{"id":"F2016L01192","name":"Federal Financial Relations (General purpose financial assistance) Determination No. 86 (May 2016)","slug":"federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-86-may-2016","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":94572,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2016L01192-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Federal Financial Relations (General Pur","sectionType":"part","heading":"Federal Financial Relations (General Purpose Financial Assistance) Determination No. 86 (MAY 2016)","content":"# Federal Financial Relations (General Purpose Financial Assistance) Determination No. 86 (MAY 2016)","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"Part 1","sectionType":"part","heading":"preliminary","content":"```html\n

Federal Financial Relations (General Purpose Financial Assistance) Determination No. 86 (MAY 2016)

I, SCOTT JOHN MORRISON, Treasurer, make this Determination under section 9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.

SCOTT JOHN MORRISON


Dated: 18 May 2016

\n```\n\n## Part 1 — preliminary\n\n### Name of Determination\n\n This determination is the Federal Financial Relations (General purpose financial assistance) Determination No. 86 (May 2016).\n\n### Commencement\n\n 2. This determination commences on the day on which this determination is made.\n\n### Definitions\n\n 3. The following definitions are used throughout this determination:\n\nAct means the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.\n\nCOAG Reform Fund means the COAG Reform Fund established by section 5 of the COAG Reform Fund Act 2008.\n\nIntergovernmental Agreement means the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations that took effect on 1 February 2009. The Intergovernmental Agreement provides an overarching framework for financial transfers between the Commonwealth and the States and related collaboration on policy development and service delivery.\n\nState includes the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.\n\n### Exemption from section 42 (disallowance) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003\n\n 4. Subsection 9(5) of the Act provides that this determination is a legislative instrument, but section 42 (disallowance) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 does not apply to this determination.\n\n## PArt 2 — Purpose\n\n### Provision of financial assistance\n\n 5. This determination is made, in accordance with section 9 of the Act, for the purpose of providing financial support for the States’ service delivery efforts through general purpose financial assistance to be used by the States for any purpose.\n\n### Terms and conditions\n\n 6. Subsection 9(2) of the Act requires that an amount determined under subsection 9(1) must be credited to the COAG Reform Fund.\n 7. The COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 established the COAG Reform Fund and specifies that it is a Special Account for the purposes of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.\n 8. Subsection 7(2) of the COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 requires that the terms and conditions on which financial assistance is granted through the COAG Reform Fund are to be set out in a written agreement between the Commonwealth and the State.\n 9. The terms and conditions for all payments of general purpose financial assistance are provided in ‘Schedule D — Payment Arrangements’ to the Intergovernmental Agreement. Schedule 1 to this determination provides a summary of the relevant provisions for general purpose financial assistance.\n\n## Part 3 — General Purpose Financial Assistance\n\n### Determination\n\n 10. In accordance with subsection 9(1) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 1 are to be credited to the COAG Reform Fund before being paid on 23 May 2016 to the States specified in that table for the purpose of making a grant of general purpose financial assistance to those States.\n\n### Table 1: General Purpose financial assistance for payment on 23 May 2016\n\n![](image.001.png)\n\n 11. Schedule 2 to this determination provides further information on these payments.\n\n### Debit limit\n\n 12. Subsection 9(3) of the Act provides that the total amount credited to the COAG Reform Fund for the purpose of making a grant of general purpose financial assistance in the financial year starting on 1 July 2015 must not exceed $5,000,000,000.00.\n 13. The amounts specified in Table 2 are the total amounts determined in the 2015-16 financial year in respect of general purpose financial assistance, including this determination.\n\n### Table 2: Total cumulative payments of general purpose financial assistance in 2015-16\n\n ![](image.002.png)\n\n 14. The total amount determined for payment of general purpose financial assistance to date in the 2015-16 financial year does not exceed the debit limit.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Name of Determination","sectionType":"division","heading":"Name of Determination","content":"### Name of Determination\n\n This determination is the Federal Financial Relations (General purpose financial assistance) Determination No. 86 (May 2016).","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"Commencement","sectionType":"division","heading":"Commencement","content":"### Commencement\n\n 2. This determination commences on the day on which this determination is made.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"Definitions","sectionType":"division","heading":"Definitions","content":"### Definitions\n\n 3. The following definitions are used throughout this determination:\n\nAct means the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.\n\nCOAG Reform Fund means the COAG Reform Fund established by section 5 of the COAG Reform Fund Act 2008.\n\nIntergovernmental Agreement means the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations that took effect on 1 February 2009. The Intergovernmental Agreement provides an overarching framework for financial transfers between the Commonwealth and the States and related collaboration on policy development and service delivery.\n\nState includes the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"Exemption from section 42 (disallowance)","sectionType":"division","heading":"Exemption from section 42 (disallowance) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003","content":"### Exemption from section 42 (disallowance) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003\n\n 4. Subsection 9(5) of the Act provides that this determination is a legislative instrument, but section 42 (disallowance) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 does not apply to this determination.","sortOrder":5},{"sectionNumber":"PArt 2","sectionType":"part","heading":"Purpose","content":"```html\n

