{"id":"C2004A01773","name":"Coal Research Assistance Act 1977","slug":"coal-research-assistance-act-1977","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"135 of 1977","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":6552,"registerId":"commonwealth-C2004A01773-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-03-30","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Short title","content":"#### 1 Short title\n\n  This Act may be cited as the Coal Research Assistance Act 1977.","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Commencement","content":"#### 2 Commencement\n\n  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Interpretation","content":"#### 3 Interpretation\n\n  In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n> Australian Coal Research Limited means the company incorporated in the State of Queensland carrying on business under the name of the Australian Coal Research Limited at the time of the commencement of the Coal Research Assistance Amendment Act 1992.\n\n> coal includes brown coal.\n\n> grant agreement means:\n\n    (a) in relation to the Research Account—an agreement entered into by the Commonwealth before the commencement of the Coal Research Assistance Amendment Act 1992 for the purposes of, or in connection with, research to be done with money provided, in whole or in part, out of the Account; and\n    (b) in relation to Australian Coal Research Limited—an agreement to which the company is a party, entered into for the purposes of, or in connection with, research to be done with money provided, in whole or in part, by the company.\n\n> intellectual property rights means rights associated with all copyrights, registered and unregistered trade marks, registered designs, trade secrets and know‑how, and all other intellectual property as defined in Article 2 of the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organisation of July 1967 concluded at Stockholm, to which Australia is a party.\n\n> research means scientific, technical or economic research in connexion with coal or products derived from coal, and includes:\n\n    (a) the training of persons for the purpose of any such research;\n    (b) the publication of reports, periodicals, books and papers in connexion with such research;\n    (c) the dissemination of information and advice in connexion with scientific, technical or economic matters related to coal or products derived from coal; and\n    (d) any matter incidental to a matter referred to in this definition.\n\n> Research Account means the Coal Research Trust Account established by this Act.\n\n> research advisory committee means a committee appointed under subsection 7(1) or declared under subsection 7(2) to be a research advisory committee for the purposes of this Act.\n\n> unfunded commitment means:\n\n    (a) in relation to the Research Account—the amount of financial liability arising from grant agreements in relation to the Account that cannot be met by the amount of money standing to the credit of the Account; and\n    (b) in relation to Australian Coal Research Limited—the amount of financial liability arising from grant agreements in relation to the company that cannot be met by the total value of liquid assets held by the company.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Coal Research Trust Account","content":"#### 4 Coal Research Trust Account\n\n  (1) An account is hereby established to be known as the Coal Research Trust Account.\n  (2) The Research Account is a Trust Account for the purposes of section 62A of the Audit Act 1901.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"Money to be paid into the Research Account","content":"#### 5 Money to be paid into the Research Account\n\n  (1) There are payable into the Research Account amounts equal to the amount determined by the Minister under subsection (2) multiplied by the number of tonnes of coal on which amounts of duty of excise are raised from time to time.\n  (2) The Minister may, for the purposes of this section, determine an amount (not exceeding 5 cents) per tonne of coal.\n  (3) No money is to be paid into the Research Account if the Minister does not make a determination under subsection (2).\n  (4) Amounts payable into the Research Account under subsection (1) are payable out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is appropriated accordingly.","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"5A","sectionType":"section","heading":"Transfer of Research Account funds","content":"#### 5A Transfer of Research Account funds\n\n  On the commencement of this section, the amount of money standing to the credit of the Research Account at that time is to be transferred to Australian Coal Research Limited.","sortOrder":5},{"sectionNumber":"6","sectionType":"section","heading":"Application of the Research Account","content":"#### 6 Application of the Research Account\n\n  (1) Subject to this section and section 5A, moneys standing to the credit of the Research Account may be expended:\n    (a) with the approval of the Minister, for the purpose of research; and\n    (b) in payment of remuneration and allowances payable under section 7.