Fund Reserve from the
Consolidated Revenue Fund by way of an advance on account of the amount that may
become transferable to the Television Fund Reserve” with “credited
to the Television Fund Account by way of an advance on account of the amount
that may be credited to the Television Fund Account”.
7. Item 489
amends subsection 66(2) by replacing the references to “transferred”
with “credited”.
8. Item 490 amends subsections 67(1) and
68(1) by replacing the references to “Reserve” with
“Account”.
9. Item 444 repeals the definition of the
Television Fund Account. Item 491 repeals Division 5 of Part 9 (that is,
sections 63 to 68 of the Act). Section 63 of the Act establishes the Television
Fund Account. Clause 2 (rows 5 and 9) of the FFLA Bill provides for these
amendments to apply from 1 July 2005.
10. The abolition of the Account is
proposed because the effect of subsection 65(2) of the Act is that amounts must
not be debited from the Account from 1 July 2005.
11. Item 492 provides
that an agreement made under section 67 or 68 of the Act “that was in
force immediately before the repeal of those sections, by item 491 of this
Schedule, continues in force, according to its terms, after the repeal.”
Clause 2 (row 9) of the FFLA Bill provides for this amendment to apply from
1 July 2005.
12. A general explanation of the amendments proposed in Part 1 of Schedule 1
is provided under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory
Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA
Bill”.
13. Item 493 amends section 45 by:
• replacing the
references, in subsections (1) and (2), to the establishment of the
“Therapeutic Goods Administration Reserve” as a “component of
the Reserved Money Fund”, with references to the continued existence of
the “Therapeutic Goods Administration Account” as a “Special
Account for the purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”. A Note is included under the amended subsection (1),
that “the Account was established by subsection 5(3) of the Financial
Management Legislation Amendment Act 1999”;
• repealing
subsection (3). The provision is:
Money standing to the credit of the
Therapeutic Goods Administration Trust Account immediately before the
commencement of the Audit (Transitional and Miscellaneous) Amendment
Act 1997 must be transferred to the Reserve.
- The provision is
redundant because that Act commenced on 1 January 1998;
• replacing
the reference, in subsection (4) before paragraph (a), to “transferred to
the Reserve from the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “credited to
the Account amounts equal to” (renumbered subsection (3) in the
FFLA Bill);
• replacing paragraph (4)(a). The current provision
is:
money appropriated by the Parliament for the purposes of the Reserve;
and
- The provision is replaced with the following Note at the end of
subsection 45(3):
An Appropriation Act provides for amounts to be credited
to a Special Account if any of the purposes of the Account is a purpose that is
covered by an item in the Appropriation Act.
- This type of amendment is
explained under the heading above to Section III of this Explanatory Memorandum,
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill”.
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (4)(c), to “money from
the Reserve” with “an amount standing to the credit of the
Account” (renumbered paragraph (3)(b) in the
FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (4)(d), to
“paid for with money from the Reserve” with “paid for after a
debit from the Account” (renumbered paragraph (3)(c) in the
FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (4)(e), to
“using money from the Reserve” with “using amounts standing to
the credit of the Account” (renumbered paragraph (3)(d) in the
FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (4)(f), to
“Reserve” with “Account” (renumbered paragraph (3)(e) in
the FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in paragraph (4)(g),
to “expenditure of money from the Reserve” with “expenditure
of an amount standing to the credit of the Account” (renumbered paragraph
(3)(f) in the FFLA Bill);
• replacing the reference, in
subsection (5) before paragraph (a), to “Reserve” with
“Account” (renumbered subsection (4) in the
FFLA Bill).
1. Item 493 also replaces the heading of section 45,
“Therapeutic Goods Administration Reserve”, with “Therapeutic
Goods Administration Account”.
2. Item 494 repeals paragraph 12(c). The paragraph provides for amounts
borrowed by the Treasurer under section 11 to be applied, amongst other things,
for “making Payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund under section
13”. The provision is redundant because section 13 is repealed by Item 56
of Schedule 1.
3. Item 495 amends paragraph 356(a) by replacing the reference to “into
the Consolidated Revenue Fund” with “to the Commonwealth”.
This type of amendment is explained under the heading above to Section III of
this Explanatory Memorandum, “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
1 of the FFLA Bill”.
4. Item 496 provides that a determination of the Finance Minister, made under
subsection 20(1) of the FMA Act, that is in force immediately before the
commencement of this item, continues in force as if it were made under
subsection 20(1) of the FMA Act as amended by the FFLA Bill when
enacted. Subsection 20(1) of the FMA Act authorises the Finance Minister
to make a determination to establish a Special Account. Item 139 contains the
proposed amendments to this provision.
5. Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill proposes amendments to 30 Acts to update,
align and clarify the Commonwealth’s financial framework in relation to
matters not covered by Schedule 1. Four of these Acts are also included in
Schedule 1 for amendment. The types of amendments are outlined below.
6. The amendments proposed to 25 Acts transfer approval powers, in enabling
Acts and the CAC Act, from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister, in
relation to the following activities of specific entities that are legally
separate from the Commonwealth and that have the power to handle money that is
not public
money:[15]
• borrowing and
other money raising from financial markets;
• certain types of
investment of surplus money[16];
and
• providing guarantees, including a guarantee to an entity, placing
limits on a guarantee given by an entity to a third party and providing a
guarantee to a subsidiary of an entity.
1. Most of the 25 entities are
CAC Act authorities. Entities included in the group that are not
CAC Act authorities are:
• Albury-Wodonga Development
Corporation;
• Co-operative Farmers and Graziers Direct Meat Supply
Limited;
• Administration of Norfolk Island;
• Queensland
Fisheries Management Authority; and
• the holder of a pastoral
homestead lease or an agricultural lease granted under an Ordinance of the
Northern Territory of Australia relating to Crown lands, but not including a
company.
1. Further to the 25 entities that are legally separate from the
Commonwealth, the Bill proposes amendments to the High Court of Australia Act
1979 to transfer, from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister, the power to
approve the investment of certain types of money not immediately required to be
expended by the High Court of Australia (which is part of the Commonwealth, but
has separate statutory powers).
2. The transfer of approval powers from
the Treasurer to the Finance Minister has the following benefits:
• It
will co-locate in one central portfolio the powers relating to the financial
oversight of Commonwealth and other entities, particularly Budget-dependent
entities. In particular, more efficient and effective decision-making will be
possible about whether an entity should borrow, or otherwise raise money for
capital expenditure purposes, from the Commonwealth or from financial
markets.
• It will align powers to authorise guarantees with Regulation
14 of the Financial Management and Accountability Regulations 1997, which
gives the Finance Minister the power to authorise loan guarantees on behalf of
the Commonwealth.
• It will align borrowing approval powers with the
powers that are already provided to the Finance Minister in the section 36 of
the Health Insurance Commission Act 1973 and in section 62 of the
Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Act 2001.
1. The Finance Minister is given delegation powers in relation to most of the
approval powers transferred from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister and for
two similar approval powers that the Finance Minister already
has.[17]
2. Providing a
delegation power assists efficient public administration. Although not all of
the Acts currently provide a delegation power for the Treasurer, the amendments
proposed in the FFLA Bill apply the delegation power uniformly across the
legislation, unless there are circumstances that do not make it appropriate in
relation to particular entities. Only the amendments to the Co-operative
Farmers and Graziers Direct Meat Supply Limited (Loan Guarantee)
Act 1978 do not include a delegation power for the Finance Minister.
The reason for this is explained below in the Notes to Items 79 to 84 of
Schedule 2 regarding that Act.
3. In each case with a delegation power,
it is provided to an official within the meaning of the
FMA Act.[18] The delegation
power is not provided to an officer of a
CAC Act authority[19]
because:
• such a delegation could place the officer in a position in
which there is a conflict of interest; and
• CAC Act authorities
have statutory independence from the Government. This independence might be
also be interpreted, or perceived, as giving an officer independence in relation
to the powers or functions delegated by the Finance Minister.
1. In cases where amendments are proposed to transfer approval powers from
the Treasurer to the Finance Minister and to provide delegation powers to the
Finance Minister, references to Minister for Finance (or to Minister for Finance
and Administration) are amended to state the Finance Minister. This aligns
definitions with the definition contained in the FMA Act, that is, the
Minister who administers the FMA Act.
