{"id":"F2016L01725","name":"Federal Financial Relations (General purpose financial assistance) Determination No. 91 (October 2016)","slug":"federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-91-october-2016","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":95391,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2016L01725-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. 91 (October 2016)","content":"# Federal Financial Relations (General Purpose Financial Assistance) Determination No. 91 (October 2016)","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"Part 1","sectionType":"part","heading":"preliminary","content":"```html\n

Federal Financial Relations (General Purpose Financial Assistance) Determination No. 91 (October 2016)

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

SCOTT JOHN MORRISON


Dated: 18 October 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. 91 (October 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 21 October 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 21 October 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 2016 must not exceed $2,083,333,333.00.\n 13. The amounts specified in Table 2 are the total amounts determined in the 2016-17 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 2016-17\n\n ![](image.002.png)\n\n 14. The total amount determined for payment of general purpose financial assistance to date in the 2016-17 financial year does not exceed the general 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. 91 (October 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. 91 (October 2016)

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

SCOTT JOHN MORRISON


Dated: 18 October 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. 91 (October 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 21 October 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 21 October 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 2016 must not exceed $2,083,333,333.00.\n 13. The amounts specified in Table 2 are the total amounts determined in the 2016-17 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 2016-17\n\n ![](image.002.png)\n\n 14. The total amount determined for payment of general purpose financial assistance to date in the 2016-17 financial year does not exceed the general 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. 91 (October 2016)