\n  (2) In exercising his or her power under paragraph (1)(a) to approve the expenditure of moneys from the Research Account, the Minister shall have regard to recommendations, if any, furnished to him or her by a research advisory committee with respect to the expenditure of those moneys.\n  (3) Without limiting subsection (1), moneys may be expended under that subsection for the purpose of research conducted jointly by a person or body associated with Australia and a person or body associated with another country.","sortOrder":6},{"sectionNumber":"7","sectionType":"section","heading":"Research advisory committees","content":"#### 7 Research advisory committees\n\n  (1) The Minister may appoint such persons as he or she thinks fit to be a research advisory committee for the purposes of this Act.\n  (2) Where the Minister considers that any other body of persons is so constituted that it would be appropriate for it to make recommendations to him or her with respect to the expenditure of moneys on research, the Minister may, by writing signed by him or her, declare that committee to be a research advisory committee for the purposes of this Act.\n  (3) The Minister may exercise his or her powers under this section so that, at any time, there is more than one research advisory committee.\n  (4) The Minister may request a research advisory committee to furnish to him or her recommendations for the purposes of subsection 6(2) and such other recommendations and advice with respect to research as the Minister considers appropriate.\n  (5) Subject to subsection (7), a member of a committee appointed by the Minister under subsection (1) shall be paid such remuneration as is determined by the Remuneration Tribunal but, if no determination of that remuneration by the Tribunal is in operation, he or she shall be paid such remuneration as is prescribed.\n  (6) A member referred to in subsection (5) shall be paid such allowances as are prescribed.\n  (7) Subsections (5) and (6) have effect subject to the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973.","sortOrder":7},{"sectionNumber":"8","sectionType":"section","heading":"Transfer of grant agreements","content":"#### 8 Transfer of grant agreements\n\n  On and after the commencement of this section, every grant agreement in relation to the Research Account has effect as if:\n    (a) Australian Coal Research Limited were substituted for the Commonwealth as a party to the grant agreement; and\n    (b) any reference in the grant agreement to the Commonwealth, to the Department or to the Secretary were a reference to Australian Coal Research Limited.","sortOrder":8},{"sectionNumber":"8A","sectionType":"section","heading":"Transfer of intellectual property rights","content":"#### 8A Transfer of intellectual property rights\n\n  On the commencement of this section, any intellectual property rights of the Commonwealth arising from a grant agreement in relation to the Research Account are to be transferred to Australian Coal Research Limited.","sortOrder":9},{"sectionNumber":"8B","sectionType":"section","heading":"Transfer of assets","content":"#### 8B Transfer of assets\n\n  (1) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, determine that assets and liabilities specified in the determination, being assets and liabilities of the Commonwealth in relation to research, are to be transferred to Australian Coal Research Limited on and from a date specified in the determination.\n  (2) If an asset is transferred under subsection (1), Australian Coal Research Limited becomes liable to pay and discharge all debts, liabilities and obligations of the Commonwealth (if any) that existed in respect of the asset immediately before the transfer.","sortOrder":10},{"sectionNumber":"8C","sectionType":"section","heading":"Exemption from stamp duty","content":"#### 8C Exemption from stamp duty\n\n  Australian Coal Research Limited is not liable to pay stamp duty under a law of the Commonwealth, of a State or of a Territory on any documents that have come into existence because of, or for a purpose connected with or arising out of any transaction between the Commonwealth and the company as a result of the operation of section 5A, 8, 8A, or 8B.","sortOrder":11},{"sectionNumber":"8D","sectionType":"section","heading":"Reversion to Commonwealth","content":"#### 8D Reversion to Commonwealth\n\n  (1) If the Minister is satisfied that:\n    (a) in the interest of the Australian coal industry; or\n    (b) in the national interest;\n  Australian Coal Research Limited should cease to have responsibility in relation to research, the Minister may, in writing, determine that the assets and liabilities of Australian Coal Research Limited that are specified in the regulations are to be transferred to the Commonwealth from a date specified in the regulations.\n  (2) A determination made under subsection (1) must be published in the Gazette as soon as possible after it is made.\n  (3) Regulations may be made to provide for saving and transitional provisions arising from a determination made under subsection (1).","sortOrder":12},{"sectionNumber":"8E","sectionType":"section","heading":"Transfer of unfunded commitments","content":"#### 8E Transfer of unfunded commitments\n\n  (1) The operation of section 8D must not result in the transfer to the Commonwealth of any unfunded commitments of Australian Coal Research Limited existing at the time of the transfer, of a total value that exceeds the total value, in real terms, of the unfunded commitments of the Research Account existing immediately before the commencement of the Coal Research Assistance Amendment Act 1992.