Special Annuity Act 1936

Special Annuity Act 1936

This is a very short, single-purpose piece of legislation that does one simple thing: it directs the Australian Government to pay a regular income (called an "annuity") to the widow of William James McWilliams, a former member of the House of Representatives (i.e., a former federal MP).

Key details:

• Who benefits: The widow of the late William James McWilliams
• How much: £156 per year (roughly equivalent to a modest living allowance in 1936 terms)
• When payments start: From 1 October 1936
• Where the money comes from: The Consolidated Revenue Fund — this is the main government bank account from which Commonwealth expenditure is drawn
• When payments stop: If the widow remarries, the annuity ends immediately

Why does this matter? In this era, it was not uncommon for Parliament to pass individual Acts to grant financial support to the widows of deceased parliamentarians or notable public figures, as there was no general superannuation (retirement savings) scheme for MPs. Rather than using an existing welfare or pension framework, Parliament created a bespoke (one-off, specially tailored) law just for this person.

This Act has no ongoing policy significance — it is a relic of a very different era in public administration, when personal financial support required an individual Act of Parliament rather than being handled through a standard entitlements system.