Commonwealth act

Ministers of State Act 1915

RepealedCTH

This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.

Jurisdiction

Commonwealth

Act Number

18 of 1915

Collection

act

Plain English Summary

1/10 complexity

This Act allows the Australian Government to appoint one extra Minister and provides more taxpayer money to pay their salary.

What it changes:

More Ministers: Previously, the Constitution limited the government to 7 Ministers maximum. This Act increases that cap to 8 Ministers.
Higher salary budget: The total annual amount available to pay all Ministers' salaries increases from £12,000 to £13,650 (in pounds sterling).

Why it matters: This gave the government flexibility to create an additional department or portfolio (for example, to handle wartime administration or growing government functions) without breaking the law. The salary increase covers the cost of employing that eighth Minister.

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Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in Ministers of State Act 1915.

Ministers of State Act 1915

MINISTERS OF STATE.

No. 18 of 1915.

An Act to increase the maximum number of Ministers of State from seven to eight, and to increase the amount appropriated for their salaries from Twelve thousand pounds to Thirteen thousand six hundred and fifty pounds a year.

[Assented to 10th July, 1915.]

Preamble.

WHEREAS by section sixty-five of the Constitution it is provided that, until the Parliament otherwise provides, the Ministers of State shall not exceed seven in number:

And whereas by section sixty-six of the Constitution it is provided that there shall be payable to the King, out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Commonwealth, for the salaries of the Ministers of State, an annual sum which, until the Parliament otherwise provides, shall not exceed Twelve thousand pounds a year:

Be it therefore enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title.

1 This Act may be cited as the Ministers of State Act 1915.

Number of Ministers.

2 The number of Ministers of State may exceed seven, but shall not exceed eight.

Salaries of Ministers.

There shall be payable to the King, out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Commonwealth, which is hereby appropriated accordingly, for the salaries of the Ministers of State, an annual sum up to but not exceeding Thirteen thousand six hundred and fifty pounds a year.

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

1 Ministers of State Act 1915