2. No amendment is made to
the CAC Act in this regard. An amendment is not necessary because the
Finance Minister is defined, in that Act, as the Minister who administers the
CAC Act.
3. Other proposed amendments cover:
• delegations by the Treasurer,
the Finance Minister and a Chief Executive under the
FMA Act;
• membership of an Advisory Committee, in certain
circumstances, formed to report on large waivers under the
FMA Act;
• alignment of offence provisions in the CAC Act
with the Criminal Code Act 1995; and
• an amendment to the
Native Title Act 1993 to clarify that the duties of the
Parliamentary Joint Committee on Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Land Account include examination of the annual report of the
Indigenous Land Corporation.
1. The notes, under each Act are grouped under topic headings in order to reduce repetition in the explanation. This arrangement means that explanations are not always recorded in the order of the item numbers.
2. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Items 2, and 5 amend subsections 142G(2) and
153(2) respectively. The subsections provide that the powers of the Torres
Strait Regional Authority and Indigenous Business Australia, respectively, to
give guarantees are “subject to such limits as the Treasurer
determines”.
• Items 4 and 6 amend subsections 144X(2) and
183(2) respectively. The subsections provide that the powers of the Torres
Strait Regional Authority and Indigenous Business Australia, respectively, to
borrow money on overdraft from a bank, are “subject to such limits as the
Treasurer determines”.
1. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 10 adds subsections 200B(1) and (2).
Subsection 200B(1) provides the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate
any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under section 142G,
144X, 153 or 183 to an official within the meaning of the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997), that is, to a person who is in
an Agency or is part of an Agency. Subsection 200B(2) provides that “in
exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with
any directions of the Finance Minister”.
3. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
4. Items 3, 7, 8 and 9 amend the identified provisions by
replacing the references to “Minister for Finance” with
“Finance Minister”.
5. Item 1 amends subsection 4(1) by
inserting a definition of the Finance Minister as “the Minister who
administers the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”.
6. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
7. Item 11 amends section 33 to
transfer approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
the references to “Treasurer” with “Finance Minister”.
The section provides that “With the approval of the Treasurer, a Land
Council may, in any one financial year, borrow from a bank approved by the
Treasurer for the purpose”.
8. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
9. Item 12 adds subsections, 33(2) and
33(3):
• Subsection 33(2) provides the Finance Minister with a power to
“delegate any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under
this section to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management
and Accountability Act 1997)”, that is to a person who is in an
Agency or is part of an Agency. The subsection also provides that “in
exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with
any directions of the Finance Minister”.
• Subsection 33(3)
defines the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”.
1. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing the
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Item 16 amends subsection 63(2). The current
provision is:
Except with the written approval of the Treasurer, the
National Registration Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals must
not borrow money if, as a result of the borrowing, the total amount borrowed by
the Authority at any time would exceed $500,000.
• Items 17 and 18
amend subsections 64(1) and (2) respectively. The subsections provide for the
Treasurer to guarantee “the performance by the [National Registration
Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals] of obligations incurred by
it under section 63” (subsection 64(1).
1. Item 20 repeals section
72. The section provides the Treasurer with a power to delegate all or any
powers of the Treasurer under the Act “to a person holding or performing
duties of an office in the Department of the Treasury”.
2. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. Item 19 adds subsections 69AA(1) and (2).
Subsection 69AA(1) provides the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate
any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under section 63 or 64
to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997)”, that is to a person who is in
an Agency, or is part of an Agency. Subsection 69AA(2) provides that “in
exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with
any directions of the Finance Minister”.
4. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
5. Items 14 and 15 amend the identified provisions by
replacing the references to “Minister for Finance” with
“Finance Minister”.
6. Item 13 amends section 4 by inserting
a definition of the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”.
7. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
8. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing the
references to “Treasurer” with “the Finance
Minister”:
• Item 22 amends section 3. The section includes a
definition of an approved bank as “the Reserve Bank of Australia or
another bank approved by the Treasurer”.
• Item 24 amends
paragraph 26(1)(b). The provision authorises the Albury-Wodonga Development
Corporation to, “with the approval of the Treasurer, borrow moneys from an
approved bank, or any other lender”, other than the State of New South
Wales or the State of Victoria.
• Item 25 amends subsection 26(3).
The subsection provides for the Treasurer to “guarantee the repayment of
amounts borrowed in accordance with paragraph (1)(b), and the payment of
interest on amounts so borrowed.”
• Item 26 amends paragraph
28(2)(c). Subsection 28(2) provides for the Treasurer to approve the investment
of surplus money of the Corporation that is not invested on “(a) on fixed
deposit with an approved bank; [or] (b) in securities of the
Commonwealth”.
1. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 27 adds subsections 31B(1) and 31B(2).
Subsection 31B(1) provides the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate
any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under section 3
(definition of approved bank), 26 or 28 to an official (within the
meaning of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997)”, that is to a person who is in an Agency or is part of
an Agency. Subsection 31B(2) provides that “in exercising powers or
functions under a delegation, the official must comply with any directions of
the Finance Minister.”
3. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
4. Items 23 and 28 amend the identified provisions by
replacing the references to “Minister for Finance” with
“Finance Minister”.
5. Item 21 amends section 3 by inserting
a definition of the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”.
6. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
7. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing the
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Items 34 and 35 amend subsections 70B(1) and (6)
respectively. Subsection (1) provides that the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation, “may, with the approval of the Treasurer, (a) borrow money
from someone other than the Commonwealth; or (b) raise money otherwise than by
borrowing it.” Subsection (6) provides that the Treasurer’s
approval may relate to particular transactions.
• Item 30 amends
subsection 25B(5). The provision is:
In this section proposed
borrowing or raising of money means a proposed borrowing or raising
of money that has been approved by the Treasurer under section
70B.
• Items 36 and 37 amend subsections 70C(1) and (2) respectively.
The subsections provide for the Treasurer to guarantee the repayment of amounts
borrowed, the payment of interest on amounts borrowed, and obligations relating
to money raised by the Corporation other than borrowing. These forms of
financing are authorised under subsection 70B(1).
1. Item 38 repeals
section 70F. The section provides the Treasurer with a power to delegate all or
any powers of the Treasurer under sections 70B or 70C of the Act to “a
person performing the duties of an office in the Department of the
Treasury”.
2. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. Item 39 adds subsections 71A(1) and 71A(2).
Subsection 71A(1) provides the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate
any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under section 70B or
70C to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”, that is to a person who is in an Agency
or is part of an Agency. Subsection 71A(2) provides at “in exercising the
powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with any
directions of the Finance Minister”.
4. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
5. Items 31, 32 and 33 amend the identified provisions by
replacing the references to “Minister for Finance” with
“Finance Minister”.
6. Item 29 amends section 3 by inserting
a definition of the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”.
7. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
8. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Items 40 and 41 amend subsection 6(2) and paragraph
6(4)(b) respectively. Subsection 6(2) provides that “the power of the
[Australian Film] Commission to give guarantees is subject to such limits as the
Treasurer determines. Paragraph 6(4)(b) refers to limits that the Treasurer has
determined under subsection 6(2).
1. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 42 adds subsections 6(7) and 6(8):
• Subsection 6(7) provides the Finance Minister with a power to
“delegate any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under
this section to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management
and Accountability Act 1997)”, that is to a person who is in an
Agency, or is part of an Agency. The subsection also provides that “in
exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with
any directions of the Finance Minister”.
• Subsection 6(8)
defines the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”.
1. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Item 46 amends subsection 55(1). The subsection
provides that the Australian Hearing Services (the Authority) “may, with
the Treasurer’s written approval, borrow money from persons other than the
Commonwealth”.
• Items 47 and 48 amend subsections 56(1) and (2)
respectively. Subsection (2) refers to determinations made under subsection
(1), which provides the Treasurer with the power to guarantee:
“(a)
the performance by the Authority of obligations incurred by it under section 55;
or
(b) the performance by a company that is a wholly owned subsidiary of the
Authority of obligations arising out of a borrowing by the
company”.
1. Item 49 repeals section 58. The section provides the
Treasurer with a power to delegate all or any powers of the Treasurer under
section 56 “to a person holding or performing the duties of an office in
the Department of the Treasury.
2. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. Item 50 adds subsections 63B(1) and 63B(2).
Subsection 63B(1) provides the Finance Minister with a power to delegate any of
the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under section 55 or 56 to an
official (within the meaning of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997)”, that is to a person who is in an Agency or is
part of an Agency. Subsection 63B(2) provides that “in exercising powers
or functions under a delegation the official must comply with any directions of
the Finance Minister”.
4. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
5. Items 44 and 45 amend the identified provisions by
replacing the references to “Minister for Finance” with
“Finance Minister”.
6. Item 43 amends subsection 4(1) by
inserting a definition of the Finance Minister as “the Minister who
administers the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”.
7. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
8. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Items 51, 52 and 53 amend subsections 41(1), 41(2)
and 41(5) respectively. Subsections 41(1) and (2) provide the Treasurer with
the power to guarantee:
“(a) the performance by the Authority [the
Australian Maritime Safety Authority] of obligations incurred by it under
section 40; or
(b) the performance by a company that is a wholly owned
subsidiary of the Authority of obligations arising out of a borrowing by the
company”.
1. Section 40 provides the Authority with the power to
borrow money otherwise than from the Commonwealth.
2. Subsection 41(5)
requires the Treasurer to table in Parliament documents relating to guarantees
provided by the Treasurer.
3. Item 55 repeals section 43. The section
provides the Treasurer with a power to delegate all or any powers of the
Treasurer under section 41 to “a person holding or performing the duties
of an office in the Department of the Treasury.
4. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
5. Item 54 adds subsections 41(6) and 41(7):
• Subsection 41(6) provides the Finance Minister with a power to
“delegate any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under
this section to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management
and Accountability Act 1997)”, that is a person who is in
an Agency or is part of an Agency. The subsection also provides that “in
exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with
any directions of the Finance Minister”.
• Subsection 41(7)
defines the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”.
1. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 56 amends subsection 44(2)
to transfer an approval power from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by
replacing the reference to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”. The subsection provides that the University’s power to
borrow money “is subject to such limits as the Treasurer
determines”.
3. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
4. Item 57 adds subsections 44(3) and
(4):
• Subsection 44(3) provides the Finance Minister with a power to
“delegate any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under
this section to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management
and Accountability Act 1997)”, that is a person who is in an
Agency or is part of an Agency. The subsection also provides that “in
exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with
any directions of the Finance Minister”.
• Subsection 44(4)
defines the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”.
1. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Item 61 amends subsection 33(1). The subsection
provides that the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (the
Organisation) “may, with the approval of the Treasurer, borrow money
otherwise than from the Commonwealth”.
• Item 62 amends
subsection 33(3). The subsection provides for the Treasurer to “guarantee
the repayment by the Organisation of amounts borrowed under this section and the
payment of interest on amounts so borrowed”.
• Item 63 amends
subsection 34(1). The subsection provides that “the Organisation may,
with the approval of the Treasurer but not otherwise, deal with
securities.”
• Item 64 amends subsection 34(2). The subsection
provides for the Treasurer to guarantee “the repayment by the Organisation
of amounts borrowed or raised, and the payment by the Organisation of interest
(if any) on those amounts”.
• Item 65 amends subsection 34(3).
The provision refers to the Treasurer making a determination for the purpose of
subsection 34(2).
1. Item 67 repeals section 43. The section provides
the Treasurer with a power to delegate all or any of the Treasurer’s
powers under sections 33 or 34 “to a person holding or performing duties
of an office in the Department of the Treasury”.
2. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. Item 66 adds subsections 36A (1) and (2).
Subsection 36A(1) provides the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate
any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under sections 33 or 34
to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997)”, that is a person who is in an Agency
or is part of an Agency. Subsection 36A(2) provides that “in exercising
powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with any
directions of the Finance Minister.
4. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
5. Items 59 and 60 amend the identified provisions by
replacing the references to “Minister for Finance” with
“Finance Minister”.
6. Item 58 amends subsection 3(1) by
inserting a definition of the Finance Minister as “the Minister who
administers the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”.
7. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
8. Item 68 amends subsection 53(2)
to transfer an approval power from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by
replacing the references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”. The subsection provides for the Treasurer to guarantee
“the performance by [the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority] of
obligations incurred by [the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority] under
subsection (1)”. Subsection (1) authorises the Australian Prudential
Regulation Authority to “borrow money from the Commonwealth or persons
other than the Commonwealth”.
9. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
10. Item 69 adds subsections 53(3) and
53(4):
• Subsection 53(3) provides the Finance Minister with a power to
“delegate any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under
this section to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management
and Accountability Act 1997)”, that is to a person who is in an
Agency or is part of an Agency. The subsection also provides that “in
exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with
any directions of the Finance Minister”.
• Subsection 53(4)
defines the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”.
1. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 70 amends subsection
79(1) to transfer an approval power from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister
by replacing the reference to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister. The subsection provides that the Australian Trade Commission
“may, with the approval of the Treasurer (a) borrow money otherwise than
from the Commonwealth; or (b) raise money otherwise than by
borrowing”.
3. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
4. Item 71 adds subsections 79(5) and
79(6):
• Subsection 79(5) provides the Finance Minister with a power to
“delegate any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under
this section to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management
and Accountability Act 1997)”, that is to a person who is in an
Agency or part of an Agency. The subsection also provides that “in
exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with
any directions of the Finance Minister”.
• Subsection 79(6)
defines the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”.
1. Item 72 amends subsection 6(1). The provision is:
Chapter 2 of the
Criminal Code applies to all offences against this Act, other than
offences against provisions of Division 4 of Part 3.
2. Division 4 of
Part 3 of the CAC Act covers conduct of officers of CAC Act
authorities. The amendment deletes the reference “other than offences
against provisions of Division 4 of Part 3” so that offence provisions in
that Division can be aligned with the Criminal Code. The amendments
proposed to section 27C are discussed below. Section 27C is in Division 4 of
Part 3.
3. The Finance and Administration Legislation Amendment
(Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001 did not amend the CAC Act,
so that the Criminal Code would apply to Division 4 of Part 3 of the
CAC Act, because the Criminal Code did not apply to the equivalent
provisions in the then Corporations Law. With the enactment of the
Commonwealth’s Corporations Act 2001 the Criminal Code
could be applied to the Corporations
Act 2001.[21]
4. Therefore, Schedule 1 of the Treasury Legislation Amendment
(Application of Criminal Code) Act (No.3) 2001 harmonised the offence
provisions in the Corporations Act 2001 with the Criminal
Code. It is Government policy to align the duties of directors of
CAC Act authorities with the duties imposed on the directors of
companies.
5. Accordingly, Items 75, 76, 77 and 78 amend provisions in
section 27C to separate the physical element of an offence (a person being a
director of a Commonwealth authority while a disqualification is in force
against the person) from the defence to the offence (the leave of the Court for
the person to be a director).
6. Item 75 amends subsection 27C(4) by
replacing it with two subsections. The current provision is:
(4) If a
disqualification order under subsection (1) is in force against a person, the
person must not be a director of a Commonwealth authority except with the leave
of the Court. Maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 1 year.
7. The
replacement provisions are:
(4) A person commits an offence if: (a) such a
disqualification is in force against the person; and (b) the person is a
director of a Commonwealth authority. Maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 1
year.
(4A) However, the person has an excuse if the person is a director of a
Commonwealth authority with the leave of the Court.
Note: A defendant bears
an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (4A), see
subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code.
8. Item 76 amends
subsection 27C(5) by replacing the reference to “subsection (4)”
with “subsection (4A)”. This amendment is a consequence of the
amendment to subsection 27C(4).
9. Items 77 and 78 amend subsection
27C(6). The current provision is:
A person must not contravene a condition
or restriction imposed under subsection (5). Maximum penalty: Imprisonment for
1 year.
10. The amended provision is:
A person must not contravene
such a condition or restriction. Maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 1
year.
11. This amendment is a consequence of the amendments to
subsections 27C(4) and (5).
12. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from
the Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
13. Item 73 amends paragraph
18(3)(d) to transfer an approval power from the Treasurer to the Finance
Minister by replacing the reference to “Treasurer” with
“Finance Minister”. Subsection 18(3) provides for the Treasurer to
approve the investment of surplus money by a CAC Act authority (other
than a Government Business Enterprise or a Statutory Marketing Authority) in any
manner other than on deposit with a bank, or in securities of, or guaranteed by,
the Commonwealth, or a State or a Territory Government.
14. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister
with a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
15. Item 74 adds subsection 18(4A) to provide
the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate any of the Finance
Minister’s powers or functions under this section to an official (within
the meaning of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997)”, that is to a person who is in an Agency, or is part
of an Agency. The subsection also provides that “in exercising powers or
functions under a delegation, the official must comply with any directions of
the Finance Minister”.
16. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from
the Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
17. The following items transfer
an approval power from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by the replacing
the reference to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Item 80 amends subsection 4(1). The subsection
provides for the Treasurer to give “one guarantee in respect of the
repayment by the Society of one-half of the principal moneys in relation to a
borrowing of moneys by the Society”(the Co-operative Farmers and Graziers
Direct Meat Supply Limited).
• Items 81, 82, 83 and 84 amend section
5. These provisions set conditions which must apply for the Treasurer to give a
guarantee under section 4.
1. No delegation power is proposed for the
Finance Minister. The Act provides that a guarantee to the Society may only be
given if the Treasurer of the State of Victoria gives a like guarantee
(paragraph 5(a)). Under these circumstances, it would be more appropriate for
the Finance Minister, and not a delegated official, to decide whether the
Commonwealth should provide a guarantee to the
Society.[22]
2. Item 79 amends section 3 to include a definition of the Finance Minister
as “the Minister who administers the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”.
3. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
4. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Items 89, 90 and 91 amend subsections 37(1), 38(1)
and 38(2), respectively.
• Subsection 37(1) provides that the Defence
Housing Authority (the Authority) “may, with the written approval of the
Treasurer (a) borrow money, otherwise than from the Commonwealth, or (b) raise
money otherwise than by borrowing”.
• Subsections 38(1) and 38(2)
provide for the Treasurer to guarantee the repayment of borrowing, the payment
of interest on borrowing, or a payment with respect to money raised otherwise
than by borrowing, by the Authority.
• Item 86 amends paragraph
8(5)(c). The paragraph provides that “the Authority shall endeavour to
ensure that a company in which it holds a controlling interest does not: (a)
borrow money, otherwise than from the Commonwealth; or (b) raise money otherwise
than by borrowing; except (c) with the written approval of the
Treasurer”.
• Items 92, 93, 94, and 95 amend subsections 41(2),
(3), (4) and (7) respectively. The subsections provide for the Treasurer to
guarantee the repayment of borrowing, the repayment of interest on borrowing, or
a payment with respect to money raised otherwise than by borrowing by a body
corporate that is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Authority.
1. Item 96
repeals section 42. The section provides the Treasurer with a power to
“delegate to a person holding or performing the duties of an office in the
Department of the Treasury all or any of the powers of the Treasurer under
section 8(5) or this Part”.
2. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. Item 97 adds subsections 66A(1) and (2).
Subsection 66A(1) provides the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate
any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under section 8, 37, 38
or 41 to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management
and Accountability Act 1997)”, that is to a person who is in an
Agency or is part of an Agency. Subsection 66A(2) provides that “in
exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with
any directions of the Finance Minister”.
4. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
5. Items 87 and 88 amend the identified provisions by
replacing the references to “Minister for Finance” with
“Finance Minister”.
6. Item 85 amends subsection 3(1) by
inserting a definition of the Finance Minister as “the Minister who
administers the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”.
7. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from
the Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
8. Item 102 amends subsection
59(1) to transfer an approval power from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister
by replacing the reference to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”. The subsection provides that “EFIC [the Export Finance
and Insurance Corporation] may, with the written approval of the Treasurer: (a)
borrow money otherwise than from the Commonwealth; or (b) raise money otherwise
than by borrowing”
9. Items 105, 108 and 110 amend subsections
65(8) and 66(8) and paragraph 66A(4)(b), respectively. These provisions refer
to approvals given by the Treasurer under subsection 59.
10. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister
with a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
11. Item 103 adds subsection 59(4) to provide
the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate any of the Finance
Minister’s powers or functions under this section to an official (within
the meaning of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997)”, that is a person who is in an Agency or is part of an
Agency. The subsection also provides that “in exercising powers or
functions under a delegation, the official must comply with any directions of
the Finance Minister.”
12. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
13. Items 99, 100, 101, 104, 106, 107, 109, 111 and 112
amend the identified provisions by replacing the references to “Minister
for Finance” with “Finance Minister”.
14. Item 98
amends subsection 3(1) by inserting a definition of the Finance Minister as
“the Minister who administers the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”.
15. Items 113, 114 and 115 amend paragraph 53(1)(a) and subsection 53(1A)
respectively to:
• clarify that powers or functions that have been
delegated to a Chief Executive by the Treasurer can be delegated to a second
delegate (paragraph 53(1)(a)); and
• clarify that a delegated
“power or function, when exercised or performed by the second delegate, is
taken for the purposes of this Act to have been exercised or performed by the
... Treasurer” (subsection 53(1A)).
1. This amendment aligns
arrangements for delegations by the Treasurer with the arrangements that apply
to the Finance Minister in these provisions.
2. Item 116 amends
subsection 53(2) by:
• including a new subsection (2) to require that a
Chief Executive, when “subject to directions in relation to the exercise
of a power or function delegated to the Chief Executive” by the Finance
Minister or the Treasurer, “must give corresponding directions to the
second delegate”;
• replacing the existing subsection (2) as
subsection (3). The provision requires the second delegate to “comply
with any directions of the Chief Executive”.
1. The proposed
amendment to subsection 53(2) will align the provision with the second sentence
of subsection 78(9) of the Public Service Act 1999.
2. Section 59 of the FMA Act contains outdated references to the
“Department of Finance” and the “Department of Administrative
Services”. Subsection 59(2) currently provides for the Department of
Administrative Services to be the third member of an Advisory Committee in the
circumstances outlined in the paragraph immediately below.
3. Items 117
and 118 amend paragraph 59(1)(b) and subsection 59(2) respectively
to:
• replace the references to the “Department of Finance”
with “Department of Finance and Administration”;
• provide for the third member of an Advisory Committee to be “a
Chief Executive nominated by the Finance Minister” in circumstances where
there is no Agency responsible for the matter, or the responsible Agency is one
of the other two members of the Committee (that is, the Department of Finance
and Administration or the Australian Customs Service).
1. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Item 120 amends subsection 83(2). The subsection
provides that “except with the written approval of the Treasurer, the
[Australian Fisheries Management] Authority must not borrow money so that the
total amount borrowed at any time exceeds $500,000”.
• Items 121
and 122 amend subsections 84(1) and 84(2) respectively. The subsections provide
for the Treasurer to guarantee “the performance by the Authority of
obligations incurred by it under section 83” (subsection 84(1).
1. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 123 adds subsections 88A(1) and (2).
Subsection 88A(1) provides the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate
any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under sections 83 or 84
to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997)”, that is a person who is in an Agency
or part of an Agency. Subsection 88A(2) provides that “in exercising
powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with any
directions of the Finance Minister”.
3. Item 119 amends subsection 4(1) by inserting a definition of the Finance
Minister as “the Minister who administers the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”.
4. Subsection 36(1) provides that the Health Insurance Commission “may,
with the written approval of the Finance Minister borrow money from the
Commonwealth or from persons other than the Commonwealth”.
5. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
6. Item 124 adds subsection 36(4) to provide
the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate any of the Finance
Minister’s powers or functions under this section to an official (within
the meaning of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997), that is a person who is in an Agency or is part of an
Agency. The subsection also provides that “in exercising powers or
functions under a delegation, the official must comply with any directions of
the Finance Minister”.
7. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
8. Section 39 of the Act provides
for the Treasurer to approve the High Court investing money not immediately
required (other than moneys held on trust and moneys appropriated by Parliament
and paid for the purposes of the High Court) in any manner other than “(a)
on deposit with an ADI [authorised deposit-taking institution]; [or] (b) in
securities of the Commonwealth”.
9. Item 127 amends paragraph
39(2)(c) to transfer an approval power from the Treasurer to the Finance
Minister by replacing the reference to “Treasurer” with
“Finance Minister”.
10. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister
with a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
11. Item 128 adds subsection 39(3) to provide
the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate any of the Finance
Minister’s powers or functions under this section to an official (within
the meaning of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997)”, that is to a person who is in an Agency or is
part of an Agency. The subsection provides that “in exercising powers or
functions under a delegation, the official must comply with any directions of
the Finance Minister”.
12. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
13. Items 126 and 129 amend the identified provisions by
replacing the references to “Minister for Finance” with
“Finance Minister”.
