//
© 2026 Zoe. All rights reserved.
Zoe is a legal information platform. Always consult the Federal Register of Legislation for authoritative text.
Commonwealth act
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
This interim Supply Act (May 1936) authorises withdrawal of £7,236,800 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to keep the Australian Government operating until 30 June 1937. It provides bridging funding for departmental running costs, government business activities (notably postal/telecommunications and railways), and territorial administration, plus sums for tax refunds and an Advance to the Treasurer as contingency.
It matters because it lawfully prevents a shutdown of public services—paying staff, defence, mail and territory administration—while Parliament finalises the full budget.
Want the full deep dive?
Zoe can write the in-depth analysis on top of the summary above: how it works, who it affects and what each part actually does.
Direct links to the current provisions in Supply Act (No. 1) 1936-37.
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.
SUPPLY (No. 1) 1936-37.
No. 21 of 1936.
An Act to grant and apply a sum out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the service of the year ending the thirtieth day of June One thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven.
[Assented to 28th May, 1936.]
Preamble.
BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, for the purpose of appropriating the grant originated in the House of Representatives, as follows :—
Short title.
Issue and application of £7,236,800.
Sum available for the purposes set forth in Schedule.
Limit of period of expenditure.
SCHEDULE.
F.2772.—Price 1s.
SCHEDULE.
ABSTRACT.
| — | Total. |
|---|---|
| £ | |
| Part 1.—Departments and Services—Other than Business Undertakings and Territories of the Commonwealth. | |
| THE PARLIAMENT.......................................... | 44,140 |
| PRIME MINISTER’S DEPARTMENT.............................. | 110,900 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY.......................... |
| 185,120 |
| THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT...................... | 45,340 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR........................... | 101,830 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE............................... | 1,168,170 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND CUSTOMS..................... | 141,440 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH................................ | 29,240 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE............................. | 100,440 |
| MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES.................................. | 177,070 |
| WAR SERVICES............................................ | 221,920 |
| Total Part 1................... | 2,325,610 |
| Part 2.—Business Undertakings |
| COMMONWEALTH RAILWAYS................................ | 128,900 |
| POSTMASTER-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT........................ | 2,664,300 |
| Total Part 2................... | 2,793,200 |
| Part 3.—Territories of the Commonwealth. |
| NORTHERN TERRITORY..................................... | 40,090 |
| FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY................................ | 61,120 |
| PAPUA................................................... | 15,780 |
| NORFOLK ISLAND.......................................... | 1,000 |
| Total Part 3................... | 117,990 |
| REFUNDS OF REVENUE...................................... | 500,000 |
| ADVANCE TO THE TREASURER................................ | 1,500,000 |
| Total....................... | 7,236,800 |
Schedule—continued.
| Division No. | Subdivision. | Part 1—Departments and Services—Other than Business Undertakings and Territories of the Commonwealth. | £ | £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I.—THE PARLIAMENT. | ||||
| 1 | … | The Senate. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 1,900 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 70 | ||
| C | Other Services................................. | 570 | ||
| 2,540 | ||||
| 2 | … | The House of Representatives. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 2,470 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 130 | ||
| C | Other Services................................. | 1,100 | ||
| 3,700 | ||||
| 3 | … | Parliamentary Reporting Staff. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 2,680 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 50 | ||
| 2,730 | ||||
| 4 | … | The Library. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 1,400 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 530 | ||
| 1,930 | ||||
| 5 | … | Joint House Department. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 2,940 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 1,600 | ||
| 4,540 | ||||
| 6 | … | Parliamentary Printing............................ | … | 4,500 |
| 7 | … | Miscellaneous. | ||
| 1. Conveyance of Members of Parliament and others................. | 22,000 | |||
| 2. Maintenance of Members’ rooms in capital cities, including furniture, also salaries of attendants | 2,200 | |||
| 24,200 | ||||
| Total Parliament................... | … | 44,140 |
Schedule—continued.
| Division No. | Subdivision. | Part 1—continued.II.—PRIME MINISTER’S DEPARTMENT. | £ | £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | … | Administrative. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 7,650 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 7,400 | ||
| 15,050 | ||||
| 9 | … | External Affairs. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 1,300 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 220 | ||
| 1,520 | ||||
| 10 | … | Audit Office. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 13,300 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 800 | ||
| 14,100 | ||||
| 11 | … | Office of Public Service Board. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 8,600 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 1,950 | ||
| 10,550 | ||||
| 12 | … | Governor-General’s Office. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 90 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 460 | ||
| 550 | ||||
| 13 | National Library. | |||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 240 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 380 | ||
| 620 | ||||
| 14 | … | High Commissioner’s Office. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 5,200 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 7,100 | ||
| 12,300 | ||||
| 15 | … | Australian Commissioner-General in United States of America. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 910 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 810 | ||
| 1,720 |
Schedule—continued.
| Division No. | Subdivision. | £ | £ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1—continued. | ||||
| II.—PRIME MINISTER’S DEPARTMENT— continued. | ||||
| 16 | … | Commonwealth Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary............. | 2,540 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................... | 1,330 | ||
| C | Investigations— | |||
| 1. Animal health............................. | 6,000 | |||
| 2. Plant industry............................. | 6,900 | |||
| 3. Entomology.............................. | 4,800 | |||
| 4. Animal nutrition, including investigations on mineral deficiencies in pastures | 3,000 | |||
| 5. Horticulture, including soil survey and irrigation...... | 5,100 | |||
| 6. Food preservation and transport................. | 4,800 | |||
| 7. Prickly pear—Grant for investigations............. | 1,000 | |||
| 8. Forest produc |
This is an opening excerpt, not the complete document.