4Interpretation

4 Interpretation

(1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:

amount of the prescribed earnings, in relation to a sole applicant or joint applicants, means the amount of the prescribed earnings of the applicant or applicants as defined in section 33.

applicant means a person who, in accordance with subsection 16(2), signs, or is deemed by virtue of a direction under subsection 16(3) to have signed, an application, other than a person in respect of whom a direction under section 5 is in force in relation to that application.

application means an application for a grant.

approved interest means:

(a) an estate in fee simple;
(b) an interest as purchaser of an estate in fee simple from the Crown in right of a State or of the Northern Territory where payment of the purchase price is to be made by instalments over a period of years;
(c) an estate for life approved by the Secretary for the purposes of this Act;
(d) a lease for a term of years if the Secretary is satisfied that the lease gives reasonable security of tenure to the lessee for a substantial period;
(e) a licence or right of occupancy from the Crown in right of the Commonwealth, of a State or of the Northern Territory if the Secretary is satisfied that the licence or right of occupancy gives reasonable security of tenure to the licensee or holder of the right;
(f) an interest of the kind referred to in section 13; or
(g) any other interest declared by the regulations to be an approved interest for the purposes of this Act.

deceased spouse, in relation to an applicant, means a person who died before the prescribed date and was, on the date of his or her death, the spouse of the applicant.

grant means a grant under this Act.

joint applicant means any one of 2 or more persons who are applicants in respect of the same application.

lease includes sub‑lease.

officer means a person exercising powers, or performing duties or functions, under or in relation to this Act.

prescribed date, in relation to a sole applicant who has, or joint applicants one of whom has, or 2 or more of whom together have, entered into a contract of a kind referred to in paragraph 15(1)(a) or (b), or commenced the construction of a dwelling as referred to in paragraph 15(1)(c) (whether or not the construction has been completed), means the date that is the date of the contract for the purposes of section 15 or the date on which the construction commenced, as the case may be.