{"id":"C1936A00031","name":"Appropriation (Works and Buildings) Act 1936-37","slug":"appropriation-works-and-buildings-act-1936-37","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"repealed","isInForce":false,"actNumber":"31 of 1936","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":3806,"registerId":"commonwealth-C1936A00031-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-03-30","status":"Repealed","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Short title","content":"1. This Act may be cited as the Appropriation (Works and Buildings) Act 1936-37.\n\nIssue and application of £4,173,340.\n\n2. The Treasurer may issue out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund and apply towards making good the supply hereby granted to His Majesty for the service of the year ending the thirtieth day of June One thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven the sum of Four million one hundred and seventy-three thousand three hundred and forty pounds.\n\nAppropriation.\n\n","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Appropriation","content":"3. The said sum granted by this Act is appropriated for the purposes and services set forth in the Schedule in relation to the financial year ending the thirtieth day of June One thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven.\n\nF. 5221.—Price 8d.\n\n \n\n","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Sch Schedule","sectionType":"schedule","heading":null,"content":"SCHEDULE.\n\n---\n\nABSTRACT.\n\n

Page Reference.

—

1936-37.

1935-36.

Increase on Expenditure, 1935-36.

Decrease on Expenditure, 1935-36.

Vote.

Expenditure.

£

£

£

£

£

3

Part I.—Departments and Services—other than Business Undertakings and Territories of the Commonwealth

1,792,709

1,397,480

1,285,366

507,343

..

9

Part II.—Business Undertakings

1,924,000

1,730,700

1,756,755

167,245

..

11

Part III.—Territories of the Commonwealth

456,631

224,050

177,922

278,709

..

Total Annual Votes........

4,173,340

3,352,230

3,220,043

953,297

..

TOTAL ADDITIONS, NEW WORKS, BUILDINGS, ETC.

4,173,340

3,352,230

3,220,043

953,297

..

\n```\n\n \n\n","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"Part Part I","sectionType":"part","heading":"Department and Services—other than Business Undertakings and Territories of the Commonwealth.","content":"PART I.—Department and Services—other than Business Undertakings and Territories of the Commonwealth.\n\n

Division Number.

—

1936-37.

1935-36.

Increase on Expenditure, 1935-36.

Decrease on Expenditure, 1935-36.

Vote.

Expenditure.

£

£

£

£

£

1

PARLIAMENT...........

60

950

946

…

886

2-3

THE PRIME MINISTER’S DEPARTMENT

45,500

15,000

8,072

37,428

…

4-5

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY………………..

6,365

3,860

3,423

2,942

…

6a

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT

…

4,525

1,402

…

1,402

6-7

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

399,594

294,500

249,125

150,469

…

8-19

THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

1,117,772

970,010

970,007

147,765

…

20

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND CUSTOMS

43,045

20,855

8,167

34,878

…

21

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

25,000

25,110

9,250

15,750

…

22

REPATRIATION DEPARTMENT

123,000

36,000

18,456

104,544

…

23-24

THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

32,373

26,670

16,518

15,855

…

TOTAL PART I.....

1,792,709

1,397,480

1,285,366

507,343

…

\n```\n\n \n\n

PARLIAMENT.

1936-37.

1935-36.

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Vote.

Expenditure.

Division No. 1.

£

£

£

1. National Library, Canberra—Erection of........

60†

950

946

PRIME MINISTER’S DEPARTMENT.

Under Control of Department of the Prime Minister.

Division No. 2.

1. Purchase of vessel for development of fisheries industry

17,500

15,000

17

2. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research—Buildings, works and sites

23,850

…

7,400

Acquisition of land at Merbein...............

…

…

132

Total Division No. 2................

41,350

15,000

7,549

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 3.

1. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research—Buildings, works and sites

4,150

…

523

Total Prime Minister’s Department......

45,500

15,000

8,072

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY.

Under Control of Department of the Treasury.

Division No. 4.

1. Purchase of machinery and additional equipment for Government Printing Office, Canberra

4,165

3,600

3,192

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 5.

