{"id":"F2016L01934","name":"Federal Financial Relations (National Specific Purpose Payments) Determination 2015-16","slug":"federal-financial-relations-national-specific-purpose-payments-determination-2015-16","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":95585,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2016L01934-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Federal Financial Relations (NATIONAL SP","sectionType":"part","heading":"Federal Financial Relations (NATIONAL SPECIFIC PURPOSE PAYMENTS) DETERMINATION 2015-16","content":"# Federal Financial Relations (NATIONAL SPECIFIC PURPOSE PAYMENTS) DETERMINATION 2015-16","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"Part 1","sectionType":"part","heading":"preliminary","content":"```html\n

Federal Financial Relations (NATIONAL SPECIFIC PURPOSE PAYMENTS) DETERMINATION 2015-16

I, SCOTT JOHN MORRISON, Treasurer, make this Determination under Part 3 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.

SCOTT JOHN MORRISON


Dated: 2 September 2016

\n```\n\n## Part 1 — preliminary\n\n### Name of Determination\n\n This determination is the Federal Financial Relations (National Specific Purpose Payments) Determination 2015\\-16.\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\nState includes the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.\n\n## PArt 2 — National Specific purpose payments\n\n### National specific purpose payment for disability services\n\n 4. In accordance with subsection 13(4) of the Act, the indexation applied to the disability services national specific purpose payment will be a rolling five year average of nominal Gross Domestic Product year-on-year growth.\n 5. For the purposes of paragraph 13(2)(c) of the Act, the 2015-16 total amount for the disability services national specific purpose payment adjusted in accordance with 13(4) of the Act is $1,438,826,480.90.\n 6. In accordance with subsection 13(5) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 1 are to be paid, for the 2015\\-16 financial year, to the States specified in that table for the purpose of expenditure on disability services.\n\n### Table 1: National specific purpose payment for disability services, 2015-16 \n![](image.001.png)\n\n### \nNational specific purpose payment for skills and workforce development\n\n 7. In accordance with subsection 12(4) of the Act, the indexation applied to the skills and workforce development national specific purpose payment from the previous financial year is the sum of:\n  85 per cent Wage Cost Index 1 (comprising safety net wage adjustment weighted by 75 per cent and all groups CPI weighted by 25 per cent); and\n  15 per cent Wage Cost Index 6 (comprising safety net wage adjustment weighted by 40 per cent and all groups CPI weighted by 60 per cent).\n 8. For the purposes of paragraph 12(2)(c) of the Act, the 2015-16 total amount for the skills and workforce development national specific purpose indexed in accordance with 12(4) of the Act is $1,455,484,015.83.\n 9. In accordance with subsection 12(5) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 2 are to be paid, for the 2015\\-16 financial year, to the States specified in that table for the purpose of expenditure on skills and workforce development.\n\n### Table 2: National specific purpose payment for skills and workforce development, 2015\\-16\n\n ![](image.002.png)\n\n \n\n### National specific purpose payment for housing services\n\n 10. In accordance with subsection 14(4) of the Act, the indexation applied to the housing services national specific purpose payment from the previous financial year will be Wage Cost Index 1 (comprising safety net wage adjustment weighted by 75 per cent and all groups CPI weighted by 25 per cent).\n 11. For the purposes of paragraph 14(2)(c) of the Act, the 2015\\-16 total amount for the housing services national specific purpose payment indexed in accordance with subsection 14(4) of the Act is $1,324,051,803.62.\n 12. In accordance with subsection 14(5) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 3 are to be paid, for the 2015\\-16 financial year, to the States specified in that table for the purpose of expenditure on housing services.\n\n### Table 3: National specific purpose payment for housing services, 2015-16\n\n![](image.003.png)","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 (National Specific Purpose Payments) Determination 2015\\-16.","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\nState includes the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"PArt 2","sectionType":"part","heading":"National Specific purpose payments","content":"```html\n

Federal Financial Relations (NATIONAL SPECIFIC PURPOSE PAYMENTS) DETERMINATION 2015-16

I, SCOTT JOHN MORRISON, Treasurer, make this Determination under Part 3 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.

