Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to bring the debate on Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2013-2014 and the cognate bills to a close and I thank those members who made a contribution. These appropriation bills seek authority from the parliament for the expenditure of money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. The appropriation being sought through these appropriation bills is just over $83 billion.

I would like to highlight some of the proposed appropriations relating to the delivery of the government's commitments. First, there is over $5.5 billion for AusAID, which includes approximately $604 million to provide for Australia's contribution to the International Development Association, which is part of the World Bank. Second, there is over $898 million for the Department of Finance and Deregulation, including approximately $318 million to relocate defence facilities from the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal Project site in Western Sydney to a purpose-built facility at Holsworthy Barracks, and to construct a new facility for the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service. Third, there is over $871 million for the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, including approximately $383 million for the Roads to Recovery program. Fourth, there is over $722 million for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, including $210 million to provide concessional loans under the Farm Finance initiative.

Lastly, I point out that Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2013-2014 includes a facility for the Presiding Officers of the parliamentary departments to provide up to $300,000 in urgent appropriation for the Parliamentary Budget Office. This is equivalent to the amount that is available in relation to the urgent requirements of the Department of the Senate and the Department of the House of Representatives. A similar facility for urgent appropriation is provided in Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2013-2014 and Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2013-2014 which is available to other government entities at the discretion of the finance minister, and known as the 'Advance to the Finance Minister' or AFM. This provision is unchanged, and I commend the bills to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

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