1. Additions and alterations to Government Printing Office, Canberra

400

260

231

2. Erection of cottage for Taxation Officer at Darwin.

1,800

…

…

Total Division No. 4.........................

2,200

260

231

Total Department of the Treasury.......

6,365

3,860

3,423

ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT.

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 5a.

High Court, Melbourne—alterations.............

…

4,525*

1,402

\n```\n\n\\* In addition to £18,923 provided from Loan Fund.\n\n† Balance of estimated cost\n\n \n\n

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.

1936-37.

1935-36.

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Vote.

Expenditure.

Division No. 6.

£

£

£

1. Expenditure under River Murray Waters Act 1915-1934

120,000

120,000

83,500

2. Australian War Memorial, Canberra—Erection of (to be paid to the credit of the War Memorial, Canberra, Trust Account)

30,000*

5,000

5,000

3. Commonwealth Offices, Brisbane—Erection of...

18,564†

53,000

51,402

4. Miscellaneous works and services............

3,000

1,500

2,955

5. Meteorological Buildings—Erection of.........

13,000

…

…

6. Governor-General’s establishments—Non-recurring works

6,530

…

…

7. Erection of Memorial at Canberra to His late Majesty King George V.¶

8,500

…

…

Total Division No. 6................

199,594

179,500

142,857

Division No. 7.

1. Expenditure under War Service Homes Act 1918-1935 (to be paid to credit of the War Service Homes Trust Account)

200,000

115,000

106,268

Total Under Control of Department of the Interior

399,594

294,500

249,125

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE.

NAVAL.

Under Control of Department of Defence.

Division No. 8.

1. Naval construction......................

599,210‡

653,000

647,843

Division No. 9.

1. Reserves of stores, including ammunition, ordnance, torpedo stores and oil fuel (moneys received from the sale of reserves of coal may be credited to this item)

55,650

68,755

68,747

2. Naval establishments—machinery and plant.....

4,850

4,850

4,286

3. Construction of targets for fleet, yard craft, boats and launches

10,920

9,750

9,740

Total Division No. 9.........................

71,420

83,355

82,773

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 10.

1. Buildings, works and sites.................

127,690§

100,788

72,217

Total Naval.....................

798,320

837,143

802,833

\n```\n\n\\* Estimated further liability, £146,000. † Balance of estimated cost, £111,890\n\n‡ Includes provision for exchange £91,850,. § Total estimated cost, £862,600.\n\n¶ Total estimated cost, £20,000.\n\n \n\n

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE—continued.

1936-37.

1935-36.

MILITARY.

Vote.

Expenditure.

£

£

£

Under Control of Department of Defence.

Division No. 11.

1. Coast defences—equipment and works.........

204,428

473,791

409,321

Division No. 12.

1. Arms, armament and ammunition (£123,000 of this amount to be paid to the credit of the Defence Small Arms Ammunition Trust Account)

502,038

268,854

177,377

2. Defence works, including fortifications and engineering works (to be paid to the credit of the Defence Reserve Trust Account)

2,750

5,500

7,000

Total Division No. 12........................

504,788

274,354

184,377

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 13.

1. Buildings, works and sites.................

522,478*

369,700

241,396

Total Military.....................

1,231,694

1,117,845

835,094

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE.

Under Control of Department of Defence.

Division No. 14.

1. Provision of landplane and seaplane equipment and plant, including spare parts, machinery, tools, ordnance and engineering supplies and ammunition

349,129

362,650

350,896

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 15.

1. Buildings, works and sites.................

327,962†

231,168

150,633

Total Royal Australian Air Force.........

677,091

593,818

501,529

\n```\n\n\\* Total estimated cost, £582,478. † Total estimated coat, £495,000.\n\n \n\n

1936-37.

1935-36.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE—continued.

CIVIL AVIATION.

Vote.

Expenditure.

Under Control of Department of Defence.

£

£

£

Division No. 16.

1. Buildings and works.....................

8,000

3,500

3,500

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 17.

1. Buildings, works and sites.................

149,100*

64,740

64,737

Total Civil Aviation.............

157,100

68,240

68,237

MUNITIONS SUPPLY BRANCH.

