Other national partnership payments

The Commonwealth also makes various payments to the States to support other services, including payments in respect of:

• public order and safety;
• recreation and culture; and
• transport and communication.

Table 2.12 provides information on payments to the States to support these services.

The Commonwealth has provided funding for the National Partnership on the 2014 G20 Leaders' Summit security to cover Queensland's policing and related costs resulting from Australia's hosting of G20 meetings in Queensland, in particular the G20 Leaders' Summit.

The Commonwealth is providing funding for the National Partnership on developing demand‑driver infrastructure for the tourism industry. This National Partnership funds projects that create and encourage tourism, and assist the tourism industry to meet the national tourism strategy, Tourism 2020.

The Commonwealth is providing untied financial contributions through State governments to local governments, to be spent according to local priorities. In 2015‑16, these financial contributions will total $1.1 billion, recognising a decision by the Commonwealth for $1.1 billion to be brought forward from 2015‑16 to be paid in 2014‑15.

The Financial Assistance Grant programme consists of two components: a general purpose component and a local road component. The general purpose component is the larger component and is distributed between the States on a per capita basis, while the local road component is distributed between the States according to fixed historical shares.

Funding under the Financial Assistance Grant programme is paid through State governments to local governments. State grants commissions determine the intrastate distribution of the grant between local governments. Both funding components are untied and can be spent according to each local government's own priorities.

The Commonwealth will provide funding for the National Partnership on financial assistance to NSW Government for NSW Police. This National Partnership will provide four years of transitional funding for the equal sharing of the costs of reimbursing NSW police officers who incur an additional tax liability from making voluntary superannuation contributions that exceed the concessional contributions cap due to the impact of NSW's compulsory employer death and disability insurance premiums. It will also provide for the cost‑sharing of any fringe benefits tax that results from reimbursing police officers in these situations.

Funding for this programme is a new spending measure in the 2016‑17 Budget. This measure is discussed in Budget Paper No. 2, Budget Measures 2016‑17.

The Commonwealth will provide funding for the National Partnership for the Heffron Park Centre of Excellence. The Centre of Excellence will house a community and administration centre, as well as a football development department supported by elite facilities.

The Commonwealth is providing funding for the National Partnership on legal assistance services. This National Partnership allows the States to provide legal assistance services to disadvantaged persons by legal aid commissions and community legal centres in accordance with Commonwealth policy priorities.

(a) State allocations are yet to be finalised.

The Commonwealth will provide funding for the National Partnership on the National Register of Foreign Ownership of Land Titles. This National Partnership will support the delivery of the National Register of Foreign Ownership of Land Titles by helping the States develop systems that will enable data on sales and transfers of real property involving foreign owners to be provided to the Australian Taxation Office.

The Commonwealth will provide funding for the National Partnership on the North Queensland Strata Title Inspection Scheme. This National Partnership will improve the information available to owners of strata title properties about a property's susceptibility to weather damage, and ways to make properties more resilient. The Queensland Government will develop and administer the assessment programme for strata properties in North Queensland.

The Commonwealth is providing funding for the National Partnership on provision of fire services. This National Partnership provides the States with equitable payment arrangements for the fire protection of Commonwealth‑owned buildings.

The Commonwealth is contributing to the Debt Retirement Reserve Trust Account on behalf of New South Wales and Victoria in accordance with the Financial Agreement Act 1994. Monies standing to the credit of the Account are applied to repurchase State debt that is governed by this legislation.

The Commonwealth will provide funding for the National Partnership for Tasmanian horticulture market growth. This National Partnership will support the engagement of a Tasmania‑based horticulture market growth facilitator to collate information and identify opportunities for growth in exports of Tasmanian fruit and vegetable products.

The Commonwealth will provide funding for the National Partnership for the Tasmanian Regional Tourism Infrastructure and Innovation Fund. This National Partnership will fund projects that contribute to Tasmania's Tourism 2020 outcomes.