(1) The Commonwealth may, from time to time, enter into an agreement with a State on financial assistance (whether by way of grant or otherwise) to be provided by the Commonwealth to the State, for amounts spent by the State in respect of:
(a) projects approved, or to be approved, by the Minister and the appropriate Minister of the State, acting jointly; or
(b) projects specified in the agreement.
(2) An agreement must be in writing.
(3) Subject to sections 8, 9 and 10, financial assistance is payable to a State in accordance with an agreement.
(4) The Minister must cause a copy of each agreement under subsection ( 1) and any agreement amending that agreement to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the day on which the agreement is made.
(5) The Minister may make advances to a State of amounts on account of an amount that may become payable to the State under subsection ( 3).
(6) Payments under this section must be paid out of money appropriated by the Parliament for the purpose.