Under Control of Department of Defence.

Division No. 18.

1. Acquisition of Small Arms Ammunition Factory, Footscray— instalments

9,576†

19,153

19,153

2. Machinery and plant for manufacture of munitions.

132,934§

27,500

27,500

Total Division No. 18........................

142,510

46,653

46,653

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 19.

1. Buildings, works and sites.................

63,065‡

52,500

48,677

Total Munitions Supply Branch......

205,575

99,153

95,330

3,069,780

2,716,199

2,303,023

Less—

Amount to be provided from the Defence Equipment Trust Account

1,952,008

1,707,327

1,294,154

Amount available in the Naval Construction Trust Account towards expenditure under Division No. 8

…

38,862

38,862

1,952,008

1,746,189

1,333,016

Total Department of Defence........

1,117,772

970,010

970,007

\n```\n\n\\* Total estimated cost £331,300.\n\n† Total estimated cost, £191,526; amount outstanding at 30th June, 1936, £9,576. This represents final payment.\n\n‡ Total estimated cost, £206,396.\n\n§ Total estimated cost, £198,654.\n\n \n\n

DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND CUSTOMS.

1936-37.

1935-36.

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Vote.

Expenditure.

Division No. 20.

£

£

£

1. Buildings, works and sites and purchase of vessels.

43,045

20,855

8,167

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 21.

1. Buildings, works and sites and purchase of vessel

25,000

25,110

9,250

DEPARTMENT OF REPATRIATION.

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 22.

1. Buildings, works and sites.................

123,000

36,000

18,456

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 23.

1. Buildings, works and sites.................

1,855

6,500

407

Under Control of Department of Commerce.

Division No. 24.

1. Alterations of lighthouse services............

24,100

14,610

9,611

2. Erection of and additions to buildings..........

6,418

5,560

6,500

Total Division No. 24........................

30,518

20,170

16,111

Total Department of Commerce......

32,373

26,670

16,518

TOTAL PART I.—Departments and Services—other than Business Undertakings and Territories of the Commonwealth

1,792,709

1,397,480

1,285,366

\n```\n\n \n\n","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"Part Part II","sectionType":"part","heading":"Business Undertakings","content":"PART II.—Business Undertakings.\n\n

Division Number.

—

1936-37.

1935-36.

Increases on Expenditure, 1935-36.

Decrease on Expenditure, 1935-36.

Vote.

Expenditure.

25

COMMONWEALTH RAILWAYS

174,000

80,700

80,500

93,500

…

26

POSTMASTER-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT

1,750,000

1,650,000

1,676,255

73,745

…

TOTAL PART II..........................

1,924,000

1,730,700

1,756,755

167,245

…

\n```\n\n \n\nPART II.—Business Undertakings.\n\n

1936-37.

1935-36.

COMMONWEALTH RAILWAYS.

Vote.

Expenditure.

£

£

£

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 25.

1. Trans-Australian Railway..................

169,415

77,000

76,935

2. North Australia Railway..................

750

1,000

399

3. Central Australia Railway.................

3,735

2,500

3,166

4. Federal Territory Railway.................

100

200

…

Total Commonwealth Railways......

174,000

80,700

80,500

THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT.

Under Control of the Postmaster-General’s Department and the Department of the Interior.

Division No. 26.

1. Telephone exchange services...............

852,850

1,032,500

1,169,271

2. Trunk line services......................

398,780

281,300

270,822

3. Telegraph and miscellaneous services..........

58,500

76,300

48,083

4. National Broadcasting service...............

89,870

103,000

32,796

5. Buildings, works and sites.................

350,000*

156,900

126,913

Telephone Cable between the mainland and Tasmania....

…

…

28,370

Total Postmaster-General’s Department.......

1,750,000

1,650,000

1,676,255

Total Part II.—Business Undertakings...........

1,924,000

1,730,700

1,756,755

\n```\n\n\\* Estimated further liability £139,135.\n\n \n\n","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"Part Part III","sectionType":"part","heading":"Territories of the Commonwealth","content":"PART III.—Territories of the Commonwealth.\n\n

Division Number.

