Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That these bills be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speeches read as follows—

APPROPRIATION (PARLIAMENTARY DEPARTMENTS) BILL (No. 1) 2006-2007

The purpose of the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2006-2007 is to provide funding for the operations of the three Parliamentary Departments.

The total appropriation sought through this bill is approximately $171.6 million. Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the Schedule to the bill.

I commend the bill to the Senate.

APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 1) 2006-2007

It is with great pleasure that I introduce Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2006-2007, which, together with Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2006-2007, is one of the principal pieces of legislation underpinning the second Budget of the fourth term of the Coalition Government.

Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2006-2007 provides authority for meeting the expenses of the ordinary annual services of Government.

This bill seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund totalling approximately $53.3 billion.

Details of the proposed appropriations are set out in Schedule 1 to the bill, the main features of which were outlined in the Treasurer’s Budget speech on 9 May 2006.

I commend the bill to the Senate.

APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 2) 2006-2007

It is with great pleasure that I introduce Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2006-2007, which, together with Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2006-2007, is one of the principal pieces of legislation underpinning the second Budget of the fourth term of the Coalition Government.

Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2006-2007 provides funding for agencies to meet:

• expenses in relation to grants to the States under section 96 of the Constitution and for payments to the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory and local government authorities;
• administered expenses for new outcomes;
• requirements for departmental equity injections, loans and previous years’ outputs; and
• requirements to create or acquire administered assets and to discharge administered liabilities.

Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2006-2007 seeks approval for appropriations totalling approximately $9.2 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

Appropriation Bill (No. 2) includes a minor technical change to clauses and schedules relating to State payment items. References to ‘States’ have been expanded to include the Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, and local government authorities.

Details of the proposed appropriations are set out in Schedule 2 to the bill, the main features of which were outlined in the Budget Speech delivered by my colleague, the Treasurer, on 9 May 2006.

I commend the bill to the Senate.

APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 5) 2005-2006

There are two Supplementary Additional Estimates Bills: Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2005-2006, and Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2005-2006. I shall introduce the latter Bill shortly.

These Bills seek authority for supplementary appropriation from the Consolidated Revenue Fund in the current financial year, to pay for important initiatives agreed by the Government since Additional Estimates 2005-2006.

The total appropriation being sought through the Supplementary Additional Estimates Bills is approximately $3,625.7 million, with $1,336.5 million being sought in Bill 5.

The major items of expenditure in the bill include:

• Additional funding to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to enable a payment of $500 million to the Murray-Darling Basin Commission in 2005-06. The Government is committed to restoring the health of the Murray-Darling Basin and this funding will allow the Commission to accelerate its capital works programme, undertake additional projects under the Living Murray Environmental Works and Measures Programme, and deliver 500 gigalitres of water per annum for environmental water flows.
• An additional $310.4 million to fund a co-ordinated package of measures to assist those adversely affected by Tropical Cyclone Larry, including:
• $97 million to the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to provide support in the form of ex-gratia payments to individuals and families, a one-off diesel and petrol subsidy programme to assist businesses, including farmers, and a one-off programme of income support payments;
• $86.9 million in wage subsidy payments to businesses and farmers affected by the cyclone; and
• An additional $126.5 million in grants to affected businesses to assist with re-stocking, re-planting, re-establishment and clean-up;
• These measures are part of a total package costing $433.8 million in 2005-2006;
• Grants totalling $265 million to a number of medical research facilities including:
• $50 million to the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research to contribute towards a seven-storey extension that will double the floor space available for medical research;
• $50 million for capital works at the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the Australian National University; and
• $165 million to a number of other medical research facilities for a variety of development and expansion projects, including $37 million to the Howard Florey Institute;
• An additional $243 million will be provided to the Department of Transport and Regional Services to enable a $270 million payment to be made to the to the Australian Rail Track Corporation to assist with investment in Australia’s interstate rail network, including the upgrading of the North-South corridor;
• Contributions totalling $87 million to universities including:
• $75 million to the Australian National University for general capital works, subject to the University also contributing $50 million of its own resources;
• $12 million will be provided to the University of Wollongong to expand the Centre of Transnational Crime Prevention; and
• A one-off contribution of $23 million to support the establishment of new medical schools in Victoria;
• An additional $19.5 million financial assistance to support primary producers in regions that have been declared eligible for Exceptional Circumstances Assistance and those in regions that have been declared eligible for Interim Income Support.
• A $10 million contribution to the construction cost of a non-government, community managed boarding college to deliver education and related services to Indigenous high school students on the Tiwi Islands;
• Grants to sporting facilities, including:
• $15 million towards the establishment of the South Australian State Aquatic Centre;
• $15 million to the Melbourne Cricket Ground to support the establishment of an Australian Sports Museum; and
• $9.6 million toward upgrade of Toyota Park, home of the Cronulla Sharks Rugby League Club to enhance spectator safety and security and improve disabled access.

The remaining amount in Appropriation Bill (No. 5) relates to estimates variations and other measures.

I commend the bill to the Senate.

APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 6) 2005-2006

Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2005-2006 provides additional funding for agencies to meet expenses in relation to grants to the States under section 96 of the Constitution and for payments to the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory and local government authorities; and non-operating requirements in the form of departmental equity injections.

Total additional appropriation of around $2.3 billion is proposed in Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2005-2006.

The supplementary appropriation is required to fund important initiatives during the current financial year that have been agreed by the Government since Additional Estimates 2005-2006. The major items of expenditure in the bill include:

• Additional funding to the Department of Transport and Regional Services to enable a total payment of $2.126 billion for the following projects:
• $960.0 million to New South Wales.
• $800.0 million, together with funding already being provided to the Hume Highway under AusLink, would enable full duplication of the Hume Highway in southern New South Wales except for the bypasses of Tarcutta, Holbrook and Woomargama by the end of 2009. The remaining planning of the three bypasses would continue so they could be completed as soon as practicable; and
• The remaining $160.0 million being for projects on the Pacific Highway to support key safety initiatives and accelerate the upgrading of the highway to dual carriageway. This funding is subject to matching expenditure by the New South Wales Government.
• $345.5 million to Queensland for the Bruce Highway between Townsville and Cairns. This includes $124.5 million to upgrade the Bruce Highway immediately south of Tully to an appropriate level of flood immunity and width.
• $323.0 million to Western Australia for the Great Northern Highway, the Great Eastern Highway and the Eyre Highway.
• $100.0 million to South Australia for the Sturt Highway.
• $60.0 million for Tasmania to upgrade the East Tamar Highway north of Launceston to Bell Bay.
• $30.0 million to the Northern Territory to improve the flood immunity of the Victoria Highway.
• $307.5 million to supplement the AusLink Roads to Recovery programme to local, state and territory governments for investing in local roads.
• An additional $521.2 million to the Department of Finance and Administration to extinguish the Australian Government’s liability for the superannuation entitlements of former State Rail employees of South Australia and Tasmania.

I commend the bill to the Senate.

Debate (on motion by Senator Ellison) adjourned.

Ordered that the resumption of the debate on these bills be made an order of the day for a later hour.