Federal Financial Relations (General Purpose Financial Assistance) Determination No. 86 (MAY 2016)

I, SCOTT JOHN MORRISON, Treasurer, make this Determination under section 9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.

SCOTT JOHN MORRISON


Dated: 18 May 2016

\n```\n\n## Part 1 — preliminary\n\n### Name of Determination\n\n This determination is the Federal Financial Relations (General purpose financial assistance) Determination No. 86 (May 2016).\n\n### Commencement\n\n 2. This determination commences on the day on which this determination is made.\n\n### Definitions\n\n 3. The following definitions are used throughout this determination:\n\nAct means the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.\n\nCOAG Reform Fund means the COAG Reform Fund established by section 5 of the COAG Reform Fund Act 2008.\n\nIntergovernmental Agreement means the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations that took effect on 1 February 2009. The Intergovernmental Agreement provides an overarching framework for financial transfers between the Commonwealth and the States and related collaboration on policy development and service delivery.\n\nState includes the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.\n\n### Exemption from section 42 (disallowance) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003\n\n 4. Subsection 9(5) of the Act provides that this determination is a legislative instrument, but section 42 (disallowance) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 does not apply to this determination.\n\n## PArt 2 — Purpose\n\n### Provision of financial assistance\n\n 5. This determination is made, in accordance with section 9 of the Act, for the purpose of providing financial support for the States’ service delivery efforts through general purpose financial assistance to be used by the States for any purpose.\n\n### Terms and conditions\n\n 6. Subsection 9(2) of the Act requires that an amount determined under subsection 9(1) must be credited to the COAG Reform Fund.\n 7. The COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 established the COAG Reform Fund and specifies that it is a Special Account for the purposes of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.\n 8. Subsection 7(2) of the COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 requires that the terms and conditions on which financial assistance is granted through the COAG Reform Fund are to be set out in a written agreement between the Commonwealth and the State.\n 9. The terms and conditions for all payments of general purpose financial assistance are provided in ‘Schedule D — Payment Arrangements’ to the Intergovernmental Agreement. Schedule 1 to this determination provides a summary of the relevant provisions for general purpose financial assistance.\n\n## Part 3 — General Purpose Financial Assistance\n\n### Determination\n\n 10. In accordance with subsection 9(1) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 1 are to be credited to the COAG Reform Fund before being paid on 23 May 2016 to the States specified in that table for the purpose of making a grant of general purpose financial assistance to those States.\n\n### Table 1: General Purpose financial assistance for payment on 23 May 2016\n\n![](image.001.png)\n\n 11. Schedule 2 to this determination provides further information on these payments.\n\n### Debit limit\n\n 12. Subsection 9(3) of the Act provides that the total amount credited to the COAG Reform Fund for the purpose of making a grant of general purpose financial assistance in the financial year starting on 1 July 2015 must not exceed $5,000,000,000.00.\n 13. The amounts specified in Table 2 are the total amounts determined in the 2015-16 financial year in respect of general purpose financial assistance, including this determination.\n\n### Table 2: Total cumulative payments of general purpose financial assistance in 2015-16\n\n ![](image.002.png)\n\n 14. The total amount determined for payment of general purpose financial assistance to date in the 2015-16 financial year does not exceed the debit limit.","sortOrder":6},{"sectionNumber":"Provision of financial assistance","sectionType":"division","heading":"Provision of financial assistance","content":"### Provision of financial assistance\n\n 5. This determination is made, in accordance with section 9 of the Act, for the purpose of providing financial support for the States’ service delivery efforts through general purpose financial assistance to be used by the States for any purpose.","sortOrder":7},{"sectionNumber":"Terms and conditions","sectionType":"division","heading":"Terms and conditions","content":"### Terms and conditions\n\n 6. Subsection 9(2) of the Act requires that an amount determined under subsection 9(1) must be credited to the COAG Reform Fund.\n 7. The COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 established the COAG Reform Fund and specifies that it is a Special Account for the purposes of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.\n 8. Subsection 7(2) of the COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 requires that the terms and conditions on which financial assistance is granted through the COAG Reform Fund are to be set out in a written agreement between the Commonwealth and the State.\n 9. The terms and conditions for all payments of general purpose financial assistance are provided in ‘Schedule D — Payment Arrangements’ to the Intergovernmental Agreement. Schedule 1 to this determination provides a summary of the relevant provisions for general purpose financial assistance.","sortOrder":8},{"sectionNumber":"Part 3","sectionType":"part","heading":"General Purpose Financial Assistance","content":"```html\n

