{"id":"F2020L00141","name":"Federal Financial Relations (National Partnership) Determination No.157 (January 2020)","slug":"federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-determination-no-157-january-2020","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":100708,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2020L00141-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Federal Financial Relations (National Pa","sectionType":"part","heading":"Federal Financial Relations (National Partnership) Determination No.157 (January 2020)","content":"# Federal Financial Relations (National Partnership) Determination No.157 (January 2020)","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"Name of determination","sectionType":"division","heading":"Name of determination","content":"### Name of determination\n\n This determination is the Federal Financial Relations (National Partnership) Determination No.157 (January 2020).","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Commencement","sectionType":"division","heading":"Commencement","content":"### Commencement\n\n 2. This determination commences on the day on which it is made.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"Determination","sectionType":"division","heading":"Determination","content":"### Determination\n\n 3. The amounts specified in the following table are to be paid to the States specified in that table for the purpose of making a grant of financial assistance to:\n (a) support the delivery by the States of specified outputs or projects specified in Schedule 1;\n (b) facilitate the reforms by the States specified in Schedule 1; or\n (c) reward the States for the nationally significant reforms specified in \n Schedule 1.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"Table 1: National Partnership Payments f","sectionType":"division","heading":"Table 1: National Partnership Payments for payment on 7 January 2020","content":"### Table 1: National Partnership Payments for payment on 7 January 2020\n\n```html\n