\n  (2) In subsection (1), the value in real terms of unfunded commitments of the Research Account means the value of those commitments calculated with reference to the changes in the Consumer Price Index, as published by the Australian Statistician from time to time, during the period beginning on the day of the commencement of the Coal Research Assistance Amendment Act 1992 and ending at the time a determination is made under section 8D.","sortOrder":13},{"sectionNumber":"8F","sectionType":"section","heading":"Compensation for acquisition of property","content":"#### 8F Compensation for acquisition of property\n\n  (1) If the operation of section 8, 8A, 8B or 8D involves the acquisition of property from a person otherwise than on just terms, the Commonwealth must pay to the person such reasonable compensation:\n    (a) as is agreed between the person and the Commonwealth; or\n    (b) failing agreement—as is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.\n  (2) In assessing compensation payable in proceedings under this section, any damages or compensation recovered or other remedy given in proceedings begun otherwise than under this section and arising out of the same transaction must be taken into account.\n  (3) In this section:\n  acquisition of property and just terms have the same meanings as in paragraph 51(xxxi) of the Constitution.","sortOrder":14},{"sectionNumber":"10","sectionType":"section","heading":"Regulations","content":"#### 10 Regulations\n\n  (1) The Governor‑General may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, prescribing all matters that are required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed, or are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act and, in particular, making provision for and in relation to the conduct of the business of, and the convening and conduct of meetings of a committee appointed under subsection 7(1).\n  (2) Regulations may be made to prescribe:\n    (a) the method by which assets and liabilities are to be transferred to the Commonwealth under section 8D; and\n    (b) the method by which unfunded commitments are to be transferred to the Commonwealth under section 8E; and\n    (c) any other matter necessary for the purposes of, or in relation to, the transfer to the Commonwealth of responsibility in relation to research following a determination made by the Minister under section 8D.","sortOrder":15}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[{"type":"impossible_compliance","section":"5A and 6(1)","severity":"high","reasoning":"Once section 5A operates, the Research Account is emptied. Section 6(1) purports to govern expenditure from that Account going forward, but there is nothing left to expend. The Act continues to appropriate money into the Account under section 5 while simultaneously draining it entirely under section 5A, creating a perpetual pass-through with no operative expenditure regime under section 6.","confidence":0.85,"description":"Section 5A mandates that all money in the Research Account be transferred to Australian Coal Research Limited upon commencement, yet section 6(1) continues to provide for expenditure of moneys 'standing to the credit of the Research Account' (subject to section 5A). After the transfer, no money remains in the Account, rendering section 6(1)(a) and 6(1)(b) permanently inoperative as a practical matter."},{"type":"impossible_compliance","section":"5(1) and 5(3) read with 5A","severity":"medium","reasoning":"The Act creates an ongoing revenue stream into the Research Account (section 5) but provides only a one-off mechanism for transferring those funds to the company (section 5A). Subsequent deposits into the Account after the initial transfer have no clear ongoing transfer mechanism to the company, creating a structural gap.","confidence":0.78,"description":"Section 5 establishes a mechanism for ongoing payments into the Research Account tied to coal excise duty, yet section 5A mandatorily transfers the entire Account balance to Australian Coal Research Limited upon commencement. This means any future funds flowing into the Account under section 5 after the section 5A transfer have no clear disposition mechanism — section 5A is a one-time transfer and section 6 is rendered largely inoperative."},{"type":"self_contradicting","section":"8E(1) and 8E(2)","severity":"medium","reasoning":"The definition in subsection (2) calculates value with reference to CPI changes from commencement forward, but the comparison point in subsection (1) is the value of commitments immediately before commencement. There is a logical discontinuity: the formula begins at the same moment the reference point ends, providing no CPI adjustment for the baseline figure itself.","confidence":0.72,"description":"Section 8E(1) refers to 'unfunded commitments of the Research Account existing immediately before the commencement of the Coal Research Assistance Amendment Act 1992,' but section 8E(2) purports to define how to calculate 'the value in real terms' of those commitments using CPI changes 'during the period beginning on the day of the commencement of the Coal Research Assistance Amendment Act 1992.' The base date for the CPI adjustment begins at commencement, not before it, meaning the 'real terms' value at the point of comparison (immediately before commencement) cannot be calculated using the defined formula, which only starts running from commencement onward."