Part 2: Payments for Specific Purposes
Other
From time to time, the Commonwealth has also made various payments to the States to support other services, including payments in respect of:
- agriculture, forestry and fishing;
- public order and safety;
- fuel and energy; and
- recreation and culture.
A number of existing payments will continue to be paid from 1 January 2009 as National Partnership payments.
Table 2.117: Payments to support other state services
- Includes payments direct to local government.
National Partnership to Deliver a Seamless National Economy
The National Partnership Agreement to Deliver a Seamless National Economy is intended to deliver reductions in unnecessary and inconsistent regulation across jurisdictions and to improve processes for regulation-making and review. The Commonwealth has committed to provide funding of $550 million over five years from 2008‑09 to facilitate the implementation of and reward the delivery of reform priorities.
Table 2.118: Estimated payments for a seamless national economy
National Partnership on Disaster Resilience Australia
The Government will provide funding to the States over the next four years as part of an on‑going program to strengthen efforts to combat man‑made and natural threats and disasters across Australia.
The Government has reformed its approach to disaster management with a focus on community resilience which will be delivered in partnership with the States. In addition to undertaking projects of national significance, the Disaster Resilience Australia Package will provide grants for projects developed to address disaster risks through: disaster mitigation works which minimise the risks to communities, including increased risks resulting from the effects of climate change; supporting the work of volunteers in emergency management; assisting local government to meet its emergency management responsibilities; and building partnerships with business, non‑government organisations and community groups to improve their ability to assist their communities during and following an emergency.
The package replaces a number of existing disaster mitigation programs, combining funds to allow the flexibility to address different priorities across the States over time, as well as projects of national importance.
Table 2.119: Estimated payments for Disaster Resilience Australia
Bushfire Mitigation Program
The Commonwealth will provide funding to assist bushfire mitigation through the construction, maintenance and signage of fire trail networks to assist local communities to better prepare for bushfires. The Bushfire Mitigation Program is a national program aimed at identifying and addressing bushfire mitigation risk priorities across the nation. It funds construction and maintenance of fire trails and associated accessibility measures that contribute to safer, sustainable communities better able to prepare for, respond to and withstand the effects of bushfires.
Table 2.120: Estimated payments to the States for the Bushfire Mitigation
program
Natural Disaster Mitigation Program
The Commonwealth will provide $16.0 million in 2009‑10 for the Natural Disaster Mitigation program. The Natural Disaster Mitigation program is a national program which aims to create safer, sustainable communities better able to withstand the effects of floods, storms, bushfires and other rapid‑onset natural disasters. Projects that qualify for funding include risk management studies, early warning systems, community awareness and readiness measures, property buy‑back schemes and structural works to protect against damage.
Table 2.121: Estimated payments to the States for the Natural Disaster
Mitigation program
Other National Partnership payments
A number of National Partnership payments will continue to be paid under the new federal financial arrangements. A description of each of the payments to be made in 2009‑10 is provided below.
Legal aid
The Commonwealth will provide $165.5 million in 2009‑10 to fund legal aid commissions in each State to provide legal assistance to disadvantaged persons in matters arising under the Commonwealth law.
The Commonwealth provides legal aid funding to enable disadvantaged Australians to access services which assist them to resolve their legal problems. Legal aid is not provided for every type of legal problem. Commonwealth funding is provided for matters of Commonwealth priority, particularly family law matters involving children. Legal aid services include legal education, early intervention advice, mediation and legal representation services.
Table 2.122: Estimated payments to the States for legal aid
Standard Business Reporting Program
The Commonwealth will provide $9.0 million in 2009‑10 to the States for the Standard Business Reporting Program. This program is a multi‑agency initiative that will simplify business‑to‑government reporting by:
- making forms easier to understand;
- using accounting or record-keeping software to automatically pre‑fill government forms; and
- introducing a single secure way to interact online with participating agencies.
Government agencies participating in the Standard Business Reporting Program include the Australian Treasury, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Australian Taxation Office and all state government revenue offices.
Table 2.123: Estimated payments to the States for the Standard Business
Reporting Program
CrimTrac Police Reference System
The Commonwealth provided $4.4 million in 2008‑09 to the States for their contribution toward a national information‑sharing solution through the development of the CrimTrac Police Reference System.