Federal Financial Relations (General Purpose Financial Assistance) Determination No. 86 (MAY 2016)

I, SCOTT JOHN MORRISON, Treasurer, make this Determination under section 9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.

SCOTT JOHN MORRISON


Dated: 18 May 2016

\n```\n\n## Part 1 — preliminary\n\n### Name of Determination\n\n This determination is the Federal Financial Relations (General purpose financial assistance) Determination No. 86 (May 2016).\n\n### Commencement\n\n 2. This determination commences on the day on which this determination is made.\n\n### Definitions\n\n 3. The following definitions are used throughout this determination:\n\nAct means the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.\n\nCOAG Reform Fund means the COAG Reform Fund established by section 5 of the COAG Reform Fund Act 2008.\n\nIntergovernmental Agreement means the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations that took effect on 1 February 2009. The Intergovernmental Agreement provides an overarching framework for financial transfers between the Commonwealth and the States and related collaboration on policy development and service delivery.\n\nState includes the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.\n\n### Exemption from section 42 (disallowance) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003\n\n 4. Subsection 9(5) of the Act provides that this determination is a legislative instrument, but section 42 (disallowance) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 does not apply to this determination.\n\n## PArt 2 — Purpose\n\n### Provision of financial assistance\n\n 5. This determination is made, in accordance with section 9 of the Act, for the purpose of providing financial support for the States’ service delivery efforts through general purpose financial assistance to be used by the States for any purpose.\n\n### Terms and conditions\n\n 6. Subsection 9(2) of the Act requires that an amount determined under subsection 9(1) must be credited to the COAG Reform Fund.\n 7. The COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 established the COAG Reform Fund and specifies that it is a Special Account for the purposes of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.\n 8. Subsection 7(2) of the COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 requires that the terms and conditions on which financial assistance is granted through the COAG Reform Fund are to be set out in a written agreement between the Commonwealth and the State.\n 9. The terms and conditions for all payments of general purpose financial assistance are provided in ‘Schedule D — Payment Arrangements’ to the Intergovernmental Agreement. Schedule 1 to this determination provides a summary of the relevant provisions for general purpose financial assistance.\n\n## Part 3 — General Purpose Financial Assistance\n\n### Determination\n\n 10. In accordance with subsection 9(1) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 1 are to be credited to the COAG Reform Fund before being paid on 23 May 2016 to the States specified in that table for the purpose of making a grant of general purpose financial assistance to those States.\n\n### Table 1: General Purpose financial assistance for payment on 23 May 2016\n\n![](image.001.png)\n\n 11. Schedule 2 to this determination provides further information on these payments.\n\n### Debit limit\n\n 12. Subsection 9(3) of the Act provides that the total amount credited to the COAG Reform Fund for the purpose of making a grant of general purpose financial assistance in the financial year starting on 1 July 2015 must not exceed $5,000,000,000.00.\n 13. The amounts specified in Table 2 are the total amounts determined in the 2015-16 financial year in respect of general purpose financial assistance, including this determination.\n\n### Table 2: Total cumulative payments of general purpose financial assistance in 2015-16\n\n ![](image.002.png)\n\n 14. The total amount determined for payment of general purpose financial assistance to date in the 2015-16 financial year does not exceed the debit limit.","sortOrder":9},{"sectionNumber":"Determination","sectionType":"division","heading":"Determination","content":"### Determination\n\n 10. In accordance with subsection 9(1) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 1 are to be credited to the COAG Reform Fund before being paid on 23 May 2016 to the States specified in that table for the purpose of making a grant of general purpose financial assistance to those States.","sortOrder":10},{"sectionNumber":"Table 1: General Purpose financial assis","sectionType":"division","heading":"Table 1: General Purpose financial assistance for payment on 23 May 2016","content":"### Table 1: General Purpose financial assistance for payment on 23 May 2016\n\n![](image.001.png)\n\n 11. Schedule 2 to this determination provides further information on these payments.","sortOrder":11},{"sectionNumber":"Debit limit","sectionType":"division","heading":"Debit limit","content":"### Debit limit\n\n 12. Subsection 9(3) of the Act provides that the total amount credited to the COAG Reform Fund for the purpose of making a grant of general purpose financial assistance in the financial year starting on 1 July 2015 must not exceed $5,000,000,000.00.