Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated ActsFunding financial year
(1) For the purposes of this section, funding financial year means:
(a) the second eligible financial year; or
(b) a later eligible financial year.
Issue of certificate
(2) If a carrier is an eligible funding recipient at the start of 1 February in a funding financial year, the Secretary must:
(a) issue to the carrier a certificate stating that a specified amount is the nominal funding entitlement of the carrier for the funding financial year; and
(b) do so:
(i) by the end of 31 March in the funding financial year; and
(ii) if the carrier has applied under subsection 98(1) for a charge offset certificate in relation to the previous financial year--before making a decision in response to the application.
(3) A certificate issued under subsection (1) is to be known as a nominal funding entitlement certificate .
Estimated balance of Regional Broadband Scheme Special Account
(4) The following provisions have effect in relation to the issue of nominal funding entitlement certificates in relation to a funding financial year:
(a) before issuing those certificates, the Secretary must make an estimate of so much of the balance of the Regional Broadband Scheme Special Account as at 7 May in the funding financial year as is attributable to amounts paid to the Commonwealth by way of:
(i) so much of an amount of charge as is attributable to the annual base amount for a financial year; or
(ii) a base instalment of charge; and
(b) in issuing those certificates, the Secretary must have regard to that estimate.
Payments to holder of certificate
(5) If:
(a) a carrier is an eligible funding recipient; and
(b) the carrier is the holder of a nominal funding entitlement certificate in relation to a funding financial year;
the Secretary must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the total of:
(c) the amounts that have, or will, become due and payable by the Commonwealth to the carrier under section 80 contracts during the funding financial year; and
(d) the section 80 grants that were, or will be, made to the carrier during the funding financial year;
equals whichever of the following amounts is applicable:
(e) if the carrier holds a charge offset certificate for the previous financial year--the nominal funding entitlement of the carrier for the funding financial year, reduced by the amount specified in the charge offset certificate;
(f) if the carrier does not hold a charge offset certificate for the previous financial year--the nominal funding entitlement of the carrier for the funding financial year.
Copy of certificate to be given to the ACMA
(6) If the Secretary issues a nominal funding entitlement certificate, the Secretary must give a copy of the certificate to the ACMA.
Publication of certificate
(7) If the Secretary issues a nominal funding entitlement certificate, the Secretary must publish a copy of the certificate on the Department's website.
Certificate cannot be transferred
(8) A nominal funding entitlement certificate cannot be transferred.