Table 2.124: Estimated payments to the States for CrimTrac police reference
system
Digital Regions Initiative
The Commonwealth will provide an estimated $3 million to the States in 2009‑10 for the Digital Regions Initiative, subject to the outcomes of a competitive assessment process. This initiative will co‑fund innovative digital enablement projects to support improved education, health and emergency services in regional, rural and remote communities.
Table 2.125: Estimated payments to the States for the Digital Regions
Initiative(a)
- State allocations have been notionally allocated on an equal per capita basis, as there is no alternative basis on which to estimate state allocations. Includes payments to local government.
Film and literature classifications
The Commonwealth will provide $5.3 million in 2009‑10 under the 1995 Intergovernmental Agreement for a Revised Co‑Operative Censorship Scheme in Australia. The agreement establishes the National Classification Scheme with the aim of more uniform and simple censorship laws with consequential benefits to the public and industry.
The Commonwealth will meet its future payment commitments to the States under this program by providing a single payment in 2009‑10 and ceasing future annual payments.
Table 2.126: Estimated payments to the States for film and literature
classifications
Improving policing in very remote areas
Improving policing in very remote communities is part of the July 2006 COAG package addressing violence and child abuse in Indigenous communities. The Commonwealth will provide $4.0 million in 2009‑10 to the States for the completion of construction of police stations and related infrastructure including police housing, and to the Northern Territory for sniffer dog teams to reduce the use of illicit substances in some Indigenous communities.
Table 2.127: Estimated payments to the States for improving policing in very
remote areas
Indigenous Communications Program
The Commonwealth will provide $0.6 million to the States in 2009‑10 for the Indigenous Communications Program. This program will provide funding in collaboration with the States for new or expanded public internet access and delivery of computer training in up to 120 remote Indigenous communities that have limited or no public access internet facilities.
Table 2.128: Estimated payments to the States for the Indigenous
communications program — internet access and training(a)
- State allocations are yet to be finalised. These indicative allocations are based on preliminary estimates provided by the States of potentially eligible remote Indigenous communities.
North-East Tasmania micro‑capital scheme
The Commonwealth provided $0.3 million to Tasmania in 2008‑09 for the North‑East Tasmania micro‑capital scheme. The scheme provides business micro‑capital to create sustainable jobs in the North-East regions of Tasmania, including Scottsdale and Launceston. Grants of up to $50,000 are available to eligible applicants.
Table 2.129: Estimated payments to Tasmania for the North‑East Tasmania
micro‑capital scheme
Restoration of Albert Hall, Canberra
The Commonwealth will provide $500,000 to the Australian Capital Territory in 2009‑10 for the restoration of the Albert Hall. The Albert Hall is a historical and cultural landmark of Canberra and is listed in the Register of the National Estate on the Australian Capital Territory Heritage Register. The Australian Capital Territory Government is responsible for the management and maintenance of the Albert Hall and is currently refurbishing it under a conservation plan. This grant is to assist the Australian Capital Territory Government in this $2.7 million project.
Table 2.130: Estimated payments to the Australian Capital Territory for the
restoration of Albert Hall, Canberra
Strengthening Tasmania
The Commonwealth provided $2.5 million in 2008‑09 to Tasmania to undertake refurbishment of buildings in the Low Head Historic Precinct to promote increased visitation, and economic viability and long‑term sustainability to the precinct through the generation of sufficient revenue to provide for adequate management and maintenance of the site's heritage assets as a public facility
Table 2.131: Estimated payments to Tasmania for the North‑East Tasmania
micro‑capital scheme
Sydney Cricket Ground — new grandstand
The Commonwealth contributed $20 million to New South Wales over 2007‑08 and 2008‑09 to improve facilities and increase the capacity of the new Victor Trumper Grandstand at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Table 2.132: Estimated payments to New South Wales for Sydney Cricket
Ground — new grandstand
World sailing championships
The Commonwealth will provide $2.0 million to Western Australia in 2009‑10 to contribute to the successful staging of the International Sailing Federation World Championships in Western Australia in December 2011.
Table 2.133: Estimated payments to the States for the world sailing
championships
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