Urban Public Transport (Research and Planning) Act 1974
RepealedCTH
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
Jurisdiction
Commonwealth
Act Number
46 of 1974
Collection
act
Plain English Summary
3/10 complexity
Urban Public Transport (Research and Planning) Act 1974
What this law does in plain English
This short Act sets up a one-off Commonwealth grant scheme to help Australian States fund research and planning work related to urban public transport. Think of it as the federal government chipping in on studies and plans designed to improve how people get around Australia's major cities.
Who does it affect?
State governments — they are the ones who can apply for funding and carry out approved projects.
People living in Australia's major urban areas — the research is ultimately aimed at understanding and improving their transport options.
The Act specifically covers the six main Statistical Divisions used in the 1971 Census: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Hobart. The Minister can also declare other parts of Australia to be "urban areas" by publishing a notice in the Gazette (the official government newspaper).
How does the funding work?
A State submits a request to the Minister for approval of a research or planning project.
The Minister can approve the project, its details, and the maximum allowable cost.
Once approved and the money is spent, the Commonwealth reimburses the State for on the project.
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
two-thirds (⅔) of the amount actually spent
The total pool of funding is capped at $1,000,000 across all States — this is a modest, fixed budget.
Spending had to occur during the year starting 1 July 1973, with a cut-off for late spending of 1 January 1975 (but only for commitments already made during the qualifying year).
What counts as "research or planning in connection with urban public transport"?
The Act defines this broadly to include:
Scientific, technical, or economic research and investigation
Planning for public transport services in cities
Looking at how public transport compares to other ways of getting around
Researching what transport needs city residents actually have
What strings are attached?
States must meet several conditions to get (and keep) the money:
They must provide evidence of what they spent, including a certificate from their own Auditor-General (the independent official who checks government accounts).
They must deliver a comprehensive report on what the project found.
If they fail to provide that report, the Commonwealth can demand repayment.
If they were paid more in advances (upfront payments) than they were actually entitled to, they must pay back the difference.
Commonwealth-authorised officials have the right to inspect any plans, records, or documents related to approved projects.
Why does it matter?
This Act reflects an early Commonwealth effort to support urban transport planning at a time when Australia's cities were growing rapidly. It is a narrow, time-limited measure tied to a single financial year, essentially acting as a one-time federal subsidy for State-level transport research. Its significance is largely historical — it shows how the Commonwealth used tied grants (money given with conditions attached) to influence policy areas that are typically the States' responsibility.