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Agreements

An intergovernmental agreement (IGA) is an agreement made between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments. While IGAs are not legally binding, they express the commitment of governments to work together on certain objectives or goals. Most IGAs commence as soon as they are signed by the Commonwealth and one state or territory.

When an agreement involves funding from the Commonwealth to the states and territories, this is covered under the IGA on Federal Financial Relations. This IGA recognises that the states and territories have primary responsibility for many areas of service delivery but that coordinated action is necessary to respond to Australia’s economic and social challenges. Under the IGA on Federal Financial Relations, payments to the states are outlined through schedules to one of five overarching sectoral Federation Funding Agreements (Health; Education and Skills; Infrastructure; Environment; and Affordable Housing, Community Services and Other), or through one of the National Agreements.

The Council on Federal Financial Relations (CFFR) is the gatekeeper of the Federation Funding Agreements framework and makes sure that agreements are negotiated and administered efficiently.

For current and past funding agreements, see the Federal Financial Relations website.

Intergovernmental agreements

Intergovernmental Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray Darling Basin

This IGA builds on the 2008 Intergovernmental Agreement and supports the objectives of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan (the Basin Plan), which passed through the Commonwealth Parliament in November 2012.
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Bilateral Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and Queensland on the National Disability Insurance Scheme

This agreement reflects both Governments’ shared responsibility for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and locks in arrangements for both Governments to make ongoing, up-front funding contributions to the scheme.
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Bilateral Agreement between the Commonwealth and Victoria on the National Disability Insurance Scheme

On 17 June 2019, the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments entered into the Bilateral Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and Victoria on the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
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Bilateral Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the Northern Territory on the National Disability Insurance Scheme

On 29 March 2019, the Commonwealth and Northern Territory Governments entered into the Bilateral Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the Northern Territory on the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
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Bilateral Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the Australian Capital Territory on the National Disability Insurance Scheme

On 22 March 2019, the Commonwealth and Australian Capital Territory Governments entered into the Bilateral Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the Australian Capital Territory on the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
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Closing the Gap Partnership Agreement

This agreement recognises that shared decision making with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, through their representative organisations, in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Closing the Gap framework is essential to closing the gap in life outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
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