15Expenditure by State from its own resources

##### 15 Expenditure by State from its own resources (1) In this section, quota, in relation to a State and in relation to a year, means the amount applicable to the State in respect of that year in accordance with Schedule 11 as adjusted in accordance with subsection (2). (2) Where the quota applicable to a State in respect of the year that commenced on 1 July 1977 or the year commencing on 1 July 1978 is greater or less than the amount, or the aggregate of the amounts, that the State has, during that year, from its own resources, expended, or set aside for expenditure, on road works, the quota otherwise applicable to the State in respect of the next following year shall be deemed to be reduced or increased by the amount of the excess or deficiency. (3) Where the quota applicable to a State in respect of the year commencing on 1 July 1979 exceeds the amount, or the aggregate of the amounts, that the State has, during that year, from its own resources, expended, or set aside for expenditure, on road works, the State shall pay to the Commonwealth an amount equal to the excess, or such lesser amount as the Minister for Finance determines. (4) For the purposes of this section, an amount set aside for expenditure during a year to which this Act applies shall not be taken into account as an amount so set aside unless it is expended during a period of 6 months next following the expiration of that year, and, if it is so expended, shall not be taken into account in the year in which it is so expended. (5) For the purposes of this section, where a State has received, or is entitled to receive, financial assistance under the Transport (Planning and Research) Act 1974 or the Transport Planning and Research (Financial Assistance) Act 1977 in relation to moneys expended by the State on road planning or research, the State shall be deemed to have, from its own resources, expended on road works an amount equal to the amount by which the moneys so expended exceeds the amount of that financial assistance. (6) Subject to subsection (7), a State may, for the purposes of this section, treat: (a) moneys expended by the State in a year to which this Act applies directly in connexion with the provision or maintenance of roads in the State, not being moneys expended on particular road works; or (b) moneys expended, or set aside for expenditure, by the State in payment of interest on moneys borrowed by the State and expended by the State on road works; as having been expended in that year by the State on road works carried out by the State in that year. (7) Moneys treated as having been expended on road works in a year by virtue of subsection (6) shall not include: (a) any moneys treated, by virtue of section 22, as having been expended in that year on an approved project; or (b) moneys expended during a period of 6 months that commenced on 1 July 1977 that have been taken into account for the purposes of section 9 of the Roads Grants Act 1974.