Outback Communities (Administration and Management) Act 2009

The Authority must, on or before 31 May in each year, submit to the Minister for approval a business plan and budget for the next financial year.

The plan and budget must be prepared in consultation with outback communities in accordance with the Authority's public consultation policy (see section 14).

The plan must include—

a statement of the Authority's objectives for the provision of public services and facilities to outback communities for the financial year;

and

a statement of—

the activities that the Authority intends to undertake to achieve its objectives; and

the means by which its activities are to be carried out, including the extent to which it is intended that public services and facilities will be provided to outback communities by community organisations; and

an assessment of the financial requirements of the Authority for the financial year and a summary of its proposed operating expenditure, capital expenditure and sources of revenue having regard to those requirements;

and

a statement of the rates proposed to be declared for the financial year; and

an assessment of the impact of the rates on outback communities;

and

any other matter required by the Minister or prescribed by regulation.

The budget must—

be prepared in accordance with any requirements prescribed by regulation; and

be submitted to the Minister for approval in conjunction with the

Authority's annual business plan; and

be approved after the annual business plan is approved.

The Minister may approve an annual business plan and budget submitted under this section with or without modification.

If an annual business plan is not approved by the Minister (with or without modification) before the commencement of the financial year to which it relates, the Authority may proceed as if it were approved (but is bound by any modifications subsequently required by the Minister).

The Authority must not, without the consent of the Minister, make any expenditure that is not authorised by an approved budget.

The Authority may, at any time, and must, if the regulations so require, submit a variation of its annual business plan or budget to the

Minister for the Minister's approval (and the variation may be approved with or without modification).

A variation must be prepared in consultation with outback communities in accordance with the Authority's public consultation policy (see section 14).