SCOTT JOHN MORRISON


Dated: 2 September 2016

\n```\n\n## Part 1 — preliminary\n\n### Name of Determination\n\n This determination is the Federal Financial Relations (National Specific Purpose Payments) Determination 2015\\-16.\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\nState includes the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.\n\n## PArt 2 — National Specific purpose payments\n\n### National specific purpose payment for disability services\n\n 4. In accordance with subsection 13(4) of the Act, the indexation applied to the disability services national specific purpose payment will be a rolling five year average of nominal Gross Domestic Product year-on-year growth.\n 5. For the purposes of paragraph 13(2)(c) of the Act, the 2015-16 total amount for the disability services national specific purpose payment adjusted in accordance with 13(4) of the Act is $1,438,826,480.90.\n 6. In accordance with subsection 13(5) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 1 are to be paid, for the 2015\\-16 financial year, to the States specified in that table for the purpose of expenditure on disability services.\n\n### Table 1: National specific purpose payment for disability services, 2015-16 \n![](image.001.png)\n\n### \nNational specific purpose payment for skills and workforce development\n\n 7. In accordance with subsection 12(4) of the Act, the indexation applied to the skills and workforce development national specific purpose payment from the previous financial year is the sum of:\n  85 per cent Wage Cost Index 1 (comprising safety net wage adjustment weighted by 75 per cent and all groups CPI weighted by 25 per cent); and\n  15 per cent Wage Cost Index 6 (comprising safety net wage adjustment weighted by 40 per cent and all groups CPI weighted by 60 per cent).\n 8. For the purposes of paragraph 12(2)(c) of the Act, the 2015-16 total amount for the skills and workforce development national specific purpose indexed in accordance with 12(4) of the Act is $1,455,484,015.83.\n 9. In accordance with subsection 12(5) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 2 are to be paid, for the 2015\\-16 financial year, to the States specified in that table for the purpose of expenditure on skills and workforce development.\n\n### Table 2: National specific purpose payment for skills and workforce development, 2015\\-16\n\n ![](image.002.png)\n\n \n\n### National specific purpose payment for housing services\n\n 10. In accordance with subsection 14(4) of the Act, the indexation applied to the housing services national specific purpose payment from the previous financial year will be Wage Cost Index 1 (comprising safety net wage adjustment weighted by 75 per cent and all groups CPI weighted by 25 per cent).\n 11. For the purposes of paragraph 14(2)(c) of the Act, the 2015\\-16 total amount for the housing services national specific purpose payment indexed in accordance with subsection 14(4) of the Act is $1,324,051,803.62.\n 12. In accordance with subsection 14(5) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 3 are to be paid, for the 2015\\-16 financial year, to the States specified in that table for the purpose of expenditure on housing services.\n\n### Table 3: National specific purpose payment for housing services, 2015-16\n\n![](image.003.png)","sortOrder":5},{"sectionNumber":"National specific purpose payment for di","sectionType":"division","heading":"National specific purpose payment for disability services","content":"### National specific purpose payment for disability services\n\n 4. In accordance with subsection 13(4) of the Act, the indexation applied to the disability services national specific purpose payment will be a rolling five year average of nominal Gross Domestic Product year-on-year growth.\n 5. For the purposes of paragraph 13(2)(c) of the Act, the 2015-16 total amount for the disability services national specific purpose payment adjusted in accordance with 13(4) of the Act is $1,438,826,480.90.\n 6. In accordance with subsection 13(5) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 1 are to be paid, for the 2015\\-16 financial year, to the States specified in that table for the purpose of expenditure on disability services.","sortOrder":6},{"sectionNumber":"Table 1: National specific purpose payme","sectionType":"division","heading":"Table 1: National specific purpose payment for disability services, 2015-16","content":"```html\n

Federal Financial Relations (NATIONAL SPECIFIC PURPOSE PAYMENTS) DETERMINATION 2015-16

I, SCOTT JOHN MORRISON, Treasurer, make this Determination under Part 3 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009.