},{"type":"other","section":"8D(1) and 8D(2)","severity":"medium","reasoning":"A determination under section 8D is legally incomplete without reference to the regulations specifying the assets and liabilities. The Gazette publication of the determination therefore does not give adequate notice of what property is actually reverting to the Commonwealth, undermining the transparency purpose of the publication requirement.","confidence":0.7,"description":"Section 8D(1) provides that the Minister may 'determine' that assets and liabilities are to be transferred, with specifics to be found 'in the regulations.' Section 8D(2) requires the determination to be 'published in the Gazette as soon as possible after it is made.' However, the assets and liabilities subject to transfer are not identified in the determination itself but in regulations made separately. This creates a situation where the Gazette-published determination is substantively hollow — it triggers a transfer without specifying what is transferred, leaving the operative content in a separate regulatory instrument."},{"type":"self_contradicting","section":"7(1) and 7(2)","severity":"low","reasoning":"Members of declared committees under section 7(2) are not entitled to remuneration under subsections (5) and (6), yet the expenditure provision in section 6(1)(b) refers generally to 'remuneration and allowances payable under section 7' — implying broader coverage than the remuneration subsections actually provide.","confidence":0.65,"description":"Section 7(1) allows the Minister to appoint persons to be a 'research advisory committee,' while section 7(2) allows the Minister to 'declare that committee to be a research advisory committee.' The use of 'that committee' in subsection (2) is ambiguous — it could refer to the body just described or to the committee under subsection (1). More critically, subsection (2) provides for declaration of 'any other body of persons' as a committee, but the remuneration provisions in subsections (5) and (6) apply only to members 'appointed by the Minister under subsection (1)', meaning declared committees under subsection (2) have no remuneration entitlement, yet section 6(1)(b) appropriates Research Account funds for 'remuneration and allowances payable under section 7' broadly, creating an internal inconsistency."},{"type":"circular_definition","section":"3 (definition of 'research') paragraph (d)","severity":"low","reasoning":"Paragraph (d) captures matters incidental to any matter in the definition, including matters incidental to paragraph (d) itself. While such 'incidental matters' clauses are common in legislation, the self-reference here is logically circular and could theoretically encompass any activity with a sufficiently attenuated connection to coal research.","confidence":0.8,"description":"The definition of 'research' includes 'any matter incidental to a matter referred to in this definition.' This is a self-referential definition: paragraph (d) refers back to the definition of which it is itself a part, creating a potentially infinite recursive expansion of the term 'research.'"}],"contradictions":[{"severity":"high","section_a":"5A","section_b":"6(1)","confidence":0.87,"description":"Section 5A mandates a complete transfer of all Research Account funds to Australian Coal Research Limited upon commencement, while section 6(1) (expressly made 'subject to section 5A') continues to provide a regime for expenditure of moneys 'standing to the credit of the Research Account.' After section 5A operates, there are no moneys in the Account to be expended under section 6(1), making the ongoing expenditure regime inoperative and contradicting the Act's apparent intent to maintain an ongoing research expenditure mechanism."},{"severity":"medium","section_a":"8(a)","section_b":"8F(1)","confidence":0.68,"description":"Section 8 mandates that every grant agreement in relation to the Research Account has effect as if Australian Coal Research Limited were substituted for the Commonwealth as a party — an automatic, compulsory novation. Section 8F(1) provides compensation where sections 8, 8A, 8B or 8D involve an 'acquisition of property from a person otherwise than on just terms.' If the compulsory substitution under section 8 constitutes an acquisition of the Commonwealth's contractual rights without the consent of the original counterparties, it may simultaneously trigger the compensation obligation under section 8F — creating a legislative contradiction where the Act compels a transfer while also acknowledging it may be constitutionally invalid without just terms."