Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

HOUSING ASSISTANCE ACT 1996 - SECT 10

             (1)  If a State has not made an inter‑government housing agreement with the Commonwealth in respect of the first assistance year, the Minister may authorise the payment to the State in respect of that year, by way of financial assistance to meet the State's obligations to make payments for purposes related to housing, of any amount or amounts that the Minister determines to be appropriate.

             (2)  A payment made by the Commonwealth to a State under subsection (1) is to be made on terms and conditions determined by the Minister having regard to the provisions which, if an inter‑government housing agreement were made between the Commonwealth and the State, would be included in the agreement.

             (3)  If, after a payment is made by the Commonwealth to a State under subsection (1), the State makes an inter‑government housing agreement with the Commonwealth in respect of the first assistance year, the payment is taken to have been made to the State under the agreement and to have discharged, to the extent of the amount paid, the liability of the Commonwealth under the agreement to make payments to the State.