SCOTT JOHN MORRISON


Dated: 2 September 2016

\n```\n\n## Part 1 — preliminary\n\n### Name of Determination\n\n This determination is the Federal Financial Relations (National Specific Purpose Payments) Determination 2015\\-16.\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\nState includes the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.\n\n## PArt 2 — National Specific purpose payments\n\n### National specific purpose payment for disability services\n\n 4. In accordance with subsection 13(4) of the Act, the indexation applied to the disability services national specific purpose payment will be a rolling five year average of nominal Gross Domestic Product year-on-year growth.\n 5. For the purposes of paragraph 13(2)(c) of the Act, the 2015-16 total amount for the disability services national specific purpose payment adjusted in accordance with 13(4) of the Act is $1,438,826,480.90.\n 6. In accordance with subsection 13(5) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 1 are to be paid, for the 2015\\-16 financial year, to the States specified in that table for the purpose of expenditure on disability services.\n\n### Table 1: National specific purpose payment for disability services, 2015-16 \n![](image.001.png)\n\n### \nNational specific purpose payment for skills and workforce development\n\n 7. In accordance with subsection 12(4) of the Act, the indexation applied to the skills and workforce development national specific purpose payment from the previous financial year is the sum of:\n  85 per cent Wage Cost Index 1 (comprising safety net wage adjustment weighted by 75 per cent and all groups CPI weighted by 25 per cent); and\n  15 per cent Wage Cost Index 6 (comprising safety net wage adjustment weighted by 40 per cent and all groups CPI weighted by 60 per cent).\n 8. For the purposes of paragraph 12(2)(c) of the Act, the 2015-16 total amount for the skills and workforce development national specific purpose indexed in accordance with 12(4) of the Act is $1,455,484,015.83.\n 9. In accordance with subsection 12(5) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 2 are to be paid, for the 2015\\-16 financial year, to the States specified in that table for the purpose of expenditure on skills and workforce development.\n\n### Table 2: National specific purpose payment for skills and workforce development, 2015\\-16\n\n ![](image.002.png)\n\n \n\n### National specific purpose payment for housing services\n\n 10. In accordance with subsection 14(4) of the Act, the indexation applied to the housing services national specific purpose payment from the previous financial year will be Wage Cost Index 1 (comprising safety net wage adjustment weighted by 75 per cent and all groups CPI weighted by 25 per cent).\n 11. For the purposes of paragraph 14(2)(c) of the Act, the 2015\\-16 total amount for the housing services national specific purpose payment indexed in accordance with subsection 14(4) of the Act is $1,324,051,803.62.\n 12. In accordance with subsection 14(5) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 3 are to be paid, for the 2015\\-16 financial year, to the States specified in that table for the purpose of expenditure on housing services.\n\n### Table 3: National specific purpose payment for housing services, 2015-16\n\n![](image.003.png)","sortOrder":7},{"sectionNumber":"National specific purpose payment for sk","sectionType":"division","heading":"National specific purpose payment for skills and workforce development","content":"### \nNational specific purpose payment for skills and workforce development\n\n 7. In accordance with subsection 12(4) of the Act, the indexation applied to the skills and workforce development national specific purpose payment from the previous financial year is the sum of:\n  85 per cent Wage Cost Index 1 (comprising safety net wage adjustment weighted by 75 per cent and all groups CPI weighted by 25 per cent); and\n  15 per cent Wage Cost Index 6 (comprising safety net wage adjustment weighted by 40 per cent and all groups CPI weighted by 60 per cent).\n 8. For the purposes of paragraph 12(2)(c) of the Act, the 2015-16 total amount for the skills and workforce development national specific purpose indexed in accordance with 12(4) of the Act is $1,455,484,015.83.\n 9. In accordance with subsection 12(5) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 2 are to be paid, for the 2015\\-16 financial year, to the States specified in that table for the purpose of expenditure on skills and workforce development.","sortOrder":8},{"sectionNumber":"Table 2: National specific purpose payme","sectionType":"division","heading":"Table 2: National specific purpose payment for skills and workforce development, 2015-16","content":"### Table 2: National specific purpose payment for skills and workforce development, 2015\\-16\n\n ![](image.002.png)","sortOrder":9},{"sectionNumber":"National specific purpose payment for ho","sectionType":"division","heading":"National specific purpose payment for housing services","content":"### National specific purpose payment for housing services\n\n 10. In accordance with subsection 14(4) of the Act, the indexation applied to the housing services national specific purpose payment from the previous financial year will be Wage Cost Index 1 (comprising safety net wage adjustment weighted by 75 per cent and all groups CPI weighted by 25 per cent).