Division 3 Estimates of rural fire brigade expenditure

103   Minister to prepare estimate of rural fire brigade expenditure

(1)  Before or as soon as practicable after the end of a financial year, the Minister must:

(a)  prepare and, subject to the Treasurer’s agreement, adopt an estimate of the rural fire brigade expenditure (the estimated expenditure) for the next financial year, and

(b)  prepare and adopt an estimate of the amount of estimated expenditure for each relevant council for the next financial year.

(2)  In determining the amount of estimated expenditure for each relevant council, the Minister may apportion the total estimated capital expenditure between relevant councils in the way the Minister thinks fit.

(3)  To assist the Minister in preparing and adopting the estimated expenditure for a financial year, the Commissioner must prepare and give to the Minister a written report and recommendations about rural fire brigade expenditure for the year and the estimated expenditure for each relevant council.

(4)  The Minister must consider the Commissioner’s report and recommendations in preparing the estimates.

104   Relevant councils to give information to Minister

To enable the Minister to prepare the estimated expenditure, a relevant council, rural fire brigade or fire control officer must, at the times and in the way required by the Commissioner, give the Commissioner any of the following information required by the Commissioner:

(a)  information relating to the rural fire brigades or other fire fighting personnel,

(b)  information relating to the fire fighting apparatus of the rural fire brigades or other fire fighting personnel,

(c)  information about any other matter relating to the organisation of the rural fire brigades or other fire fighting personnel.

105   Adjustment of estimates of recurrent expenditure

(1)  If, for a financial year, the amount received from rural fire brigade contributions is less than the estimate of recurrent expenditure included in the estimated expenditure for the financial year:

(a)  the Minister may, with the Treasurer’s agreement, decide that the whole or a part of the deficit is to be added to the estimated expenditure for the following financial year, and

(b)  the rural fire brigade contributions for the following financial year are to be increased accordingly.

(2)  If, for a financial year, the amount received from rural fire brigade contributions is more than the estimate of recurrent expenditure included in the estimated expenditure for the financial year:

(a)  the surplus is to be credited to the estimated expenditure for the following financial year, and

(b)  the rural fire brigade contributions for the following financial year are to be decreased accordingly.