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

SCOTT JOHN MORRISON


Dated: 18 October 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. 91 (October 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 21 October 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 21 October 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 2016 must not exceed $2,083,333,333.00.\n 13. The amounts specified in Table 2 are the total amounts determined in the 2016-17 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 2016-17\n\n ![](image.002.png)\n\n 14. The total amount determined for payment of general purpose financial assistance to date in the 2016-17 financial year does not exceed the general 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 21 October 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 21 October 2016","content":"### Table 1: General purpose financial assistance for payment on 21 October 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 2016 must not exceed $2,083,333,333.00.\n 13. The amounts specified in Table 2 are the total amounts determined in the 2016-17 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 2016-17","content":"### Table 2: Total cumulative payments of general purpose financial assistance in 2016-17\n\n ![](image.002.png)\n\n 14. The total amount determined for payment of general purpose financial assistance to date in the 2016-17 financial year does not exceed the general 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 21 October 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 21 October 2016 ($)","content":"## Amounts of general purpose financial assistance on 21 October 2016 ($)\n\n![](image.003.png)","sortOrder":17}],"analysis":{"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"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This determination does not materially change the scope of the underlying federal–state financial framework. It performs the routine statutory function authorised by section 9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009 — specifying amounts to be credited to the COAG Reform Fund and paid to the States as general purpose financial assistance. The content is consistent with the Act's original purpose of enabling periodic general-purpose transfers and simply implements a particular tranche of payments for 21 October 2016, within the statutory debit limit."},"complexity_factors":["Short instrument (single-purpose payment determination) with few operative provisions","4 defined terms listed in section 3 (Act; COAG Reform Fund; Intergovernmental Agreement; State)","References to multiple external instruments and Acts: Federal Financial Relations Act 2009, COAG Reform Fund Act 2008, Legislative Instruments Act 2003, Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013, and the Intergovernmental Agreement (Schedule D)","Contains two financial tables (Table 1 and Table 2) and Schedule 2 listing payment amounts — numeric detail but simple arithmetic","One conditional statutory cap (debit limit) to check against (sections 12–14)","Exemption from disallowance adds a procedural wrinkle (section 4)","No nested exceptions or complex conditional logic within the instrument itself"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this determination does (mechanics)\n\n- This is a Treasurer's determination under section 9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009 that credits specified amounts to the COAG Reform Fund and pays those amounts to the States on 21 October 2016 (see Part 3, especially section 10 and Table 1).\n- The amounts are credited to a Special Account (the COAG Reform Fund) and then distributed to the States as grants of \"general purpose financial assistance\" — meaning the States may use the money for any purpose (see sections 6–9 and Schedule 1).\n- The instrument confirms the payment amounts (shown in Table 1 and Schedule 2) and records that the total credited in the 2016–17 year remains within the statutory \"debit limit\" of $2,083,333,333 (see sections 12–14 and Table 2).\n- It also records that the determination is a legislative instrument but exempt from disallowance under section 42 of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 (section 4).\n\nWho is affected\n\n- Who pays: the Commonwealth (the determination directs Commonwealth funds to be credited to and paid from the COAG Reform Fund).\n- Who receives: the States (including the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory, per the definition of \"State\") receive the grants listed in the tables.\n- Private individuals and businesses are not direct addressees of obligations in this instrument; the immediate effect is on government budgets and intergovernmental transfers.\n\nWhy it matters (official purpose and practical effects)\n\n- Officially, the instrument exists to provide financial support for the States’ service-delivery efforts via general purpose grants (section 5). The IGA (Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations) sets the broader framework and Schedule D of that IGA contains the standard payment arrangements referenced here (section 9 and Schedule 1).\n- Practically, the determination shifts Commonwealth budget resources to State budgets on a no-strings (general purpose) basis. Because the grants are available for any use, States can reallocate their own spending or adjust tax/fee choices instead of matching Commonwealth conditions.\n\nCosts, incentives, trade-offs and implementation points (testing the stated purpose)\n\n- Fiscal cost and who bears it: the outflow is borne by the Commonwealth budget. That reduces Commonwealth fiscal headroom or requires offsetting adjustments elsewhere in federal spending or revenue. The determination itself does not say how the Commonwealth finances the payment — only that the amounts be credited to the COAG Reform Fund and paid (sections 6 and 10).\n- Incentives for States: general purpose funding increases State discretion. States face fewer conditional constraints and therefore may substitute these funds for their own revenue or redirect expenditure priorities. The instrument does not require States to meet specific performance targets for these payments (see section 5 and Schedule 1).\n- Trade-offs: the Commonwealth obtains less direct control over how services are delivered compared with tied grants; States obtain greater flexibility. That is an intended design choice set out in the Intergovernmental Agreement (section 9 references Schedule D).\n- Administrative/implementation burdens: the mechanics are simple — credit to the COAG Reform Fund (a Special Account under the PGPA Act) and then payment — so administrative complexity for the Commonwealth is low. The COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 requires that terms and conditions for assistance through that Fund be set out in a written agreement between the Commonwealth and a State (section 8), so some contractual steps may be required depending on the payment category.\n- Bureaucratic discretion and transparency: the Treasurer determines the amounts under s9. The instrument is exempt from parliamentary disallowance (section 4), which limits that particular parliamentary oversight mechanism. Other oversight may apply via PGPA reporting and the Intergovernmental Agreement arrangements.\n- Effects on markets/private enterprise: indirect. By shifting public revenue to States without conditions, the measure can affect State-level taxes, fees, service provision and procurement choices; those shifts can affect private firms competing for government contracts, but the instrument does not itself change market rules or impose regulatory requirements.\n- Concentration of benefits and capture risk: benefits are concentrated on State governments. Because these are general purpose payments rather than project-specific grants, there is lower immediate visibility of how funds are used; that increases the potential for political mobilization over spending choices, but the instrument itself only sets the payment — not spending rules.\n\nWho decides, who pays, what behaviour changes (concise)\n\n- Who decides: the Treasurer issues the determination under s9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act (see opening and section 10).\n- Who pays: the Commonwealth credits and then pays the amounts from the COAG Reform Fund (sections 6–7, 10).\n- Behaviour changes: States gain budgetary resources they can deploy for any purpose, which may reduce their need to raise own-source revenue or may enable re-prioritisation of expenditures.\n\nRelevant legal hooks (where to look in the instrument)\n\n- Legal basis for the determination: section 9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009 (authorising power) — referenced at the start and in section 10.\n- Account and conditions: COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 / PGPA Act (sections 6–8).\n- Payment arrangements: Schedule D of the Intergovernmental Agreement (section 9 and Schedule 1).\n- Debit limit: subsection 9(3) and sections 12–14 in this determination.\n\nSummary sentence\n\nThis is a routine Treasurer's determination that credits and pays specified general-purpose grants to States via the COAG Reform Fund on 21 October 2016, within a statutory annual debit limit; it increases State budget flexibility rather than imposing new obligations on private parties."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This determination serves its original narrow purpose: authorising a specific payment of general purpose financial assistance under the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009. It has not expanded beyond the statutory framework established for intergovernmental financial transfers."},"complexity_factors":["Short, single-purpose instrument (14 operative sections plus 2 schedules)","Only 4 defined terms in the interpretation section","Straightforward conditional logic: payment amounts are specified in tables (which are image references in this extract, not text)","References to external agreements (Intergovernmental Agreement) and other Acts, but these are explanatory rather than creating nested conditions","No exceptions to exceptions or deeply nested subsections","Repetitive structure due to HTML/table rendering artifacts in the source, but legally simple"],"plain_english_summary":"This Ministerial determination authorises a Commonwealth payment of untied general-purpose financial assistance to Australian States and Territories, routed through the COAG Reform Fund on 21 October 2016. It sets debit limits so 2016–17 payments don’t exceed about $2.08 billion.\n\nIt affects all State and Territory governments (including ACT municipal top-up), with Western Australia receiving specific condensate/royalty compensation. The determination is exempt from parliamentary disallowance, protecting these revenue flows."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-91-october-2016","history":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-91-october-2016/history","analysis":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-91-october-2016/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-91-october-2016/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-91-october-2016/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-91-october-2016/documents"}}