Program 1.10: National partnership payments to the States
Program objective
The objective of program 1.10 is:
- The Government provides financial support for the States and Territories to be spent on improving outcomes in the areas specified in each of the National Partnership agreements. These payments support the delivery of specified outputs or projects, facilitate reforms or reward those jurisdictions that deliver on nationally significant reforms.
This program is linked to the portfolios of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Attorney-General’s; Australian Securities and Investments Commission; Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy; Defence; Education, Employment and Workplace Relations; Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs; Finance and Deregulation; Health and Ageing; Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education; Infrastructure and Transport; Prime Minister and Cabinet; Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport; Resources, Energy and Tourism; Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities; and Veterans Affairs.
Program deliverables
The key program deliverable is:
- Payments to the States and Territories will be made on the basis set out in each of the National Partnership agreements and any related agreements.
Key performance indicators
The key performance indicators are:
- The Commonwealth Treasury will make payments to the States and Territories that reflect the requirements, the amounts and time-frames set out in each of the National Partnership agreements and any related agreements. These payments will only be made upon the Commonwealth Treasury’s receipt of authorisations from the relevant agency in respect of performance benchmarks or payment schedules set out in each of the National Partnership agreements; and
- The Commonwealth Treasury will provide advice to the States and Territories on the components of each payment prior to each payment being made.
Analysis of performance
The Treasury facilitated the Government’s 2012-13 financial support for the States and Territories in improving outcomes in areas specified in National Partnership agreements.
National Partnership payments for 2012-13 were $13.9 billion, comprising:
- Payments to support state health services of $1.7 billion;
- payments to support state education services of $1.6 billion;
- payments to support state skills and workforce development-related services of $0.3 billion;
- payments to support state community services of $0.9 billion;
- payments to support affordable housing services of $0.5 billion;
- payments to support state infrastructure services of $3.6 billion;
- payments to support state environmental services of $0.6 billion;
- payments to support other state services of $2.6 billion; and
- contingent payments to the States of $1.9 billion.
Payments were made by the Treasury on advice from portfolio agencies, with amounts certified as being correct for payment by the agency’s Chief Financial Officer, or other authorised delegate.
All payments were determined and made in a timely manner in accordance with the payment arrangements specified in the Intergovernmental Agreement.
Advice was provided to the States and Territories prior to each payment being made.