{"id":"F2017L00545","name":"Federal Financial Relations (General purpose financial assistance) Determination No. 97 (April 2017)","slug":"federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-97-april-2017","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":96326,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2017L00545-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. 97 (APRIL 2017)","content":"# Federal Financial Relations (General Purpose Financial Assistance) Determination No. 97 (APRIL 2017)","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"Part 1","sectionType":"part","heading":"preliminary","content":"```html\n

Federal Financial Relations (General Purpose Financial Assistance) Determination No. 97 (APRIL 2017)

I, MICHAEL SVEN SUKKAR, Assistant Minister to the Treasurer, make this Determination under section 9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.

MICHAEL SVEN SUKKAR


Dated: 19 April 2017

\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. 97 (April 2017).\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 April 2017 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 April 2017\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. Under subsection 9(3) of the Act, 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 $5,000,000,000.00.\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. 97 (April 2017).","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. 97 (APRIL 2017)

I, MICHAEL SVEN SUKKAR, Assistant Minister to the Treasurer, make this Determination under section 9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.

MICHAEL SVEN SUKKAR


Dated: 19 April 2017

\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. 97 (April 2017).\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 April 2017 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 April 2017\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. Under subsection 9(3) of the Act, 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 $5,000,000,000.00.\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. 97 (APRIL 2017)

I, MICHAEL SVEN SUKKAR, Assistant Minister to the Treasurer, make this Determination under section 9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.

MICHAEL SVEN SUKKAR


Dated: 19 April 2017

\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. 97 (April 2017).\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 April 2017 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 April 2017\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. Under subsection 9(3) of the Act, 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 $5,000,000,000.00.\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 April 2017 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 April 2017","content":"### Table 1: General purpose financial assistance for payment on 21 April 2017\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. Under subsection 9(3) of the Act, 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 $5,000,000,000.00.\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 April 2017 ($)\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 April 2017 ($)","content":"## Amounts of general purpose financial assistance on 21 April 2017 ($)\n\n![](image.003.png)","sortOrder":17}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The determination does not change the statutory scope of general purpose financial assistance. It implements a distribution of funds within the existing framework (credit to the COAG Reform Fund; payments per the Intergovernmental Agreement) and observes the statutory debit cap; it does not alter eligibility, conditions of use, or the debit limit set out in the governing Acts."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple statutory cross-references: Federal Financial Relations Act 2009 (s9), COAG Reform Fund Act 2008 (s5, s7(2)), Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (special account reference), Legislative Instruments Act 2003 (s42 exemption).","Dependence on external instrument: payment terms are set out in the Intergovernmental Agreement (Schedule D) rather than in this determination.","Operational constraint: annual debit limit for credits ($5,000,000,000) that must be tracked cumulatively (Table 2).","Delegated decision-making: Minister/Assistant Minister makes the determination under s9 (authority delegated to an executive act rather than primary legislation change).","Form of information: key payment tables are presented as embedded images rather than inline text, which complicates machine extraction of amounts.","Requirement of downstream bilateral written agreements between Commonwealth and each State for terms and conditions (COAG Reform Fund Act s7(2))."],"plain_english_summary":"This determination (under section 9 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009) credits specified sums to the COAG Reform Fund and directs payment of general-purpose financial assistance to the States and territories on 21 April 2017. The funds are unconditional (to be used by the States for any purpose), operate within an annual $5 billion debit limit, and rely on existing payment terms in the Intergovernmental Agreement and written State agreements."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This determination serves its original narrow purpose: authorising a specific tranche of general purpose financial assistance payments. It has not expanded beyond the standard machinery of federal financial transfers under the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009."},"complexity_factors":["Short, single-purpose instrument (only 14 operative sections plus 2 schedules)","Only 4 defined terms in the interpretation section","Straightforward conditional logic: payment amounts reference external tables (which are image placeholders in this extract)","Minimal cross-referencing — primarily references to the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009 and COAG Reform Fund Act 2008","No nested exceptions or complex temporal conditions","Repetitive structure due to HTML/table formatting artifacts in the source, but substantive content is simple"],"plain_english_summary":"This ministerial determination authorises a Commonwealth payment of general-purpose financial assistance to Australian States and Territories (via the COAG Reform Fund) scheduled for 21 April 2017. The funds are untied—states may spend them as they wish—and the determination confirms the payment won’t exceed the 2016–17 $5 billion cap. It isn’t subject to parliamentary disallowance. Directly affects state and territory governments (including specified compensation for WA and the ACT) and, indirectly, Australian taxpayers."},"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"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-97-april-2017","history":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-97-april-2017/history","analysis":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-97-april-2017/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-97-april-2017/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-97-april-2017/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-general-purpose-financial-assistance-determination-no-97-april-2017/documents"}}