21Payments by the Commonwealth under an agreement with a State

#### 21 Payments by the Commonwealth under an agreement with a State (1) The payments (including advances) by the Commonwealth to a State provided for in an agreement under this Division between the Commonwealth and that State relating to rural adjustment (other than the Farm Business Improvement Program) may be made to that State, by way of financial assistance, on the terms and conditions contained in the agreement and out of money appropriated by the Parliament for the purpose. (2) Subject to subsections (3) and (4), the financial assistance is to be provided on the basis that the Commonwealth contributes 90%, and the State 10%, of the assistance provided to farmers under the State component of the Rural Adjustment Scheme. (3) Subject to subsection (4), in a case where interest subsidies are provided to farmers under the State component of the Rural Adjustment Scheme to overcome difficulties due to exceptional circumstances, the Commonwealth and the State are to share equally the costs of so much of those subsidies as exceeds 50% of the interest and associated costs of the loans. (4) The Commonwealth and a State may jointly determine that subsection (2) or (3), as the case requires, does not apply in relation to a particular matter arising under an agreement.