//
© 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This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.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 Act authorises the Australian Government to spend £10,477,100 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the 1939–40 year to keep government services running — paying public servants, Parliament, the Post Office, Defence (notably £1.9m pre‑war), other departments, territories, and contingency funds.
It’s a one‑year Supply Act (money lapses after 30 June 1940), essential to legally fund salaries, operations and unexpected expenses on the eve of World War II.
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) 1939-40.
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.
SUPPLY (NO. 1) 1939-40.
No. 9 of 1939.
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 forty.
[Assented to 20th June, 1939.]
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.
Commencement.
Issue and application of £10,477,100.
Sum available for the purpose set forth in Schedule.
Limit of period of expenditure.
F.3422.—Price 1s.
THE SCHEDULE. Sec. 3.
ABSTRACT.
| Total. | |
|---|---|
| Part 1.—Departments and Services—Other than Business Undertakings and Territories of the Commonwealth. | £ |
| THE PARLIAMENT........................................... | 51,750 |
| THE PRIME MINISTER’S DEPARTMENT........................... |
| 148,510 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS....................... | 4,800 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY........................... | 224,930 |
| THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT....................... | 57,660 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR............................ | 173,980 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE................................ | 1,892,300 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF SUPPLY AND DEVELOPMENT................ | 161,100 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AVIATION.......................... | 111,350 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND CUSTOMS..................... | 194,010 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH................................ | 35,790 |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.............................. | 134,590 |
| MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES................................... | 131,130 |
| WAR SERVICES............................................. | 335,750 |
| Total Part 1................... | 3,657,650 |
| Part 2.—Business Undertakings. |
| COMMONWEALTH RAILWAYS................................. | 176,500 |
| THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT..................... | 3,472,840 |
| Total Part 2................... | 3,649,340 |
| Part 3.—Territories of the Commonwealth. |
| NORTHERN TERRITORY...................................... | 68,120 |
| AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY............................. | 89,960 |
| PAPUA................................................... | 11,030 |
| NORFOLK ISLAND........................................... | 1,000 |
| Total Part 3.................. | 170,110 |
| REFUNDS OF REVENUE....................................... | 500,000 |
| ADVANCE TO THE TREASURER................................ | 2,500,000 |
| Total....................... | 10,477,100 |
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........... | 2,360 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................. | 80 | ||
| C | Other Services................................ | 560 | ||
| 3,000 | ||||
| 2 | .. | The House of Representatives. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary........... | 3,030 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................. | 150 | ||
| C | Other Services................................ | 1,100 | ||
| 4,280 | ||||
| 3 | .. | Parliamentary Reporting Staff. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary........... | 3,060 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................. | 50 | ||
| 3,110 | ||||
| 4 | .. | The Library. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary........... | 1,730 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................. | 710 | ||
| 2,440 | ||||
| 5 | .. | Joint House Department. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary........... | 3,420 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................. | 1,870 | ||
| 5,290 | ||||
| 6 | .. | Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works. | ||
| A | Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary........... | 360 | ||
| B | General Expenses............................. | 140 | ||
| 500 | ||||
| 7 | .. | Parliamentary Printing | .. | 5,000 |
| 8 | Miscellaneous. | |||
| 1. Conveyance of Members of Parliament and others...... | 25,000 | |||
| 2. Maintenance of Ministers’ and Members’ rooms an capital cities, including salaries of attendants | 3,130 | |||
| 28,130 | ||||
| Total Parliament................. | .. | 51,750 |
Schedule—continued.
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="width:451.4pt; border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2" style="width:23.2pt; height:0pt; writing-mode:tb-rl; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><div style="height:0pt; writing-mode:tb-rl"><p style="margin-top:6pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt"><span>Division No.</span></p></div></td><td rowspan="2" style="width:22.05pt; height:0pt; writing-mode:tb-rl; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><div style="height:0pt; writing-mode:tb-rl"><p style="margin-top:6pt; text-align:justify; font-size:10pt"><span>Subdivision.</span></p></div></td><td style="width:284.75pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:6pt; text-align:center; font-size:11pt"><span style="font-weight:bold">Part 1</span><span>—</span><span style="font-style:italic">continued.</span></p></td><td rowspan="2" style="width:50.7pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:6pt; text-align:center; font-size:11pt"><span>£</span></p></td><td rowspan="2" style="width:50.7pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:6pt; text-align:center; font-size:11pt"><span>£</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:40.65pt"><td style="width:284.75pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:6pt; text-align:center; font-size:11pt"><span>II.—THE PRIME MINISTER’S DEPARTMENT.</span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="width:23.2pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-top:6pt; margin-right:3.6pt; text-align:right; font-size:11pt"><span>9</span></p></td><td style="width:22.05pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-top:6pt; text-align:center; font-size:11pt"><span>..</span></p></td><td style="width:284.75pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-top:6pt; text-align:center; font-size:11pt"><span>A</span><span style="font-variant:small-caps">dministrative</span><span>.</span></p></td><td style="width:50.7pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="margin-top:6pt; margin-right:3.6pt; text-align:right; font-size:11pt"><span></span></p></td><td style="width:50.7pt; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="margin-top:6pt; margin-right:3.6pt; text-align:right; font-size:11pt"><span></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="width:23.2pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-top:6pt; margin-right:3.6pt; text-align:right; font-size:11pt"><span></span></p></td><td style="width:22.05pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-top:6pt; margin-right:3.6pt; text-align:right; font-size:11pt"><span>A</span></p></td><td style="width:284.75pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-top:6pt; text-align:justify; font-size:11pt"><span>Salaries and Payments in the nature of Salary</span><span style="width:77.73pt; font-family:'Lucida Console', monospace; display:inline-block">...........</span></p></td><td style="width:50.7pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="margin-top:6pt; margin-right:3.6pt; text-align:right; font-size:11pt"><span>7,710</span></p></td><td style="width:50.7pt; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="margin-top:6pt; margin-right:3.6pt; text-align:right; font-size:11pt"><span></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="width:23.2pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-top:6pt; margin-right:3.6pt; text-align:right; font-size:11pt"><span></span></p></td><td style="width:22.05pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt s
This is an opening excerpt, not the complete document.