Daniel Mulino (Fraser, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

This bill, along with Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, form the principal bills underpinning the government's 2025-26 budget.

As was the case for Appropriation Bill (No. 1), minor changes have been made to this bill to reflect government decisions and estimate variations from the 2025 Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Outlook and to fund the 'Supporting the construction of the first-ever Hindu school in Australia'.

The bill also reflects machinery-of-government changes as a result of the Administrative Arrangements Order changes on 13 May and 1 July 2025.

Appropriation Bill (No. 2) seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of $14.6 billion. Together with the Supply Act (No. 2), this would provide the total funding of $25.5 billion for services that are not the ordinary annual services of the government in 2025-26.

Funding provided through this bill will support the following significant items.

The Department of Defence will receive close to $7.2 billion to support the implementation of the 2024 National defence strategy and the 2024 Integrated Investment Program, including through investments in military capability and enabling ICT capabilities and infrastructure.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts will receive close to $2.4 billion, including funding for government business enterprises to continue to deliver projects and other programs. This includes funding for the Australian Rail Track Corporation for the Inland Rail program, completion of fibre upgrades for the NBN, Western Sydney airport, National Intermodal Corporation for the development of intermodal projects, and funding for the Roads to Recovery and the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.

The Department of Finance will receive over $1.6 billion, including funding for Australian Naval Infrastructure Pty Ltd and Snowy Hydro Limited.

No changes are proposed to the maximum amount of $600 million for the advance to the finance minister (AFM) provision in Appropriation Bill (No. 2).

Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedules to the bill, the explanatory memorandum, and the 2025-26 portfolio budget statements tabled in March.

I commend this bill to the chamber.

Debate adjourned.

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