\n 13. The amounts specified in Table 2 are the total amounts determined in the 2015-16 financial year in respect of general purpose financial assistance, including this determination.","sortOrder":12},{"sectionNumber":"Table 2: Total cumulative payments of ge","sectionType":"division","heading":"Table 2: Total cumulative payments of general purpose financial assistance in 2015-16","content":"### Table 2: Total cumulative payments of general purpose financial assistance in 2015-16\n\n ![](image.002.png)\n\n 14. The total amount determined for payment of general purpose financial assistance to date in the 2015-16 financial year does not exceed the debit limit.","sortOrder":13},{"sectionNumber":"SChedule 1","sectionType":"part","heading":null,"content":"# SChedule 1\n\n## Summary of relevant agreements for general purpose financial assistance\n\n| Payment title | Purpose | Relevant agreement |\n| -------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Compensation for impact on royalties of excise amendment | The Commonwealth provides general purpose financial assistance to compensate Western Australia for the loss of royalty revenue resulting from the removal in the 2008-09 Budget of the exemption of condensate from crude oil excise. | Schedule D – Payment arrangements of the Intergovernmental Agreement |\n| ACT Municipal Services | The Commonwealth provides general purpose financial assistance to the Australian Capital Territory to:• assist in meeting the additional municipal costs which arise from Canberra's role as the national capital; and• compensate the Australian Capital Territory for additional costs resulting from the national capital planning influences on the provision of water and sewerage services. | Schedule D – Payment arrangements of the Intergovernmental Agreement |\n| Royalty payments | | |\n| — Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 | The Commonwealth provides general purpose financial assistance to Western Australia from royalties payable under the Offshore Petroleum (Royalty) Act 2006 in respect of the North West Shelf oil and gas project off the coast of Western Australia. The Commonwealth collects these royalties because it has jurisdiction over off‑shore areas.These royalties will be shared between the Commonwealth (approximately one third) and Western Australia (approximately two thirds). These payment arrangements are in accordance with section 75 of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006. | Schedule D – Payment arrangements of the Intergovernmental Agreement |\n| | | |","sortOrder":14},{"sectionNumber":"Summary of relevant agreements for gener","sectionType":"part","heading":"Summary of relevant agreements for general purpose financial assistance","content":"## Summary of relevant agreements for general purpose financial assistance\n\n| Payment title | Purpose | Relevant agreement |\n| -------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Compensation for impact on royalties of excise amendment | The Commonwealth provides general purpose financial assistance to compensate Western Australia for the loss of royalty revenue resulting from the removal in the 2008-09 Budget of the exemption of condensate from crude oil excise. | Schedule D – Payment arrangements of the Intergovernmental Agreement |\n| ACT Municipal Services | The Commonwealth provides general purpose financial assistance to the Australian Capital Territory to:• assist in meeting the additional municipal costs which arise from Canberra's role as the national capital; and• compensate the Australian Capital Territory for additional costs resulting from the national capital planning influences on the provision of water and sewerage services. | Schedule D – Payment arrangements of the Intergovernmental Agreement |\n| Royalty payments | | |\n| — Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 | The Commonwealth provides general purpose financial assistance to Western Australia from royalties payable under the Offshore Petroleum (Royalty) Act 2006 in respect of the North West Shelf oil and gas project off the coast of Western Australia. The Commonwealth collects these royalties because it has jurisdiction over off‑shore areas.These royalties will be shared between the Commonwealth (approximately one third) and Western Australia (approximately two thirds). These payment arrangements are in accordance with section 75 of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006. | Schedule D – Payment arrangements of the Intergovernmental Agreement |\n| | | |","sortOrder":15},{"sectionNumber":"Schedule 2","sectionType":"part","heading":null,"content":"# Schedule 2\n\n## Amounts of general purpose financial assistance on 23 MAY 2016 ($)\n\n![](image.003.png)","sortOrder":16},{"sectionNumber":"Amounts of general purpose financial ass","sectionType":"part","heading":"Amounts of general purpose financial assistance on 23 MAY 2016 ($)","content":"## Amounts of general purpose financial assistance on 23 MAY 2016 ($)\n\n![](image.003.png)","sortOrder":17}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This Determination does not change the statutory scope of federal financial relations; it implements the existing power in section 9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009 by specifying particular payment amounts and recipients for a single payment date. It does not expand the Commonwealth's powers, create new conditionalities, or alter the underlying Intergovernmental Agreement. The instrument is therefore consistent with the original purpose of the Act (routine allocation of general purpose financial assistance) and does not materially grow the scheme's scope."},"complexity_factors":["Short instrument with limited parts (Preliminary, Purpose, General purpose financial assistance, two Schedules)","4 defined terms in the interpretation section (Act, COAG Reform Fund, Intergovernmental Agreement, State)","Multiple external cross‑references to other statutes and instruments (Federal Financial Relations Act 2009; COAG Reform Fund Act 2008; Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013; Legislative Instruments Act 2003; Intergovernmental Agreement and its Schedule D)","Two embedded tables (Table 1: payment amounts; Table 2: cumulative payments) and a Schedule listing specific targeted payment purposes","A single numerical constraint (debit limit of $5,000,000,000 for 2015–16) that must be checked against cumulative payments","Procedural quirk: explicit exemption from parliamentary disallowance (s4), which affects legal oversight rather than substantive complexity"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanics)\n\n- This Determination directs specified amounts of Commonwealth money to be credited to the COAG Reform Fund and then paid on 23 May 2016 to the States and Territories named in the instrument as \"general purpose financial assistance\" (see s10 and Table 1). \n- The Treasurer exercises the power under section 9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009 to make these payments (cover sheet and s10). \n- The funds are general purpose: States may use them for any purpose once received (s5). \n- The amounts must first be credited to the COAG Reform Fund (s6), and payments are subject to the terms and conditions recorded in Schedule D (Payment Arrangements) of the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations and any written agreements required under the COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 (ss7–9). \n- The Determination confirms that total general purpose financial assistance credited to the COAG Reform Fund in the 2015–16 financial year does not exceed the statutory debit limit of $5,000,000,000 (ss12–14 and Table 2). \n- The Determination is made as a legislative instrument but is exempted from the disallowance procedure in the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 (s4).\n\n\nWho it affects\n\n- Primary payor: the Commonwealth (payments flow from the Commonwealth to the COAG Reform Fund and then to States). \n- Decision-maker: the Treasurer (makes the Determination under s9 of the Act). \n- Primary recipients: the States and Territories listed in Table 1 (amounts shown in Schedule 2 / Table 1). \n- Secondary audience: State treasuries and officials who record and budget these receipts; the Commonwealth agencies that administer the COAG Reform Fund and the Intergovernmental Agreement.\n\n\nWhy it matters (policy and administrative significance)\n\n- It supplies unconditional (general purpose) cash transfers to sub‑national governments, giving them immediate fiscal resources without federally‑imposed spending restrictions (s5). \n- Some payments are explicitly targeted in Schedule 1: for example, compensation to Western Australia for a change in excise treatment of condensate, a municipal services payment to the Australian Capital Territory, and royalty sharing for offshore petroleum revenue (Schedule 1). Those items deliver concentrated benefits to particular jurisdictions. \n- The exemption from parliamentary disallowance (s4) reduces a layer of parliamentary oversight on this instrument’s form or timing, though the underlying statutory power remains the Treasurer’s. \n\n\nTrade‑offs, costs and incentives (testing the purpose claim)\n\n- Claimed purpose: to support States' service delivery by providing general purpose funds (s5). That purpose is fulfilled mechanically: cash is transferred and may be used for