{"id":"F2020L00242","name":"Federal Financial Relations (National Partnership Payments) Determination No.164 (March 2020)","slug":"federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-payments-determination-no-164-march-2020","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":100790,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2020L00242-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 Payments) Determination No.164 (March 2020)","content":"# Federal Financial Relations (National Partnership Payments) Determination No.164 (March 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 Payments) Determination No.164 (March 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 10 March 2020","content":"### Table 1: National Partnership Payments for payment on 10 March 2020\n\n```html\n

State

Amount of National Partnership Payments

New South Wales

$ 85,284,108.00

Victoria

$ 44,463,287.00

Queensland

$ 359,541,538.00

Western Australia

$ 55,163,148.33

South Australia

$ 26,777,708.00

Tasmania

$ 19,331,715.00

Australian Capital Territory

$ 120,000.00

Northern Territory

$ 28,362,959.00

Total

$ 619,044,463.33

\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 10 March 2020 ($)","content":"# Schedule 1: Amounts of National Partnership Payments for payment on 10 March 2020 ($)\n\n```html\n

NSW

VIC

QLD

WA

SA

TAS

ACT

NT

Total

Health

Health services

Specialist Dementia Care Program

120,000.00

-

-

-

120,000.00

-

120,000.00

-

360,000.00

Other health payments

Community Health and Hospitals Program

-

-

-

-

2,249,000.00

-

-

-

2,249,000.00

Total Health National Partnership payments

120,000.00

-

-

-

2,369,000.00

-

120,000.00

-

2,609,000.00

Education

National School Chaplaincy Program

989,637.00

352,332.00

18,842,863.00

-

119,171.00

-

-

-

20,304,003.00

Early childhood education – Universal access to early education

41,020,904.00

39,261,553.00

-

-

8,673,884.00

-

-

-

88,956,341.00

Total Education National Partnership payments

42,010,541.00

39,613,885.00

18,842,863.00

-

8,793,055.00

-

-

-

$109,260,344.00

Community Services

Specialist disability services

-

-

-

2,351,333.33

-

-

-

-

2,351,333.33

Women's Safety Package - Technology Trials

-

25,000.00

-

-

-

-

-

-

25,000.00

Total Community Services National Partnership payments

-

25,000.00

-

2,351,333.33

-

-

-

-

2,376,333.33

Infrastructure

Infrastructure Investment Program

Infrastructure Investment Programme - Investment Road

20,175,000.00

-

280,216,199.00

10,810,000.00

12,900,000.00

270,000.00

-

16,736,000.00

341,107,199.00

IIP Bridges Renewal Programme-Through States

3,707,040.00

1,482,991.00

181,619.00

355,580.00

-

-

-

-

5,727,230.00

IIP Bridges Renewal Programme-To States

-

-

4,231,028.00

-

-

-

-

-

4,231,028.00

Heavy Vehicle Safety - Through Payments

1,954,200.00

38,500.00

1,200,000.00

-

-

-

-

-

3,192,700.00

Heavy vehicle safety - to States

-

-

640,000.00

-

583,891.00

-

-

-

1,223,891.00

Black spot projects

7,317,327.00

3,302,911.00

9,035,954.00

3,646,235.00

1,231,762.00

-

-

193,832.00

24,728,021.00

Roads of Strategic Importance

-

-

-

31,000,000.00

-

-

-

-

31,000,000.00

Northern Australia Beef Roads Fund - To States

-

-

7,260,000.00

-

-

-

-

-

7,260,000.00

Northern Australia Roads Projects - To payments

-

-

35,568,000.00

7,000,000.00

-

-

-

-

42,568,000.00

Infrastructure Growth Package

ARF - IIP - National Highway Upgrade Programme

-

-

2,000,000.00

-

-

-

-

-

2,000,000.00

ARF - IIP - Western Sydney Roads

10,000,000.00

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

10,000,000.00

Total Infrastructure National Partnership payments

43,153,567.00

4,824,402.00

340,332,800.00

52,811,815.00

14,715,653.00

270,000.00

-

16,929,832.00

473,038,069.00

Environment

Water for the Future - Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure

-

-

365,875.00

-

900,000.00

-

-

-

1,265,875.00

Total Environment National Partnership payments

-

-

365,875.00

-

900,000.00

-

-

-

1,265,875.00

Contingent Payments

Disaster recovery funding arrangements

-

-

-

-

-

19,061,715.00

-

11,433,127.00

30,494,842.00

Total Contingent Payments National Partnership payments

-

-

-

-

-

19,061,715.00

-

11,433,127.00

30,494,842.00

Total National Partnership Payments

85,284,108.00

44,463,287.00

359,541,538.00

55,163,148.33

26,777,708.00

19,331,715.00

120,000.00

28,362,959.00

619,044,463.33

\n```","sortOrder":5}],"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"},"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"completionTokens":432},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a routine administrative determination that allocates funds according to pre-existing National Partnership Agreements. The scope remains limited to authorising specific payments to states for agreed purposes."},"complexity_factors":["Very short operative section (only 3 clauses)","No defined terms or interpretation section","Simple tabular structure with no conditional logic","No cross-references to other legislation","Straightforward purpose: authorise specific payment amounts"],"plain_english_summary":"This determination authorises the Commonwealth to pay $619 million to states and territories on 10 March 2020 as National Partnership Payments for agreed purposes. Funds support health, education, community services, environment and — predominantly — infrastructure (roads, bridges, heavy‑vehicle safety). Largest recipients are Queensland ($359.5m), New South Wales ($85.3m) and Western Australia ($55.2m). It is the legal trigger that effects negotiated federal payments under National Partnership Agreements."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This determination is a specific, point-in-time allocation of National Partnership payments for a single payment date and does not expand the statutory framework or the original purpose of National Partnership payments. It stays within the standard scope: naming recipients, purposes (support delivery, facilitate reforms, reward reforms — Determination para 3) and listing program-level amounts in Schedule 1. It does not materially broaden scope beyond the existing mechanism of targeted Commonwealth payments to States, nor add new classes of recipients or novel powers."