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Commonwealth act
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
The Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Power Act 1949 is the founding law behind one of Australia's greatest engineering achievements — the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme. It was created during the post-war period, driven by concerns about reliable electricity supply for defence purposes and the growing needs of the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra).
This law does two main things:
The Authority is structured as a "corporation sole" (meaning it is legally treated as a company, but is headed by a single person — the Commissioner — rather than a board). The Commissioner is appointed by the Governor-General (Australia's head of state, acting on government advice) for terms of up to 7 years. Up to two Associate Commissioners can assist.
The Authority can:
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Direct links to the current provisions in Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Power Act 1949.
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View on official registerSourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
The electricity generated must be supplied to:
The Authority is expected to be financially self-sustaining — it must aim to earn enough revenue to cover its costs. It can borrow money from the Commonwealth or (with the Treasurer's approval) from private sources. The Commonwealth can guarantee those borrowings. The Authority pays Commonwealth taxes but is generally exempt from state taxes, and its financial securities are also exempt from stamp duty.
If your land is affected by the Authority's works, you are entitled to compensation. This includes temporary and permanent damage, loss of materials taken from your land, and flooding caused by the scheme's operations along the Upper Murray and Lower Tumut rivers. Disputes about compensation are resolved using the same process as the Lands Acquisition Act 1989.
It is an offence for anyone to interfere with the Authority's works or water use in the Snowy Mountains Area. Penalties range from a $200 fine (for minor prosecutions) up to a $1,000 fine or 1 year in prison for more serious cases.
The Act formally approves two agreements between the Commonwealth, NSW, and Victoria (set out in the Schedules) that govern how the scheme operates, how water is shared, and how electricity is distributed. South Australia's water rights under the Murray-Darling Basin agreement are explicitly protected and not overridden by this Act.