—

1936-37.

1935-36.

Increase on Expenditure, 1935-36.

Decrease on Expenditure, 1935-36.

Vote.

Expenditure.

27

NORTHERN TERRITORY........................

93,000

50,000

40,557

52,443

…

28-31

FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY..................

363,631

174,050

137,365

226,266

…

TOTAL PART III.........................

456,631

224,050

177,922

278,709

…

\n```\n\n \n\nPART III.—Territories of the Commonwealth.\n\n

NORTHERN TERRITORY.

1936-37.

1935-36.

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Vote.

Expenditure.

Division No. 27.

£

£

£

1. Buildings, works and sites.................

68,000

50,000

40,557

2. Assistance and development of metalliferous mining industry

25,000

…

…

Total Northern Territory..............

93,000

50,000

40,557

FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY.

Under Control of Department of the Interior.

Division No. 28.

1. Architectural services....................

84,812

67,540

31,084

2. Engineering services.....................

74,285

74,460

69,104

3. Forestry.............................

8,000

5,000

4,066

4. Sundry works and services.................

11,533

17,050

10,042

Total Division No. 28........................

178,630

164,050

114,296

Division No. 29.

1. Loans for Housing......................

20,000

10,000

22,271

Division No. 30.

1. Department of Health—Erection of and additions and alterations to buildings

3,125

…

…

Purchase and erection of machinery for hospital laundry

…

…

798

3,125

…

798

201,755

174,050

137,365

Less amount estimated to remain unexpended at the close of the year

30,034

…

…

Total..........................

171,721

174,050

137,365

Carried forward............

171,721

174,050

137,365

\n```\n\n \n\nPART III.—Territories of the Commonwealth—continued.\n\n

FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY—continued.

Under Control of the Department of the Interior—continued.

1936-37.

1935-36.

Vote.

Expenditure.

£

£

£

Brought forward.............

171,721

174,050

137,365

Division No. 31.

Developmental Work incidental to the Transfer of Staffs to Canberra.

1. Architectural services....................

68,295

…

…

2. Engineering services.....................

123,615

…

…

Total Division No. 31

191,910

(a)

…

Total Federal Capital Territory

363,631

174,050

137,365

TOTAL PART III.—Territories of the Commonwealth......

456,631

224,050

177,922

TOTAL ADDITIONS, NEW WORKS, BUILDINGS, &c. (ANNUAL VOTES.)

4,173,340

3,352,230

3,220,043

\n```\n\n(a) Provided under Loan Fund.\n\n---\n\nBy Authority: L. F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.","sortOrder":5}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"model":"kimi-k2.5","source":"moonshot-realtime","completionTokens":1507},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Act remains tightly focused on its original purpose: appropriating a specific sum for capital works (buildings, plant, and equipment) for the 1936-37 financial year across the standard categories of Commonwealth departments, business undertakings, and territories."},"complexity_factors":["Length is due entirely to extensive tabular schedules listing line-item appropriations (e.g., 'Erection of cottage for Taxation Officer at Darwin') rather than legal complexity","Only three operative sections: short title, authority to issue funds, and appropriation clause","No conditional logic, exceptions, or cross-references to other legislation; spending is unconditional once appropriated","No interpretation section or defined terms"],"plain_english_summary":"This 1936 appropriation authorises the Treasurer to withdraw £4,173,340 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for capital works in 1936–37, earmarked for government departments, government business undertakings, and territorial development.\n\nBy legally permitting spending on defence and public infrastructure, communications and rail investment, and Canberra’s development, the Act enables that year’s capital programme and reveals inter‑war priorities in military preparedness, transport, and the new national capital."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/appropriation-works-and-buildings-act-1936-37","history":"/api/acts/appropriation-works-and-buildings-act-1936-37/history","analysis":"/api/acts/appropriation-works-and-buildings-act-1936-37/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/appropriation-works-and-buildings-act-1936-37/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/appropriation-works-and-buildings-act-1936-37/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/appropriation-works-and-buildings-act-1936-37/documents"}}