State

Amount of National Partnership Payments

New South Wales

$151,007,727.00

Victoria

$31,362,000.00

Queensland

$240,801,987.00

Western Australia

$91,537,264.33

South Australia

$23,719,472.00

Tasmania

$23,295,268.00

Australian Capital Territory

$4,101,328.00

Northern Territory

$54,129,232.00

Total

$619,954,278.33

\n```\n\nSchedule 1 to this determination provides further information on these payments.","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"Schedule 1","sectionType":"part","heading":"Amounts of National Partnership Payments for payment on 7 January 2020 ($)","content":"# Schedule 1: Amounts of National Partnership Payments for payment on 7 January 2020 ($)\n\n| | NSW | VIC | QLD | WA | SA | TAS | ACT | NT | Total |\n| ------------------------------------------------------ | -------------- | ------------ | -------------- | ------------- | ------------ | ------------- | ---------- | ------------- | -------------- |\n| Health | | | | | | | | | |\n| Other health payments | | | | | | | | | |\n| Adult Public Dental Services | - | - | - | 4,843,123.00 | 4,690,674.00 | - | 504,320.00 | 708,163.00 | 10,746,280.00 |\n| Total Health National Partnership payments | - | - | - | 4,843,123.00 | 4,690,674.00 | - | 504,320.00 | 708,163.00 | 10,746,280.00 |\n| | | | | | | | | | |\n| Education | | | | | | | | | |\n| National School Chaplaincy Program | - | - | - | - | 7,593,366.00 | - | - | - | 7,593,366.00 |\n| Total Education National Partnership payments | - | - | - | - | 7,593,366.00 | - | - | - | 7,593,366.00 |\n| | | | | | | | | | |\n| | | | | | | | | | |\n| Community Services | | | | | | | | | |\n| Specialist disability services | - | - | - | 2,351,333.33 | - | - | - | - | 2,351,333.33 |\n| Total Community Services National Partnership payments | - | - | - | 2,351,333.33 | - | - | - | - | 2,351,333.33 |\n| | | | | | | | | | |\n| | | | | | | | | | |\n| Infrastructure | | | | | | | | | |\n| Infrastructure Investment Program | | | | | | | | | |\n| Investment Rail | - | - | - | 10,500,000.00 | - | 4,800,000.00 | - | - | 15,300,000.00 |\n| Infrastructure Investment Programme - Investment Road | 1,250,000.00 | - | 208,815,316.00 | 58,214,250.00 | - | 12,650,000.00 | - | 4,500,000.00 | 285,429,566.00 |\n| IIP Bridges Renewal Programme-Through States | 1,870,000.00 | - | 1,725,871.00 | - | 174,432.00 | 8,268.00 | - | - | 3,778,571.00 |\n| IIP Bridges Renewal Programme-To States | 650,000.00 | - | 1,700,000.00 | - | 533,500.00 | - | - | - | 2,883,500.00 |\n| Heavy Vehicle Safety - Through Payments | 2,200,000.00 | - | 1,435,300.00 | - | 300,000.00 | - | - | - | 3,935,300.00 |\n| Heavy vehicle safety - to States | - | 1,000,000.00 | 400,000.00 | 128,058.00 | 400,000.00 | 2,154,000.00 | - | - | 4,082,058.00 |\n| Black spot projects | 6,759.00 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14,569.00 | 21,328.00 |\n| Northern Australia Beef Roads Fund - To States | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11,195,000.00 | 11,195,000.00 |\n| Northern Australia Roads Projects - To payments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 33,800,000.00 | 33,800,000.00 |\n| Infrastructure Growth Package | | | | | | | | | |\n| ARF - IIP - National Highway Upgrade Programme | 9,000,000.00 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9,000,000.00 |\n| ARF - IIP - Western Sydney Roads | 96,576,468.00 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 96,576,468.00 |\n| Total Infrastructure National Partnership payments | 111,553,227.00 | 1,000,000.00 | 214,076,487.00 | 68,842,308.00 | 1,407,932.00 | 19,612,268.00 | - | 49,509,569.00 | 466,001,791.00 |\n| | | | | | | | | | |\n\n| Environment | | | | | | | | | |\n| --------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------- | ------------- | -------------- | ------------- | ------------- | ------------- | ------------ | ------------- | -------------- |\n| Water for the Future - Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure | - | - | - | - | - | - | 600,000.00 | - | 600,000.00 |\n| Water Development Fund - Feasibility Component | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 200,000.00 | 200,000.00 |\n| On-Farm Emergeny Wate Infra Rebate Scheme | - | - | 350,000.00 | - | - | - | - | - | 350,000.00 |\n| Total Environment National Partnership payments | - | - | 350,000.00 | - | - | - | 600,000.00 | 200,000.00 | 1,150,000.00 |\n| | | | | | | | | | |\n| Other | | | | | | | | | |\n| Legal Assistance Services | 39,454,500.00 | 30,362,000.00 | 26,375,500.00 | 15,500,500.00 | 10,027,500.00 | 3,683,000.00 | 2,978,500.00 | 3,711,500.00 | 132,093,000.00 |\n| Total Other National Partnership payments | 39,454,500.00 | 30,362,000.00 | 26,375,500.00 | 15,500,500.00 | 10,027,500.00 | 3,683,000.00 | 2,978,500.00 | 3,711,500.00 | 132,093,000.00 |\n| | | | | | | | | | |\n| Contingent Payments | | | | | | | | | |\n| Disaster recovery funding arrangements | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18,508.00 | - | 18,508.00 |\n| Total Contingent Payments National Partnership payments | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18,508.00 | - | 18,508.00 |\n| | | | | | | | | | |\n| Total National Partnership Payments | 151,007,727.00 | 31,362,000.00 | 240,801,987.00 | 91,537,264.33 | 23,719,472.00 | 23,295,268.00 | 4,101,328.00 | 54,129,232.00 | 619,954,278.33 |","sortOrder":5}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This Determination is a routine allocation instrument under the Federal Financial Relations framework: it lists the amounts and recipients for particular National Partnership payments. It does not, on its face, expand the legal scope of Commonwealth funding powers or create new categories of federal action beyond the standard NP purpose (support delivery, facilitate reforms, reward reforms) set out in clause 3. Any programmatic detail, conditions or scope limitations would be found in the associated National Partnership agreements rather than in this payment schedule; the Determination itself therefore remains within the original and usual purpose of NP funding."},"complexity_factors":["Single operative clause (clause 3) that authorises payments; limited statutory text beyond commencement and identification of the instrument","Schedule 1 contains many line items across multiple sectors and States (dozens of payment rows), increasing bookkeeping complexity though not legal complexity","Several different payment types (to States, through States, contingent payments) requiring attention to disbursement routing","No detailed performance conditions included in the text supplied — likely cross‑references to separate NP agreements (adds practical complexity for implementation)","Multiple small program labels (e.g. 'IIP Bridges Renewal Programme - Through States' vs 'To States') requiring careful mapping to underlying agreements"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanically)\n\n- This Determination directs the Commonwealth to pay a one‑off set of National Partnership (NP) payments to the States and Territories listed in the table and in Schedule 1. (See clause 3 and Schedule 1.)