},"complexity_factors":["Single determinations text is short but accompanied by a long, detailed Schedule (many line items)","Schedule 1 contains multiple sectors (Health, Education, Community Services, Infrastructure, Environment, Contingent Payments) each with program sub-items","Dozens of state-specific allocations across programs (many distinct program-state cells)","One fixed payment date (10 March 2020) — simplifies timing but concentrates cross-references to that date","Contingent payments included (disaster recovery) add conditionality tied to external triggers","Determination sets amounts but relies on other agreements/guidelines for conditions — requires cross-referencing to program agreements for full operational picture"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanics)**\n\n- This is a Federal Financial Relations (National Partnership Payments) Determination that authorises a single set of Commonwealth grant payments to the States and Territories on a specified payment date (10 March 2020). (See Determination para 3 and Table 1.)\n- The Determination lists the exact dollar amounts to be paid to each State and Territory and links those payments to particular outputs, projects or reform tasks set out in Schedule 1. The total payment across all jurisdictions is $619,044,463.33. (Table 1 and Schedule 1.)\n- Schedule 1 breaks the total down by sector (Health, Education, Community Services, Infrastructure, Environment, Contingent Payments) and by program within those sectors, and shows how much each State or Territory receives for each program. The schedule is a line‑item grant schedule for that single payment date.\n\n**Who it affects**\n\n- The Commonwealth (the payer) and the States/Territories (the recipients). The recipients are New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.\n- Agencies in those jurisdictions responsible for the listed programs and projects, because the funds are tied to specified outputs, projects or reforms in Schedule 1.\n\n**Why it matters (purpose statements and practical consequences)**\n\n- The Determination states its purposes as: (a) supporting State delivery of specified outputs or projects; (b) facilitating State reforms identified in Schedule 1; or (c) rewarding States for nationally significant reforms. (Determination para 3.)\n- Practically, the instrument channels Commonwealth money to targeted State activities rather than providing untied general revenue. That gives the Commonwealth a lever to influence State priorities by attaching program labels and conditions to payments.\n\n**Key numbers and patterns (what is visibly concentrated)**\n\n- Total: $619,044,463.33 (all jurisdictions combined) payable on 10 March 2020 (Table 1).\n- Largest single-jurisdiction allocation shown: Queensland — $359,541,538.00 (Table 1, Schedule 1 totals). Other notable totals: New South Wales $85,284,108.00; Western Australia $55,163,148.33; South Australia $26,777,708.00; Tasmania $19,331,715.00; Northern Territory $28,362,959.00; Victoria $44,463,287.00; ACT $120,000.00.\n- The schedule shows large allocations concentrated in the Infrastructure category (total Infrastructure National Partnership payments $473,038,069.00 across jurisdictions) and substantial education and roads-related items (see Schedule 1 totals).\n\n**How the instrument operates operationally**\n\n- The Determination is a directive that the Commonwealth pay the listed sums to the listed States for the specified purposes. The legal effect is to create a payment obligation on the Commonwealth side and an entitlement of the named States to receive the funds on the payment date.\n- The schedule identifies program-level uses (for example, Early childhood education – Universal access to early education; Infrastructure Investment Programme; Black spot projects; Disaster recovery funding arrangements). The Determination itself does not set out detailed performance measures or reporting requirements; those are typically found in the underlying National Partnership Agreements or program documentation that Schedule 1 references.\n\n**Trade-offs, incentives and risk‑points to note**\n\n- Incentives: Because payments are attached to specific projects, States have an incentive to implement those activities to secure funding. If funding is contingent on specific reforms or outputs, States will face compliance and reporting tasks to demonstrate delivery.\n- Substitution risk: Targeted Commonwealth payments can substitute for a State’s own spending on the same policy area (i.e. States may reallocate their budgets if Commonwealth funds meet particular needs). The Determination does not itself prevent substitution — implementation arrangements do.\n- Concentrated benefits vs diffuse cost: The financial benefits are concentrated in specific programs and in particular jurisdictions (notably Queensland and infrastructure programs). The cost (Commonwealth budget appropriation) is borne by the Commonwealth as part of federal fiscal decisions.\n- Implementation and compliance burden: The schedule creates administrative tasks for State agencies to show that outputs/projects have been delivered in order to align with the stated purposes. The Determination provides the payment list but not the operational rules; that increases reliance on separate agreements and administrative processes.\n- Contingent payments: The schedule includes contingent payments (for example disaster recovery items listed in Schedule 1). These payments can be conditional on events and the underlying arrangements that trigger them.\n- Political/allocative risk: The Determination is bluntly allocative (a line‑item list). That creates opportunities for targeted allocations but also raises the ordinary risks of political prioritisation and rent‑seeking present in any targeted grant program; the Determination text itself does not explain the allocation criteria beyond the program labels.\n\n**Where to look next for operational detail**\n\n- For the program conditions, performance measures and triggers that actually govern release or use of funds, consult the underlying National Partnership Agreements, program guidelines or ministerial correspondence that Schedule 1 refers to. The Determination is the payment instruction; the detailed obligations are normally external to it.\n\n(References in this summary are to the numbered Determination provision and to Schedule 1 contained in the instrument.)"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-payments-determination-no-164-march-2020","history":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-payments-determination-no-164-march-2020/history","analysis":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-payments-determination-no-164-march-2020/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-payments-determination-no-164-march-2020/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-payments-determination-no-164-march-2020/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-partnership-payments-determination-no-164-march-2020/documents"}}