14. Item 125 amends subsection 4(1) by
inserting a definition of the Finance Minister as “the Minister who
administers the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”.
15. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from
the Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
16. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Item 131 amends subsection 36(1). The
subsection provides that the Australian Maritime College (the College)
“may, with the written approval of the Treasurer (a) borrow money; or (b)
raise money otherwise than by borrowing.”
• Items 132 and 133
amend subsections 37(1) and 37(2), respectively. The subsections provide for
the Treasurer to guarantee the repayment of borrowing, the payment of interest,
and payments in relation to money raised other than by borrowing by the College.
1. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 134 replaces section 37C. The section
provides the Treasurer with a delegation power “to a person occupying an
office in the Department of the Treasury”. The replacement provisions
are:
• Subsection (1) provides the Finance Minister with a power to
“delegate any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under
section 36 or 37 to an official (within the meaning of the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997)”, that is to a
person to a person who is in an Agency or is part of an Agency.
• Subsection (2) provides that “in exercising powers or
functions under a delegation, the official must comply with any directions of
the Finance Minister”.
1. Item 130 amends section 4 by inserting a definition of the Finance
Minister as “the Minister who administers the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”.
2. Item 135 amends section 206 by adding a new subsection (2) to clarify
that the duties of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Native Title and the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund include examination of the
annual report of the Indigenous Land Corporation prepared under section 9 of the
CAC Act. This amendment reinstates the arrangement that applied
prior to the amendments to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Commission Act 1989 that were a consequence of the commencement of the
CAC Act on 1 January 1998.
3. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
4. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Item 138 amends subsection 50(1). The
subsection provides that the Administration or government of the Norfolk Island
Territory (the Administration) or a Territory authority “may, with the
approval of the Treasurer (a) borrow money otherwise than from the Commonwealth;
or (b) raise money otherwise than by borrowing.”
• Items 139 and
140 amend subsections 50A(1) and 50A(2) respectively. The subsections provide
for the Treasurer to guarantee the repayment of borrowing, the payment of
interest, and payments in respect of money raised otherwise than by borrowing by
the Administration.
1. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 141 replaces section 50D. The section
provides the Treasurer with the power to delegate “to a person holding or
performing the duties of an office in the Department of the Treasury”. It
is replaced with two subsections as follows:
• Subsection (1)
provides the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate any of the Finance
Minister’s powers or functions, under section 50 or 50A to an official
(within the meaning of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997)”, that is a person who is in an Agency or is part of an
Agency.
• Subsection (2) provides that “in exercising powers or
functions under a delegation, the official must comply with any directions of
the Finance Minister”.
1. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
2. Item 137 amends section 49 by replacing the references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance
Minister”.
3. Item 136 amends subsection 4(1) by inserting a
definition of the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”.
4. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
5. Items 143 and 144 amend
subsection 5(1) and section 6, respectively, to transfer an approval power from
the Finance Minister by replacing references to “Treasurer” with
“Finance Minister”.
6. Subsection 5(1) provides for the
Treasurer to guarantee the repayment of amounts borrowed by the Queensland
Fisheries Management Authority (the Authority), for specified purposes, and the
payment of interest on the borrowing. Section 6 sets a financial limit on
borrowing that can be guaranteed by the Treasurer.
7. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
8. Item 145 adds subsections 7(1) and (2) as
follows:
• Subsection 7(1) provides the Finance Minister with a power
to “delegate any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under
section 5 or 6 to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management
and Accountability Act 1997)”, that is a person who is in an
Agency or is part of an Agency.
• Subsection 7(2) provides that
“in exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official must
comply with any directions of the Finance Minister”.
1. Item 142 amends section 3 to provide a definition of the Finance Minister
as “the Minister who administers the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”.
2. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. Items 146, 147 and 148 amend
subsections 4(1), (2) and (3), respectively, to transfer an approval power from
the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing references to
“Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”.
4. Subsection 4(1) provides for the Treasurer to
guarantee the repayment of a loan made by an authorised deposit-taking
institution to an eligible person.
5. An eligible person is defined in
section 3 as “the holder of a pastoral homestead lease or an agricultural
lease granted under an Ordinance of the Northern Territory of Australia relating
to Crown lands, but does not include a company”.
6. Subsections
4(2) and (3) specify details relating to the guarantee provided by the
Treasurer.
7. Item 150 repeals section 5. The section provides the
Treasurer with the power to delegate “to a person all of any of his powers
or functions under this Act”.
8. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
9. Item 149 adds subsections 4(4) and
4(5):
• Subsection 4(4) provides the Finance Minister with a power to
“delegate any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under
this section to an official (within the meaning of the Financial Management
and Accountability Act 1997”), that is a person who is in an
Agency or is part of an Agency. The subsection also provides that “in
exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official must comply with
any directions of the Finance Minister”.
• Subsection 4(5)
includes a definition of the Finance Minister as “the Minister who
administers the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”.
1. Item 149 also replaces, by means of a Note,
the heading of section 4, “Treasurer may guarantee loans”, with
“Finance Minister may guarantee loans”.
2. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Item 153 amends subsection 42(1). The subsection
provides that “an R&D
Corporation[23] may, with the
written approval of the Treasurer, borrow money from persons other than the
Commonwealth”.
• Items 154 and 155 amend subsections 43(1) and
(2) respectively. The subsections provide for the Treasurer to guarantee
“the performance by an R&D Corporation of obligations incurred by it
under section 42” (subsection 43(1).
1. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 156 adds subsections 46A(1) and (2) as
follows:
• Subsection 46A(1) provides the Finance Minister with a power
to “delegate any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under
section 42 or 43 to an official (within the meaning of the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997)”, that is a person who is
in an Agency or is part of an Agency.
• Subsection 46A(2) provides
that “in exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official
must comply with any directions of the Finance Minister”.
1. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
2. Item 152 amends section 41 by replacing the references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance
Minister”.
3. Item 151 amends subsection 4(1) by inserting a
definition of the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997”.
4. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
5. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Item 159 amends subsection 95(1). The subsection
provides that “Comcare may, with the written approval of the Treasurer,
borrow money otherwise than from the Commonwealth”.
• Item 160
amends subsection 95(3). The subsection provides that “The Treasurer may
guarantee the repayment by Comcare of the amounts borrowed under this section
and the payment of interest on such amounts”.
1. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 161 adds subsection 95(6). Subsection
95(6) provides the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate any of the
Finance Minister’s powers or functions under this section to an official
(within the meaning of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997)”, that is a person who is in an Agency or is part of an
Agency. The subsection also provides that “in exercising powers or
functions under a delegation, the official must comply with any directions of
the Finance Minister”.
3. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
4. Item 157 amends subsection 91(2) by replacing the
reference to “Minister for Finance” with “Finance
Minister”.
5. Items 158 and 161 add subsections 91(5) and 95(7),
respectively, to insert a definition of the Finance Minister as “the
Minister who administers the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997”.
6. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
7. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Item 165 amends subsection 60(1). The
subsection provides that the Special Broadcasting Service Corporation
“may, with the written approval of the Treasurer, borrow money from
persons other than the Commonwealth”.
• Items 166 and 167 amend
subsections 61(1) and 61(2) respectively. The subsections provide for the
Treasurer to guarantee “the performance by the SBS [Special Broadcasting
Service Corporation] of obligations incurred by it under section 60”
(subsection 61(1).
1. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 168 replaces section 64. The section
provides the Treasurer with the power to delegate to “a person performing
the duties of an office in the Department of the Treasury”.
3. The
replacement for subsection 64(1) provides the Finance Minister with a power to
“delegate any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under
section 60 or 61 to an official (within the meaning of the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997)”, that is to a person who
is in an Agency or is part of an Agency.
4. The replacement subsection
64(2) provides that “in exercising powers or functions under a delegation,
the official must comply with any directions of the Finance
Minister”.
5. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” with “Finance Minister” is
provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading
“Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA
Bill”.
6. Items 163 and 164 amend the identified provisions by
replacing references to “Minister for Finance” with “Finance
Minister”.
7. Item 162 amends section 3 by inserting a definition
of the Finance Minister as “the Minister who administers the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997”.
8. A general explanation of amendments that transfer approval powers from the
Treasurer to the Finance Minister is provided under the Section VI of this
Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed
in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
9. The following items transfer
approval powers from the Treasurer to the Finance Minister by replacing
references to “Treasurer” with “Finance
Minister”:
• Item 169 amends subsection 20(1). The
subsection provides that the Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee (the
Committee) “may, with the approval of the Treasurer, borrow moneys”.