},{"severity":"high","section_a":"8D(1)","section_b":"8E(1)","confidence":0.82,"description":"Section 8D(1) empowers the Minister to determine that assets AND liabilities of Australian Coal Research Limited are to be transferred back to the Commonwealth. Section 8E(1) then limits the transfer of unfunded commitments (a category of liabilities) to a CPI-adjusted cap. If the total unfunded commitments exceed that cap, section 8E prevents their full transfer, directly contradicting the Minister's power under section 8D to transfer 'liabilities' generally. The Act does not resolve what happens to unfunded commitments that exceed the cap."},{"severity":"medium","section_a":"10(2)(b)","section_b":"8E(1)","confidence":0.75,"description":"Section 10(2)(b) provides that regulations may prescribe 'the method by which unfunded commitments are to be transferred to the Commonwealth under section 8E.' However, section 8E(1) does not itself authorise a transfer of unfunded commitments — it imposes a cap on what may be transferred under section 8D. Section 8E contains no operative transfer provision for regulations to give effect to, creating a contradiction where regulations are authorised to prescribe a method for a transfer that section 8E does not actually authorise."},{"severity":"medium","section_a":"4(2)","section_b":"Current law","confidence":0.9,"description":"Section 4(2) provides that the Research Account 'is a Trust Account for the purposes of section 62A of the Audit Act 1901.' The Audit Act 1901 was repealed and replaced by the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (and subsequently the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013). The reference to a repealed Act renders section 4(2) legally inoperative, creating an internal contradiction between the Act's stated legal framework for the Account and the actual applicable law."}]},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The original 1977 Act established a straightforward government trust fund for coal research. However, amendments (particularly the 1992 Amendment Act referenced throughout) significantly expanded the scope to create a complex privatisation and reversion framework. The Act now governs: (1) the original funding mechanism, (2) the transfer of all assets/liabilities/IP to a private company, (3) conditions for government clawback of those assets, (4) compensation safeguards, and (5) financial limits on transferred liabilities. What began as a simple research funding bill became a statutory framework for public-private partnership with extensive safeguards and reversal mechanisms."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple defined terms (8 definitions in section 3), including nested definitions for 'grant agreement' and 'unfunded commitment' that have different meanings depending on context","Cross-references between sections 5A, 6, 8, 8A, 8B, 8D, and 8E that must be read together to understand the transfer scheme","Conditional logic in section 5(3) where funding stops if the Minister doesn't make a determination","Constitutional safeguard in section 8F requiring 'just terms' compensation for property acquisition, referencing section 51(xxxi) of the Constitution","Temporal complexity with multiple commencement dates referenced (original Act, 1992 Amendment Act, and various section commencements)","Financial safeguards in sections 8D-8E limiting liability transfers with CPI-adjusted calculations","Legislative instrument requirements in sections 8B and 8D for asset transfers"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThis Act created a government fund (the **Coal Research Trust Account**) to pay for scientific and economic research into coal. The money came from a small levy on coal production — up to 5 cents per tonne — collected through excise duty.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n- **Coal producers**: They indirectly funded the research through the per-tonne levy.\n- **Australian Coal Research Limited**: A Queensland-based company that took over the government's research role. The Act transferred all the money, research contracts, intellectual property, and assets from the government to this company.\n- **Researchers and industry**: They could apply for funding to study coal science, technology, and economics.\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThis law represents a major shift in how Australia funded coal research. Originally, the government ran the program directly through the Trust Account. But amendments (particularly in 1992) **privatised** the function — handing control to a private company while keeping some government oversight. The Act also includes safeguards:\n\n- The government can **take back control** if it's in the national interest or the coal industry's interest (section 8D).\n- **Compensation** must be paid if the transfers unfairly affect someone's property rights (section 8F).\n- **Stamp duty exemptions** apply to all the transfers (section 8C).\n\n**Key features:**\n- Established a dedicated research fund paid for by coal production\n- Created advisory committees to guide funding decisions\n- Transferred all government research responsibilities to a private company (Australian Coal Research Limited)\n- Included a \"snap-back\" clause letting the government reclaim assets if needed"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act shifts operational responsibility and legal ownership for coal research from the Commonwealth to Australian Coal Research Limited by transferring Research Account funds (s5A), substituting the company for the Commonwealth in existing grant agreements (s8), and moving related intellectual property and specified assets/liabilities to the company (s8A, s8B). It preserves taxpayer funding (Consolidated Revenue appropriation, s5(4)) while giving the Minister power to revert those responsibilities to the Commonwealth subject to limits on transferred unfunded commitments (s8D–8E) and compensation requirements for acquisitions otherwise than on just terms (s8F)."