34AGrants for national projects assisting secondary education in prescribed country areas

34A Grants for national projects assisting secondary education in prescribed country areas

(1) The Minister may approve a project for the purposes of this section if:

(a) the project is to be carried out in Australia and has the sole or principal object of increasing the number of students in prescribed country areas who complete 12 years of schooling; and

(b) the Minister is satisfied that:

(i) the project is of national importance; and

(ii) it is desirable to provide assistance under this section in connection with the project.

(2) The Minister may authorise the payment to a State for the program year 1992 of an amount by way of financial assistance to the State for expenditure in relation to the approved project. (3) The sum of amounts paid to the States for the program year must not exceed the amount in Part 2 of Schedule 13. (4) The Minister is to determine the conditions on which financial assistance is granted to a State for the program year. (5) The conditions are to be included in an agreement entered into by the State with the Commonwealth. (6) The Minister may only authorise a payment to the State for the program year if the State has entered into the agreement. (7) Financial assistance is granted to a State for the program year in relation to an approved project conducted by the State:

(a) on the conditions set out in the agreement; and

(b) on the condition that, if the State does not fulfil a condition of the agreement with respect to the grant within the time (if any) specified for fulfilment of the condition:

(i) the State will, if the Minister so determines, repay to the Commonwealth the amount specified by the Minister in the determination; and

(ii) the Minister may delay making any further payment to the State until the State fulfils the condition.

(8) The amount specified in the determination mentioned in subparagraph (7)(b)(i) is not to exceed the sum of the amounts of financial assistance paid to the State under this section in relation to the project for the program year. (9) Financial assistance is granted to a State for the program year in relation to an approved project conducted by a person or organisation (other than the State) on the conditions that:

(a) the State will pay, as soon as practicable, the person or organisation an amount equal to each amount paid to the State under subsection (2) in relation to the project; and

(b) when making a payment, the State will identify the amount paid to the person or organisation as a payment made in relation to the project from money granted to the State under this section; and

(c) if the State does not fulfil the condition mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b), the State will, if the Minister so determines, repay to the Commonwealth the amount specified by the Minister in the determination; and