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

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Today, the government introduces the 2025-26 additional estimates appropriation bills. These bills are Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026.

These bills underpin the government's expenditure decisions made since the 2025-26 budget that relate to the 2025-26 financial year, including decisions made in the 2025-26 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO).

Appropriation Bill (No. 3) seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of $9.2 billion. This provides funding for the 2025-26 financial year costs of measures announced since the 2025-26 budget and ensures there is sufficient appropriation to cover variations in existing programs—for example, changes in costs for demand-driven programs.

The bill provides funding to support the following significant items.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will receive over $2.9 billion, predominantly to continue support for the Cheaper Home Batteries Program.

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing will receive over $1.5 billion for various programs to improve the wellbeing and social and economic participation of people with disability, continue to ensure access to medicines, deliver evidence based health policy, improve access to comprehensive and coordinated health care and protect the health and safety of the Australian community. Funding includes $876 million for the National Disability Insurance Agency to provide reasonable and necessary supports for National Disability Insurance Scheme participants. The department will also receive $101 million to support Strengthening Medicare reforms.

The Department of Defence will receive over $1 billion, including $985 million brought forward for updated expenditure requirements to implement the 2024 National Defence Strategy and 2024 Defence Integrated Investment Program.

The Department of Home Affairs will receive $881 million to implement various programs to ensure Australia's security, prosperity and unity by safeguarding Australia's domestic interests from crises and threats, supporting the government response to the antisemitic Bondi terrorist attack and delivering on the government's 2025 election commitment to maintain Australia's cohesive multicultural society.

Full details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedule to the bill, the explanatory memorandum and the portfolio additional estimates statements.

I commend this bill to the chamber.

Debate adjourned.

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