},"complexity_factors":["Dedicated funding mechanism tied to a per‑tonne ministerial determination (s5) — introduces variable financing and executive discretion.","Establishment of a Trust Account with public accounting consequences (s4) and appropriation from Consolidated Revenue (s5(4)).","Multiple transfers of rights and property: funds (s5A), grant agreements (s8), intellectual property (s8A) and other assets/liabilities (s8B).","Ministerial power to revert responsibilities to the Commonwealth with regulatory implementation and transitional provisions (s8D, s10).","Limit on transferred unfunded commitments indexed to CPI requiring historic-value calculation (s8E) — technical valuation issue.","Compensation obligation where transfer effects acquisition otherwise than on just terms, referencing constitutional just‑terms protection (s8F).","Tax/stamp duty exemption for documents arising from transfers (s8C) — affects transaction costs.","Interaction with external bodies/rules: Remuneration Tribunal provisions for committee members (s7(5)–(7)).","Broad definitional provisions for 'grant agreement', 'research' and 'intellectual property rights' that shape scope of transfers and obligations (s3).","Regulations power to prescribe detailed transfer methods and saving/transition rules (s10) — creates administrative complexity."],"plain_english_summary":"This Act creates a Coal Research Trust Account funded by a per‑tonne amount (up to 5 cents as determined by the Minister) paid from Consolidated Revenue to support scientific, technical and economic research about coal (s4–s6). It transfers existing Research Account money, grant agreements, intellectual property and specified research assets from the Commonwealth to Australian Coal Research Limited, while giving the Minister powers to revert that responsibility to the Commonwealth subject to limits and compensation (s5, 5A, 8, 8A, 8B, 8D–8F)."},"summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The original Act established a straightforward government-administered coal research funding scheme. The 1992 amendments fundamentally changed its scope and character: the Act evolved from a mechanism for direct Commonwealth funding of coal research into primarily a framework for transferring that responsibility to a private company (Australian Coal Research Limited), with the government retaining only a residual oversight and reversal power. The shift from public administration to private company management represents a significant departure from the Act's original intent."},"complexity_factors":["Two-phase structure: the original 1977 scheme and the 1992 Amendment substantially changed the operative provisions, requiring readers to understand the Act in historical layers","Transfer mechanics involving multiple legal instruments: funds, contracts (grant agreements), intellectual property rights, and general assets/liabilities are each handled under different sections with different trigger mechanisms","Novation of grant agreements (substituting ACRL as the contracting party in place of the Commonwealth) is a technically complex legal concept","Constitutional law reference: Section 8F invokes s51(xxxi) of the Constitution regarding acquisition of property on just terms, requiring understanding of constitutional property rights","Unfunded commitments provision (s8E) uses CPI-adjusted real-terms calculations, adding financial/economic complexity","Reversion mechanism (s8D) creates a conditional regulatory pathway back to Commonwealth control, with additional regulations needed to implement it","Cross-references to now-repealed or replaced legislation (Audit Act 1901, Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973) can make it harder to understand the current operative framework"],"plain_english_summary":"The Act established a levy‑funded scheme to support scientific, technical and economic research into coal and coal‑derived products, creating a government trust to collect and allocate research funds. A major 1992 amendment handed the trust’s cash, contracts, intellectual property and related assets to Australian Coal Research Limited, shifting day‑to‑day responsibility to a private company while preserving ministerial power to reverse transfers and require compensation. It affects coal producers, researchers and ACRL and marks a privatisation of coal research funding."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/coal-research-assistance-act-1977","history":"/api/acts/coal-research-assistance-act-1977/history","analysis":"/api/acts/coal-research-assistance-act-1977/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/coal-research-assistance-act-1977/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/coal-research-assistance-act-1977/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/coal-research-assistance-act-1977/documents"}}