• Item 170 amends subsection 20(3). The subsection provides that the
Treasurer may “guarantee the repayment by the Committee of amounts
borrowed under this section and the payment of interest on amounts so
borrowed”.
1. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
2. Item 171 adds subsections 20(5) and 20(6)
as follows:
• Subsection 20(5) provides the Finance Minister with a
power to “delegate any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions
under this section to an official (within the meaning of the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997)”, that is a person who is
in an Agency or is part of an Agency. The subsection also provides that
“in exercising powers or functions under a delegation, the official must
comply with any directions of the Finance Minister”.
• Subsection 20(6) provides a definition of the Finance Minister as
“the Minister who administers the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”.
1. Section 62 provides that the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust “may,
with the approval of the Minister for Finance and Administration, borrow money
from the Commonwealth, or persons other than the Commonwealth”.
2. A general explanation of amendments that provide the Finance Minister with
a delegation power is provided under the Section VI of this Explanatory
Memorandum under the heading “Overview of Amendments Proposed in Schedule
2 of the FFLA Bill”.
3. Item 173 adds subsections 62(2) and (3).
Subsection 62(2) provides the Finance Minister with a power to “delegate
any of the Finance Minister’s powers or functions under this section to an
official (within the meaning of the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997)”, that is a person who is in an Agency or is part of an
Agency. The subsection also provides that “in exercising powers or
functions under a delegation, the official must comply with any directions of
the Finance Minister”.
4. A general explanation of amendments that replace references to
“Minister for Finance” or “Minister for Finance and
Administration” with “Finance Minister” is provided under the
Section VI of this Explanatory Memorandum under the heading “Overview of
Amendments Proposed in Schedule 2 of the FFLA Bill”.
5. Item 172
amends section 62 by replacing the reference to “Minister for Finance and
Administration” with “Finance Minister”.
6. Item 173
adds subsection 62(3) which provides a definition of the Finance Minister as
“the Minister who administers the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997”.
7. Item 174 provides that any thing done by the Treasurer, under a provision
amended in Schedule 2, before the commencement of the amended provision,
continues to have effect after the commencing time as if it had been done by the
Finance Minister.
8. Schedule 3 lists 28 Acts for repeal. With the exception of the
Qantas Airways Limited (Loan Guarantee) Act 1976, all of the Acts
contain the types of provisions that are otherwise included in Schedule 1 for
amendment. However, because the Acts are redundant, they are proposed for
repeal rather than for amendment. The Qantas Airways Limited (Loan
Guarantee) Act 1976 is also redundant and this was identified during
the process of examining the other Qantas Acts being repealed.
9. The
Acts listed in Schedule 3 are:
1) Australian Development Assistance
Agency (Repeal) Act 1977
2) Loan Act (No. 2)
1983
3) Loan Act 1984
4) Loan
Act 1985
5) Loan Act 1986
6) Loan Act 1992
7) Loan Act 1993
8) Loan
Act 1994
9) Loan Act 1995
10) Loan
Act 1996
11) Loan (Income Equalization Deposits)
Act 1976
12) Loan (International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development) Act 1950
13) Loan (Supplementary Borrowing)
Act 1969
14) Loans (Qantas Airways Limited) Act (No.2)
1971
15) Loans (Qantas Airways Limited)
Act 1972
16) Loans (Qantas Airways Limited)
Act 1974
17) Loans (Qantas Airways Limited)
Act 1976
18) Qantas Airways Limited (Loan Guarantee)
Act 1976
19) Railway Standardization (South Australia) Agreement
Act 1949
20) Roads Grants Act 1980
21) Roads
Grants Act 1981
22) States Grants (Capital Assistance) Act (No.3)
1972
23) States Grants (Capital Assistance)
Act 1979
24) States Grants (Capital Assistance)
Act 1980
25) States Grants (Capital Assistance)
Act 1981
26) States Grants (Roads)
Act 1977
27) States Grants (Urban Public Transport)
Act 1978
28) War Gratuity Appropriation
Act 1948.
The Committee’s recommendations
Recommendation 1 The proposed amendments to subsection 20(1) of the Financial Management
and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA Act) contained in the draft
Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Bill should include the
following:
• A determination of the Minister for Finance and Administration (Finance Minister) establishing a Special Account should include a reference to amounts that are allowed or required to be debited from a Special Account and this reference should be linked to the reference to the purposes of the Special Account. • A determination of the Finance Minister may specify that amounts debited from a Special Account may be or must be otherwise than for the making of real or notional payments. |
Government response
Agree
The recommendation clarifies the
amendment in the draft Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Bill
(FFLA Bill) covering the information requirements of a determination of the
Finance Minister that establishes a Special Account.
The Office of
Parliamentary Counsel will be instructed to amend the FFLA Bill to reflect
the recommendation.
Recommendation 2 The draft Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Bill should include
amendments to the FMA Act and all other relevant Acts to replace references
to ‘Special Account’ with references to ‘Designated Purpose
Account’.
|
Government response
Do not agree
A proposed name change is not supported. The Government sees it is
as important to maintain stability and avoid frequent changes to the financial
framework that do not significantly contribute to improving the financial
framework.
While the Government supports clarifying the role and
operation of Special Accounts, a change of name from ‘Special
Account’ to ‘Designated Purpose Account’ would not necessarily
contribute to this outcome.
Special Accounts originated from Trust
Accounts under the Audit Act 1901, that were converted into
components of legislative funds in 1998 and then converted to Special Accounts
on 1 July 1999. Further change may add unnecessarily to the complexity
of this important part of the financial framework.
The Government has
agreed to greater disclosure about Special Accounts in the Budget papers and in
Departmental financial statements. In addition, the Department of Finance and
Administration produced, in October 2003, ‘Guidelines for the Management
of Special Accounts’ to assist interested parties in understanding the
role and function of Special Accounts.
Recommendation 3 The annual Appropriation Acts should not authorise the crediting of appropriated amounts (that is, amounts included in annual Appropriation Acts) to a Special Account if the Act or the Finance Minister’s determination that establishes the Special Account does not specifically provide for appropriated amounts to be credited to the Special Account. |
Government response
Agree in
principle
Recommendation 3 follows from the Committee’s
observation, in paragraph 4.64 of the report, that annual Appropriation Acts
appear to facilitate the crediting of appropriated amounts to Special Accounts
whereas some Acts that establish particular Special Accounts do not specifically
provide for appropriated amounts to be credited to those Accounts. The
Committee concludes, in paragraph 4.65 of the report, that this anomaly should
be addressed. The Government considers that the anomaly can be satisfactorily
addressed by making changes to clarify the situation.
It would be
appropriate to clarify this situation by including Notes in the FMA Act
providing links to the authority which Parliament would normally provide in the
Appropriation Acts. The FMA Act already contains provisions dealing with
amounts credited to, and debited from Special Accounts, in
particular:
• Subsections 20(4) and 21(1) of the FMA Act
provide standing appropriations for expenditure of the balance of a Special
Account on the purposes of the Account (covering those established by
determinations of the Finance Minister and those established by Acts,
respectively), and
• Subsection 21(1) is followed by a Note that
states: ‘an Act that establishes a Special Account will identify the
amounts that are to be credited to the Special
Account’.
Accordingly, the Government considers that the most
appropriate way to clarify the arrangements is for the Office of Parliamentary
Counsel to be instructed to include, in the FFLA Bill, Notes attached to
sections 20 and 21 of the FMA Act to provide cross-references to the
authority provided by the annual Appropriation Acts for crediting appropriated
amounts to Special Accounts.
Recommendation 4 The Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Bill should include an
amendment to establish the Aboriginal Advancement Account under section 38 of
the Aboriginal Land (Lake Condah and Framlingham Forest) Act 1987.
The Condah Land Account and the Framlingham Forest Account should be subsumed
into the Aboriginal Advancement Account.
|
Government
response
Agree
The recommendation will align the Act
with the financial framework for establishing Special Accounts, recognised in
the FMA Act, and rationalise the number of Special Accounts.
The
Office of Parliamentary Counsel will be instructed to include in the
FFLA Bill an amendment to the Act so that the Act establishes the
Aboriginal Advancement Account.