\n- The payments are allocated by program category (Health, Education, Infrastructure, Environment, Legal Assistance, etc.) and by State/Territory. The total payable on 7 January 2020 is $619,954,278.33.\n- Clause 3 states the legal purpose for the payments: to (a) support delivery of specified outputs or projects listed in Schedule 1, (b) facilitate specified State reforms, or (c) reward nationally significant reforms specified in Schedule 1.\n\nWho is affected\n\n- The Commonwealth (payer) and the States and Territories (recipients) are the primary parties named.\n- Indirectly affected groups include organisations and people who deliver or receive the services and projects funded by these payments: e.g. contractors and suppliers on infrastructure projects, providers of legal assistance services, public dental services recipients, schools and chaplaincy program participants, and local governments or businesses involved in road and rail projects.\n\nWhy it matters (practical effects)\n\n- Money flow: this Determination releases a particular pool of Commonwealth funds to States/Territories for a set of named programs on a named date (7 January 2020). That transfers federal budgetary capacity to state-level delivery of the listed programs.\n- Policy targeting: the schedule shows most of the funding is infrastructure ($466.0m) and legal assistance ($132.1m). The largest single State allocations are Queensland ($240.8m) and New South Wales ($151.0m). That concentrates benefits in particular sectors and jurisdictions (see Schedule 1 totals).\n\nOfficial rationale and practical trade-offs\n\n- The determination presents the payments as supporting delivery, facilitating reforms or rewarding reforms (cl. 3). Those are stated policy aims from the instrument itself.\n- Trade-offs and implementation issues to watch:\n - Opportunity cost: these Commonwealth funds are earmarked to specific programs and States; that reduces Commonwealth flexibility for other priorities by the same amount.\n - Concentrated benefits vs diffuse costs: the direct benefits (contracts, program funding) accrue to identifiable groups (infrastructure contractors, legal service providers, certain regional projects). The fiscal cost is borne by the Commonwealth budget as a whole.\n - Substitution risk: unless the underlying NP agreements require maintenance of effort, States could substitute Commonwealth funds for their own spending on the same areas; the Determination lists purposes but the text provided does not set out maintenance‑of‑effort rules.\n - Compliance and administrative burden: National Partnerships typically attach reporting, milestones or acquittal requirements in the NP agreement. The Determination itself lists amounts and purposes but does not include detailed performance conditions in the text supplied — those will govern oversight and could impose ongoing administrative costs on States.\n - Implementation risk: delays in projects or unmet milestones can defer or require repayment of payments if the NP agreements include such mechanisms (common in practice, but not shown explicitly here).\n\nEffect on private enterprise and markets (brief)\n\n- Infrastructure allocations channel large sums to capital works, which creates procurement opportunities for private contractors and suppliers (Schedule 1, Infrastructure items).\n- Legal assistance and service funding supports NGOs and service providers rather than creating direct market competition effects; it may change the funding mix for those organisations.\n- The Determination does not itself change regulatory settings, taxes, ownership or competition law; it only provides funding which may alter incentives for where and how services are delivered.\n\nWhat the instrument does not (explicitly) include in the text provided\n\n- Detailed performance conditions, reporting obligations, or triggers for contingent payments are not set out in the excerpt supplied. Those are typically found in the underlying National Partnership agreements referenced by the Determination or in other administrative documents.\n\nKey numbers from Schedule 1 (for quick reference)\n\n- Total payable: $619,954,278.33 (payment date 7 January 2020).\n- By program: Infrastructure ~$466.0m; Legal Assistance ~$132.1m; Health (Adult Public Dental) ~$10.75m; Education (School Chaplaincy) ~$7.59m; Environment ~$1.15m; Community Services (specialist disability services) ~$2.35m; Contingent payments $18,508.\n- By State/Territory (largest to smallest): Queensland $240.8m; New South Wales $151.0m; Western Australia $91.54m; Northern Territory $54.13m; Victoria $31.36m; South Australia $23.72m; Tasmania $23.30m; ACT $4.10m.\n\nPractical checklist for a recipient State or a stakeholder\n\n- Identify the specific NP agreement that underpins each line in Schedule 1 to see the performance, reporting and maintenance‑of‑effort rules.\n- Map grant payment timing to project delivery schedules to manage cashflow and procurement.\n- For providers bidding on funded projects, confirm procurement rules and any Commonwealth conditions that apply under the NP agreement.\n\nSource references: clause 3 and Schedule 1 of the Determination for legal effect and the itemised amounts and purposes."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This determination performs exactly the function intended by the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009—making specific grants of financial assistance to states. It does not expand beyond the original legislative purpose of facilitating federal-state funding agreements."},"complexity_factors":["Straightforward tabular structure with no conditional logic or exceptions","Only 3 operative clauses (name, commencement, determination)","No defined terms section or interpretation provisions","No cross-references to other legislation beyond generic reference to 'Schedule 1'","Simple arithmetic calculations (sums of state allocations)","No temporal limitations, review mechanisms, or sunset clauses","Purpose is purely administrative—allocating appropriated funds according to pre-existing National Partnership agreements"],"plain_english_summary":"This determination authorises the Commonwealth to pay over $619 million to states and territories on 7 January 2020 via National Partnership agreements, funding state-delivered projects in exchange for outcomes. Major recipients include Queensland, NSW and WA.\n\nMost funding (about 75%) targets infrastructure (roads, bridges, rail, heavy-vehicle safety); significant national legal assistance funding is also provided, alongside smaller allocations for health, education, disability services, water programs and disaster recovery — illustrating federal fiscal influence on state priorities."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-determination-no-157-january-2020","history":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-determination-no-157-january-2020/history","analysis":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-determination-no-157-january-2020/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-determination-no-157-january-2020/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-determination-no-157-january-2020/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-determination-no-157-january-2020/documents"}}