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.

There are two supplementary additional estimates bills: Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2007-2008, and Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2007-2008. 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 the additional estimates 2007-08.

The total appropriation being sought through the supplementary additional estimates bills is approximately $1.1 billion, with $626.5 million being sought in bill No. 5.

I now outline the major items provided for in the bill.

The government will provide an additional $500 million in 2007-08 to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations to distribute amongst Australian universities for capital investment in five priority areas. These areas include IT communications in research and teaching, laboratories, libraries and places to study, teaching spaces and investing in critical student amenities. The measure will begin to address past capital underinvestment in these priority areas.

An additional $112.3 million will be provided to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts to fund a variety of water initiatives reflecting the government’s recognition that urgent action is needed to tackle the water crisis. The initiatives, all of which deliver on the government’s election commitments, include:

• an additional $81.0 million in 2007-08 as part of a bring-forward of $400 million of funding from 2011-12 under the Water for the Future package, to accelerate investment in water-saving infrastructure and to purchase water entitlements from willing sellers;
• an additional $35 million brought forward from 2011-12 under the Water for the Future package, to make an initial contribution to the Harvey water piping project in Western Australia. The project involves upgrading irrigation supply infrastructure to reduce seepage and evaporation, with the water saved to be piped to Perth; and
• $10 million, as part of the five-year funding package of $254.8 million to work with government and local water authorities to minimise water loss, invest in more efficient water infrastructure, refurbish older pipes and water systems, and fund practical projects to save water. This initiative will help address some of Australia’s worst water leaks and losses and reduce the impact of the drought and climate change on Australia’s towns and cities.

These funding increases are partially offset by savings in other programs.

The balance of the amount in Appropriation Bill (No. 5) relates to estimates variations and other minor measures.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate (on motion by Mrs Mirabella) adjourned.