Lindsay Tanner (Melbourne, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Appropriation (Drought and Equine Influenza Assistance) Bill (No. 2) 2007-2008 requests additional funding for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to make payments to the states, territories and local government authorities during the 2007-08 financial year in respect of drought relief assistance and to reimburse them for costs associated with the national response to the eradication of equine influenza. While states, the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory are being reimbursed for the cost of the national response to equine influenza, these costs will be recovered from the horse industry consistent with the provisions of the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement. Recovery from the horse industry will be addressed in separate legislation.

The total appropriation sought in this bill is $545.1 million, comprising:

• $440.1 million to support primary producers in regions that have been declared eligible for exceptional circumstances assistance;
• $7.8 million to support small businesses with up to 100 employees that are dependent on business from farmers in regions that have been declared eligible for exceptional circumstances assistance; and
• $97.2 million to reimburse the states, the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory for costs associated with the national response to eradicating equine influenza. Most of this funding—$86.4 million—will be recovered from the horse industry.

This appropriation bill, and the urgency with which we are treating it, demonstrates the government’s commitment to assisting those communities affected by drought and to the eradication of equine influenza.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate (on motion by Mr Hunt) adjourned.