Finance will work with the Department of
Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs to subsume the Lake Condah
and Framlingham Forest Accounts into the Aboriginal Advancement Account.
Recommendation 5 The Government should introduce the Financial Framework Legislation
Amendment Bill into Parliament as soon as is feasible.
|
Government
response
Agree
Finance is working closely with the
Office of Parliamentary Counsel and the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet to achieve introduction of the FFLA Bill in Parliament as soon as
is feasible.
The Committee’s
conclusions and comments
In its report the Committee made a number
of conclusions and comments which did not lead to recommendations. Comments on
these conclusions and comments are made below.
The Committee’s
interest in the financial management and accountability legislation
The
FFLA Bill contains amendments to many Acts that are part of, or affect, the
financial framework of the Australian Government, including the FMA Act.
The Government recognises the Committee's long term interest in the financial
management and accountability legislation through the reports it has produced on
this subject, including the following reports:
• Report 331, An
Advisory Report on the Financial Management and Accountability Bill 1994, the
Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Bill 1994 and the Auditor-General Bill
1994, and on a Proposal to Establish an Audit Committee of Parliament
(1994); and
• Report 374, Review of the Financial Management and
Accountability Act 1997 and the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies
Act 1997 (2000).
In paragraph 4.11 of the report the Committee notes that while some have
raised doubts about the constitutionality of Special Accounts established by the
Finance Minister, the Committee accepted the view of the Australian Government
Solicitor that a court would find them constitutionally valid.
The
Committee’s conclusion supports the status of Special Accounts established
by the Finance Minister. The authority provided in section 20 of the
FMA Act for the Finance Minister to establish Special Accounts provides a
useful vehicle for the delivery of some programs. To require all Special
Accounts to be established and varied only by legislation would have an adverse
impact on the efficient and effective delivery of some programs.
Parliamentary scrutiny of Special Accounts being established or varied by
the Finance Minister is provided through the disallowance process established by
section 22 of the FMA Act. To assist Parliament’s consideration of a
determination of the Finance Minister during the disallowance period, the
Department of Finance and Administration will enhance the determination
documentation by including more details about the Special Account in the
explanatory statement. This initiative was foreshadowed in Finance’s
second submission to the inquiry (dated 23 May 2003).
Processes for
establishing Special Accounts
The Government supports the conclusion,
in paragraph 4.75 of the report, that establishing a Special Account by one
process, for example by a determination of the Finance Minister, should not be
altered by the other process - in this example, by legislation. Accordingly,
Finance will in future advise against provisions in Bills and draft
determinations that would lead to this outcome.
Acts that have
established Special Accounts since the Special Accounts framework was
established on 1 July 1999
The Government agrees with the
Committee’s conclusion, in paragraph 4.69 of the report, that there is
merit in ensuring complete alignment of references in Acts that have established
Special Accounts, since the Special Account framework was introduced on
1 July 1999, with the references contained in the FFLA Bill.
Proposed amendments to the Child Support (Registration and
Collection) Act 1988 and the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation
Act 1988
Finance is working closely with the Department of
Family and Community Services and the Department of Employment and Workplace
Relations on proposed amendments to the Child Support (Registration and
Collection) Act 1988 and the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation
Act 1988, respectively. These amendments, which were supported by the
Committee in paragraphs 5.22 and 5.34 respectively of the report, will support
the efficient and effective delivery of the programs established by these
Acts.
Retrospectivity issues
The Government supports the
Committee’s conclusion, at paragraph 5.17 of the report, that the Bill
does not provide for any retrospective effect.
Finance will continue to
work closely with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel and the Australian
Government Solicitor to ensure that the Bill is not retrospective either in any
specific instances or generally as a result of the amendments.
Keeping
the Committee informed of further changes to the
FFLA Bill
Further changes to the FFLA Bill will be required
before it is ready for introduction in Parliament. Many of these changes will
follow from the Government’s acceptance of the Committee’s
recommendations and conclusions.
The Government is committed to notifying
the Committee of all changes made to the Bill, following the Committee’s
inquiry, and before it is introduced in Parliament.
Reporting on
Special Accounts
The Committee’s intention, expressed in
paragraph 4.57 of the report, to keep a watching brief on improved reporting on
Special Accounts introduced from 2003-04 is noted. The Government will work
with the Committee to address any outstanding issues that the Committee
identifies in its review.
Reporting on the Consolidated Revenue Fund
(CRF)
In paragraph 6.23 of the report the Committee expressed concern
that the CRF was reported in audited aggregate financial statements but was not
now so reported and commented that this change represented a substantial
diminution in transparency.
The 2003-04 Budget papers contained the
following information on the CRF:
• In Statement 10 of Budget Paper
No.1 (page 10-7), Note 2A contains a discussion of the connection between the
CRF and the cash balance reflected in the statement of financial position for
the Commonwealth general government sector. The note also records the estimated
and projected balance of the CRF for the period 2002-03 to
2006-07.
• In Budget Paper No. 4 the Introduction section contains a
discussion of the connection between the Constitution, legislation that
appropriates the CRF, and reporting on the allocation of resources to Government
outcomes by agencies contained in annual appropriation bills, Portfolio Budget
Statements and agency annual reports.
Finance is examining ways of
obtaining additional information from Agencies about cash on hand to complement
information available on the official public account and disclosing information
on the CRF in the Consolidated Financial Statements for the
Commonwealth.
Auditing the final budget outcome
The
Committee’s view that the final budget outcome should be audited is noted.
The Government’s response to JCPAA report 388, “Review of the
Accrual Budget Documentation” did not agree with the recommendation that
the final budget outcome be audited by the Australian National Audit
Office.
In its response the Government made the following
points:
• The Government notes that the Final Budget Outcome must be
published by 30 September, in accordance with the Charter of Budget Honesty
Act 1998. Under present arrangements this deadline is met with little
time to spare. Therefore, the introduction of a complete audit process would
compromise this legislative requirement. As the individual agency accounts that
are consolidated into the FBO are audited, there is already an implicit audit
process undertaken.
• The Consolidated Financial Statements (CFS) for
the Commonwealth are already audited by the Australian
National Audit Office. Under the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997 the CFS must be tabled within five months of the end of the
financial year. Given that audit of the CFS already provides assurance on
aggregate financial statements, the Government does not consider it necessary to
add another layer of checking for the FBO with associated consequences for what
is already a tight FBO timetable.
Recommendation 1 – determinations of the Finance Minister that
establish a Special Account
The Explanatory Memorandum covers this
issue under the discussion of Items 139 to 144 of Schedule 1 of the Financial
Framework Legislation Amendment Bill 2004, covering the Financial
Management and Accountability Act 1997.
Recommendation 3 –
provisions that authorise appropriated amounts to be credited to a Special
Account
Attachment E of the Explanatory Memorandum provides
details on this matter.
The Explanatory Memorandum covers this issue under the discussion of Item
58 of Schedule 1 of the Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Bill
2004, covering the Aboriginal Land (Lake Condah and Framlingham Forest)
Act 1987.
The Committee’s conclusion about Acts that have
established Special Accounts since the Special Accounts framework was
established on 1 July 1999
Acts that have established
Special Accounts since 1 July 1999 and that are included in the
FFLA Bill for amendment are explained in relation to the following Items of
Schedule 1:
- Items 76 and 77, in relation to the Alcohol Education and
Rehabilitation Account established by the Alcohol, Education and
Rehabilitation Account Act 2001;
- Item 159, in relation to the
Industrial Chemicals Account established by the Industrial Chemicals
(Notification and Assessment) Act 1989;
- Item 173, in relation to
the National Blood Account established by the National Blood Authority
Act 2003;
- Items 268 to 269, in relation to the National Offshore
Petroleum Safety Account established by the Petroleum (Submerged Lands)
Act 1967;
- Items 313 to 314, in relation to the National Cultural
Heritage Account established by the Protection of Moveable Cultural Heritage
Act 1986;
- Items 309 to 312, in relation to the
Confiscated Assets Account established by the Proceeds of Crime
Act 2002; and
- Items 429 to 437, in relation to the Universal
Service Account established by the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection
and Service Standards) Act 1999.
The Committee’s
conclusions about proposed amendments to the Child Support (Registration and
Collection) Act 1988 and the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation
Act 1988
The amendments to the Child Support
(Registration and Collection) Act 1988, explained in relation to Items
111 to 116 of Schedule 1 of the FFLA Bill, are a consequence of the
FMLA Act 99. Amendments to address other issues relating to the Child
Support Account will be included in the proposed Financial Framework
Legislation Amendment Bill (No.2) 2004.
