Sewerage Agreements Act 1973

Sewerage Agreements Act 1973

This is a short, narrow piece of Commonwealth legislation that does two main things:

1. Authorises agreements with the States It gives the Australian Government formal approval to sign financial agreements with each State government, using a standard template set out in the Act's Schedule. These agreements relate to sewerage infrastructure — essentially the Commonwealth agreeing to help fund sewerage projects in the States.

2. Provides the money to do it It authorises the Commonwealth Treasurer (the minister in charge of federal finances) to borrow up to $30 million to fund these agreements, and directs that this money — along with funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (the main government bank account) — be paid to the States as financial assistance.

Who does this affect?

• State governments received direct financial assistance for sewerage infrastructure.
• Ordinary Australians in the 1970s would have benefited indirectly through improved sewerage systems funded partly by these federal dollars.
• Today, this Act has largely historical significance — the money has long since been paid and the agreements completed.

Why does it matter? It's an example of cooperative federalism (where the Commonwealth and States work together, with the Commonwealth providing tied funding — money given on specific conditions — to States for infrastructure). The $30 million cap and the specific focus on sewerage make this a very bounded, time-limited piece of legislation.