\n 11. For the purposes of paragraph 14(2)(c) of the Act, the 2015\\-16 total amount for the housing services national specific purpose payment indexed in accordance with subsection 14(4) of the Act is $1,324,051,803.62.\n 12. In accordance with subsection 14(5) of the Act, the amounts specified in Table 3 are to be paid, for the 2015\\-16 financial year, to the States specified in that table for the purpose of expenditure on housing services.","sortOrder":10},{"sectionNumber":"Table 3: National specific purpose payme","sectionType":"division","heading":"Table 3: National specific purpose payment for housing services, 2015-16","content":"### Table 3: National specific purpose payment for housing services, 2015-16\n\n![](image.003.png)","sortOrder":11}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This Determination operates within the scope envisaged by the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009: it sets the 2015–16 amounts and specifies indexation methods for particular national specific purpose payments. It does not expand the categories of NSPPs, create new Commonwealth powers, or materially change the purposes for which funds may be spent. Its content is annual/administrative (amounts and indexation) rather than a change of policy scope."},"complexity_factors":["Short instrument: a few pages; three main NSPPs only","Only two defined terms in the Determination itself (Act; State) (para 3)","Direct cross‑references to the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009 (subsections 12(4), 12(5), 13(4), 13(5), 14(4), 14(5))","Three indexation formulas with different bases (rolling 5‑year nominal GDP; composite Wage Cost Index measures), which require reference to external index definitions","Three tables of per‑State allocations (three attachments) that contain numerical distributions","Some nested detail in index composition (Wage Cost Index 1 and 6 include weighted safety‑net wage adjustment and CPI components) (para 7 and 10)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanics)\n\n- This Determination, made by the Treasurer under Part 3 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009, fixes the 2015–16 national specific purpose payments (NSPPs) for three service areas and sets how those payments will be indexed. (see paras 1–3, and paras 4–12)\n\n- It (a) defines the indexation method to be applied to each NSPP, (b) sets the total Commonwealth amount for 2015–16 for each NSPP, and (c) directs that the amounts shown in three tables be paid to the States for the stated purposes. (paras 4–6, 7–9, 10–12)\n\n- The three NSPPs covered are:\n - Disability services (paras 4–6): indexation = rolling five-year average of nominal GDP year-on-year growth; 2015–16 total = $1,438,826,480.90; amounts by State in Table 1 for expenditure on disability services.\n - Skills and workforce development (paras 7–9): indexation = a weighted combination of two Wage Cost Index measures (85% of Wage Cost Index 1 and 15% of Wage Cost Index 6, where each Wage Cost Index itself mixes a safety‑net wage adjustment and CPI — see para 7); 2015–16 total = $1,455,484,015.83; amounts by State in Table 2 for expenditure on skills and workforce development.\n - Housing services (paras 10–12): indexation = Wage Cost Index 1 (safety‑net wage adjustment 75% and all groups CPI 25%); 2015–16 total = $1,324,051,803.62; amounts by State in Table 3 for expenditure on housing services.\n\n- The Determination treats \"State\" as including the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. (para 3)\n\nWho is affected\n\n- The Commonwealth (through the Treasurer) is the decision‑maker and payer. The Commonwealth budget bears the cost of the three totals set in the Determination. (paras 1, 5, 8, 11)\n\n- The States and the two Territories are the recipients; the Determination directs payment to each State for the specified purposes (the tables list the per‑State amounts). (paras 6, 9, 12)\n\n- The funds are directed for expenditure on the particular service areas named (disability services, skills and workforce development, housing services). The Determination does not itself set detailed program rules or eligibility; it sets purpose and finance. (paras 6, 9, 12)\n\nWhy it matters (practical effects and incentives)\n\n- Budgetary effect: the Determination fixes Commonwealth outlays for these three NSPPs for 2015–16 and how those amounts will grow in future years (via the stated indexation rules). The immediate fiscal cost is the three totals listed. (paras 5, 8, 11)\n\n- Indexation links: each indexation rule ties future payment growth to a specific economic measure. That creates predictable growth rules but also exposes payments to the behaviour of those measures:\n - Disability services: ties growth to a five‑year rolling average of nominal GDP growth (para 4). That smooths year‑to‑year volatility but links increases to overall nominal economic growth rather than to sector‑specific cost drivers.