any purpose. \n- Flexibility vs conditionality: because the assistance is general purpose, States have maximum discretion over how to spend it. That increases state-level budget flexibility (benefit to States) but reduces the Commonwealth's ability to steer specific policy outcomes (trade‑off). \n- Concentrated benefits and visibility: Schedule 1 shows some payments are targeted (e.g., WA, ACT). Targeted items create clearly identifiable beneficiaries; the document therefore channels resources to particular jurisdictions rather than distributing funds solely by formula. \n- Fiscal cost and accounting: the payments come from Commonwealth funds and count against the statutory debit limit for the year (ss12–14). The practical cost is borne by Commonwealth finances and is reflected in Commonwealth budgeting through the COAG Reform Fund. \n- Administrative and compliance burden: operationally light. The Determination is a routine allocation referencing existing accounts and the Intergovernmental Agreement; States must execute the usual written agreements under the COAG Reform Fund Act but the payments themselves are unconditional (ss6–9). \n- Bureaucratic discretion and constraints: the Treasurer has authority to make such determinations under the Act, but the power is constrained by the debit limit and the need to conform with the Intergovernmental Agreement’s payment arrangements.\n\n\nEffects on private actors and markets\n\n- Direct effect on private enterprise is minimal: this is a transfer between sovereign levels of government and does not impose new regulatory requirements on businesses. \n- Indirect effects are possible: if States use the additional funds to change taxes, fees, or service provision, private parties may be affected through altered prices or service availability. Those downstream effects depend on each State’s budgetary choices after receiving funds.\n\n\nImplementation and legal safeguards\n\n- The Determination relies on existing statutory and contractual frameworks (Federal Financial Relations Act 2009, COAG Reform Fund Act 2008, Intergovernmental Agreement and Schedule D). \n- It documents compliance with the statutory debit cap for 2015–16 (ss12–14). \n- Section 4 removes the ability for the Determination itself to be disallowed under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003, limiting the immediate parliamentary procedure for overturning the instrument.\n\n\nBottom line (practical takeaway)\n\n- This is a routine Treasurer’s instrument that authorises and documents one-off payments of general purpose funds to States on 23 May 2016, lists the relevant targeted items (Schedule 1), confirms compliance with the year’s debit limit, and relies on the COAG Reform Fund and the Intergovernmental Agreement for administering the payments. It gives States unconditional spending flexibility while remaining procedurally insulated from disallowance under the Legislative Instruments Act (s4)."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains focused on its original purpose: authorising general purpose financial assistance payments to States and Territories. The scope has not expanded beyond the core function of transferring untied grants under the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations."},"complexity_factors":["Short document (approximately 14 operative sections plus 2 schedules)","Only 4 defined terms in the interpretation section","Straightforward purpose: authorising specific payment amounts on a fixed date","Simple conditional logic: single annual cap ($5 billion) with confirmation that payments remain within limit","Cross-references to 3 external Acts but these are standard machinery provisions (Federal Financial Relations Act 2009, COAG Reform Fund Act 2008, Legislative Instruments Act 2003)","No nested exceptions or complex conditional triggers","Tabular data for payment amounts (though actual figures are in image format)"],"plain_english_summary":"This Treasurer’s determination (May 2016) authorises the Commonwealth to pay untied general-purpose financial assistance to Australian States and Territories, routed through the COAG Reform Fund. It confirms payments (including specific amounts) while ensuring the 2015–16 annual cap of $5 billion is not exceeded.\n\nIt affects all state and territory governments—with specific adjustments for Western Australia’s resource revenue losses and extra Commonwealth funding to the ACT—and is exempt from parliamentary disallowance."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-86-may-2016","history":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-86-may-2016/history","analysis":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-86-may-2016/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-86-may-2016/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-86-may-2016/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-86-may-2016/documents"}}