Legislation and Administration

Legislation

The AusLink (National Land Transport) Act 2005 provides the legal basis for the operation of AusLink.  The Act provides for six separate funding programs:

1. AusLink National projects.
2. Transport development and innovation program.
3. Land Transport research entities.
4. Strategic Regional program.
5. Black Spot program.
6. Roads to Recovery program.

The Act sets out the basis for approval of projects and funding.  For each program, excluding the AusLink Roads to Recovery program (which operates separately, and is explained later) the Act:

• establishes eligibility criteria for funding of proposed projects;
  
• provides the Minister with the authority to approve projects and/or funding, and list matters which the Minister may consider when deciding whether it is appropriate to approve a project or funding;
  
• sets out funding conditions that apply to all projects and funding recipients in each category (e.g. audit and reporting);
  
• allows for the development of a funding agreement (to cover projects where additional specific conditions are to apply at the individual project level); and
  
• provides for the Minister to apply additional funding conditions where no funding agreement is in place.

Under the Act, the AusLink Roads to Recovery program provides for the Minister to determine the local government entities that will receive funding and the amount of that funding.

• AusLink (National Land Transport) Act 2005 
• AusLink (National Land Transport-Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2005
• Australian Land Transport Development Act 1988