\n - Skills/workforce and housing: tie growth to Wage Cost Index measures that mix safety‑net wage adjustments and CPI (paras 7 and 10). Those indices more directly track labour and inflationary pressures, so may track service delivery cost movements more closely than GDP does.\n\n- Who pays vs who benefits: the Commonwealth pays; States receive targeted funds. The Determination does not change states' own revenue-raising powers but does direct Commonwealth transfers for particular service areas.\n\n- Administrative/implementation notes: the Determination relies on published economic indices (nominal GDP, Wage Cost Index measures, CPI and safety‑net wage adjustments). Accurate, timely index data from the ABS (or other official sources) will be required to apply the rules. The Treasurer issues the Determination under statutory authority; it fixes the amounts and indexation rather than creating new program rules. (paras 1–3, 4, 7, 10)\n\nCosts, trade‑offs and risks (mechanisms, not judgments)\n\n- Trade‑off between smoothing and responsiveness: the five‑year rolling average of nominal GDP smooths volatility but may under‑ or over‑compensate if disability sector costs move differently from aggregate nominal GDP (para 4).\n\n- Index composition matters: the skills index uses a composite of two Wage Cost Index measures with specific weightings; small changes in those underlying index components or weights change growth outcomes for that payment stream (para 7).\n\n- Concentration of benefit and cost: benefits concentrate on States (and the beneficiaries of the specified services); costs are borne by the Commonwealth (taxpayers) through the consolidated revenue outlays set here (paras 5, 8, 11).\n\n- Implementation burden for States is low on the payments side (they receive transfers); monitoring or reporting obligations (if any) are not set out in this Determination and would be in separate instruments or agreements.\n\nKey statutory citations in the Determination: made under Part 3 of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009 (para 1); indexation and payment directions reference subsections 12(4)–(5), 13(4)–(5), 14(4)–(5) of the Act as the legal hooks (paras 4, 7, 10)."},"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":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation performs exactly its intended function: annual determination of National Specific Purpose Payment amounts for 2015-16. It has not expanded beyond the original purpose of the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009 framework."},"complexity_factors":["Only 2 defined terms in the interpretation section ('Act' and 'State')","Straightforward structure: preliminary provisions followed by three parallel payment schemes","Mathematical complexity limited to three distinct indexation formulas (one simple GDP average, one weighted composite of two wage indices, one single wage index)","No nested exceptions or conditional logic — each payment stream follows identical structural pattern (indexation method → total amount → distribution table)","Heavy reliance on external statutory cross-references (Federal Financial Relations Act 2009, subsections 12-14) without reproducing that content","Missing table data (images not rendered) means actual distribution mechanics are opaque in this extract"],"plain_english_summary":"This 2015–16 Treasurer’s determination fixes Commonwealth payments to the six states and two territories for disability services ($1.44bn), skills and workforce development ($1.46bn), and housing ($1.32bn). \n\nIt matters because it sets the annual price tag and the indexation rules (GDP‑growth average, CPI/wage mix, wage costs) that determine whether federal funding keeps pace with real service costs for millions of service users."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-specific-purpose-payments-determination-2015-16","history":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-specific-purpose-payments-determination-2015-16/history","analysis":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-specific-purpose-payments-determination-2015-16/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-specific-purpose-payments-determination-2015-16/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-specific-purpose-payments-determination-2015-16/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/federal-financial-relations-national-specific-purpose-payments-determination-2015-16/documents"}}