PM Transcripts

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', CSAUA Press Statement No. 536
July 1975
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE STATES
SPECIAL GRANTS
The Prime Minister announced today that the Australian
Government had approved the recommendations of the Grants
Commission on applications made by the Queensland and South
Australian Governments for special financial assistance for
the year 1975/ 76.
The amounts approved for payment in 1975/ 76 total
$ 36,300,000 for Queensland and $ 2,500,000 for South Australia.
The Prime Minister said that special grants are
paid to Queensland and South Australia to compensate them
for such factors as lower capacity to raise revenue from
their own resources and the higher costs of providing
government services of a standard similar to those in the
financially stronger States.
The grants are in addition to those decided upon
at the Premiers' Conference in June 1975, when the Australian
Government agreed that Queensland and South Australia should be
provided with financial assistance grants totalling
$ 564.4 million and $ 379.2 million respectively.
Mr Whitlam noted that South Australia withdrew from
the Grants Commission at the end of 1974/ 75 and that the
Australian Government had agreed to increase the State's
financial assistance grant as from 1975/ 76 to compensate for
loss of special grants. The grant of $ 2,500,000 in 1975/ 76
is a final completion payment in respect of 1973/ 74.
The Prime Minister concluded by pointing out that
the aggregate of over $ 38 million in special grants represents
a significant effort by the Australian Government to assist
these two States.
CANBERRA. A. C. T.