Similarly, amendments to the
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, to address the
issue raised in JCPAA 395, will be included in the proposed Financial
Framework Legislation Amendment Bill (No.2) 2004.
The Bill does not provide for any retrospective effect.
The
Committee’s conclusions about keeping the Committee informed of further
changes to the FFLA Bill
The Chairman of the JCPAA will be
notified of changes made to the FFLA Bill since the Committee conducted its
inquiry.
Section 5 of the Financial Management Legislation Amendment
Act 1999 (FMLA Act 99)
Section 5 of the
FMLA Act 99 covers the conversion of components of the Reserved Money
Fund (RMF) and components of the Commercial Activities Fund to Special
Accounts.[24]
Subsection
5(5) provides that a reference in any instrument to a component of the RMF (that
is, a name ending in “Reserve” or “Fund”) is to be read
as a reference to the same name, but ending with
“Account”.
Subsection 5(6) provides that:
• A
reference to transferring, paying, or debiting an amount from the CRF, and
crediting a component of the RMF, is to be read as a reference to crediting the
amount to the Account (paragraph 5(6)(a)).
• A reference to
transferring or paying, or debiting, an amount from a component of the RMF to,
or crediting the amount to, the CRF, is to be read as a reference to debiting
the amount from the Account (paragraph 5(6)(b)).
• A reference to
paying an amount out of a component of the RMF is to be read as a reference to
paying the amount out of the CRF and debiting the amount from the Account
(paragraph 5(6)(c)).
Section 6 of the FMLA Act 99 covers the abolition of the Loan
Fund. It provides that a reference in any instrument to the Loan Fund is to be
read as a reference to the CRF.
Section 7 of the FMLA Act 99 covers references to payments into
the CRF. It provides that a reference in any instrument to payment of an amount
into the CRF is to be read as a reference to payment of the amount to the
Commonwealth, unless the amount is already public money.
This attachment provides details of amendments that provide that amounts
must be paid to the Commonwealth in cases where public money is collected by an
entity that is not part of the legal entity of the Commonwealth and that has the
power to hold money on its own account. The amendments cover to the following
activities:
• levies, etc collected by National Registration
Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals under the Agricultural
and Veterinary Chemical Products (Collection of Interim Levy) Act 1994
and the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products (Collection of Levy)
Act 1994;
• unclaimed moneys under the control of a trustee,
including the Official Trustee in Bankruptcy, mentioned in the Bankruptcy
Act 1966;
• charges, etc collected by the Australian
Broadcasting Authority under the Broadcasting Services
Act 1992;
• levies collected by the Coal Mining Industry (Long
Service Leave Funding) Corporation and or another person under the Coal
Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Payroll Collection
Act 1992;
• money in unclaimed money accounts managed by
Australian Securities and Investments Commission under the Corporations
Act 2001;
• levies, etc collected by the Australian Prudential
Regulation Authority under the Financial Institutions Supervisory Levies
Collection Act 1988;
• charges, etc collected by the Great
Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Act 1975;
• penalties collected, money received, etc by the
Australian Maritime Safety Authority and other entities under the Navigation
Act 1912;
• penalties, etc collected by the Slot Manager under
the Sydney Airport Demand Management Act 1997;
• charges,
etc collected by the Australian Communications Authority under the
Telecommunications Act 1997; and
• penalties, etc collected
by the Australian Communications Authority under the Telecommunications
(Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999.
Provisions that specifically authorise crediting appropriated amounts to
specific Special Accounts and that are amended in the FFLA Bill are as
follows:
• Australia-Japan Foundation Act 1976,
paragraph 18(a);
• Australian Centre for International
Agricultural Research Act 1982, paragraph
34(a);
• Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety
Act 1998, paragraph 56(3)(a);
• Forestry and Timber Bureau
Act 1930, paragraph 5(2)(b);
• National Cattle Disease
Eradication Reserve Act 1991, paragraph 5(1)(c);
• National
Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992, paragraph 50(a);
• National Residue Survey Administration Act 1992,
paragraph 7(e);
• Natural Resources Management (Financial
Assistance) Act 1992, paragraph 11(4)(a);
• Petroleum
(Submerged Lands) Act 1967, paragraph 150YO(a);
• Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986,
subsection 25A(1);
• Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and
Service Standards) Act 1999, paragraph 21A(b); and
• Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, paragraph 45(4)(a).
[1] Parliament is currently
considering the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Amendment
Bill 2004.
[2] In section 5 of
the FMA Act public money is defined as:
(a) money in the custody or
under the control of the Commonwealth; or
(b) money in the custody or under
the control of any person acting for or on behalf of the Commonwealth in respect
of the custody or control of the money;
including such money that is held on
trust for, or otherwise for the benefit of, a person other than the
Commonwealth.
[3] Section 6 of the
FMA Act provides that notional payments and notional receipts between
Agencies under the FMA Act, that are part of the Commonwealth and hold
money within the CRF, apply as if they were real payments and real receipts by
the Commonwealth.
[4] The text
recorded in quotation marks indicates text contained in an Act or the
FFLA Bill. For the purposes of providing context, the text in quotation
marks is in some cases a longer reference than the reference recorded in the
FFLA Bill for omission, repeal or for
substitution.
[5] The text
recorded in quotation marks indicates text contained in an Act or the
FFLA Bill. For the purposes of providing context, the text in quotation
marks is in some cases a longer reference than the reference recorded in the
FFLA Bill for omission, repeal or for
substitution.
[6] The Confiscated
Assets Account is a Special Account established by the Proceeds of Crime
Act 2002. Proposed amendments to this Act are contained in Items 309
to312 of Schedule 1.
[7] The
Confiscated Assets Account is a Special Account established by the Proceeds
of Crime Act 2002. Proposed amendments to this Act are contained in
Items 309 to 312 of Schedule 1.
[8]
The Superannuation Protection Account is established by section 234 of the
Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993. Proposed amendments
to this Act are contained in Items 419 to 423 of Schedule
1.
[9] Notional payments are
discussed below.
[10] Paragraph
5(6)(b) of the FMLA Act 99 is discussed in Attachment C.
[11] Details are provided in
Attachment E.
[12]
Subsection 21(1) of the FMA Act is: If another Act establishes a Special
Account and identifies the purposes of the Special Account, then the CRF is
hereby appropriated for expenditure for those purposes, up to the balance for
the time being of the Special
Account.
[13] The Proceeds of
Crime Act 2002 is amended in Items 309 to 312 of Schedule
1.
[14] NRS stands for National
Relay Service.
[15] In section 5
of the FMA Act public money is defined as:
(a) money in the custody or
under the control of the Commonwealth; or
(b) money in the custody or under
the control of any person acting for or on behalf of the Commonwealth in respect
of the custody or control of the money;
including such money that is held on
trust for, or otherwise for the benefit of, a person other than the
Commonwealth.
[16] This type of
activity is covered in subsection 18(3) of the CAC Act and subsection 28(2)
of the Albury-Wodonga Development
Act 1973.
[17] The
latter powers are contained in the Health Insurance Commission
Act 1973 and the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust
Act 2001.
[18] In
section 5 of the FMA Act an official is defined as “a person who is
in an Agency or is part of an
Agency”.
[19] In section 5
of the CAC Act an officer, in relation to a CAC Act authority, is
defined as: “(a) a director of the authority; or (b) any other person who
is concerned in, or takes part in, the management of the
authority”.
[20] The text
recorded in quotation marks indicates text contained in an Act or the
FFLA Bill. For the purposes of providing context, the text in quotation
marks is in some cases a longer reference than the reference recorded in the
FFLA Bill for omission, repeal or for substitution.
[21] Prior to the commencement
of the Corporations Act 2001 it was not possible to apply the
Criminal Code to the Corporations Law because the latter was, in effect,
a co-operative scheme between the Commonwealth and the States whereby each
jurisdictions enacted identical legislation. In other words, it was not
possible to apply the Commonwealth’s Criminal Code to State
law.
[22] This issue was noted in
paragraph 3.22 of
JCPAA Report 395.
[23]
An R&D Corporation is a CAC Act authority.
[24] No components of the
Commercial Activities Fund were created by enabling Acts; hence the
FFLA Bill does not deal with references to the Commercial Activities Fund.