Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT 1997 - SECT 27

             (1)  The Finance Minister may issue a drawing right to an official or Minister that authorises the official or Minister to do one or more of the following:

                     (a)  make a payment of public money;

                     (b)  request the debiting of an amount against an appropriation;

                     (c)  debit an amount against an appropriation.

             (2)  If a law requires the payment of an amount of public money and there is an available appropriation for that payment:

                     (a)  the Finance Minister must issue sufficient drawing rights to allow the amount to be paid in full; and

                     (b)  the recipient of any of those drawing rights must exercise the rights in full.

             (3)  If a law permits the payment of an amount of public money, but does not require the payment of that amount, there is no obligation to issue or exercise drawing rights for that amount.

             (4)  The Finance Minister may at any time revoke or amend a drawing right.

             (5)  A drawing right has no effect to the extent that it claims to authorise the application of public money in a way that is not authorised by an appropriation.