Trevor Evans (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

(Quorum formed)

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before people leave, I need to remind the House, those members who are here, when a quorum is called, if you're in the chamber or you happen to come into the chamber when the bells are ringing, you're not permitted to leave. We had that yesterday and we've just had it now with one member that I'll deal with later. We won't delay the debate.

Trevor Evans (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2019-2020, along with Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2019-2020 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2019-2020, are the budget appropriation bills for this financial year.

These bills are substantively the same as the bills of the same names that were introduced into the previous parliament in April this year. Minor changes have been made to reflect new machinery-of-government changes resulting from the Administrative Arrangements Order and new decisions made since the 2019-20 budget.

This bill seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of just over $7.4 billion. This broadly represents seven-twelfths of the estimated 2019-20 annual appropriations and new measures since the 2019-20 budget. Together with Supply Act (No. 2) 2019-2020, this bill provides appropriations that are not for the ordinary annual services of government for the full year of 2019-20.

I will now outline the significant items provided for in this bill.

First, the Department of Defence will receive just over $2.3 billion to enable the purchase of military equipment and the construction of support facilities and infrastructure, in line with the commitment to invest in Australia's strategic capabilities outlined in the 2016 Defence white paper.

Second, the Department of Communications and the Arts will receive just over $1.7 billion to continue to provide NBN Co Limited with a government loan on commercial terms to support the completion of the National Broadband Network.

Third, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development will receive approximately $1.3 billion, including equity investment for the delivery of Western Sydney Airport and Inland Rail, concessional loan funding for the National Water Infrastructure Loan Facility, and payments to the states made through the Roads to Recovery Program.

Finally, the Department of Agriculture will receive $295 million for concessional loans to farm businesses. This includes loans for those affected by drought or the North Queensland floods.

Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedules to the bill and the 2019-20 portfolio budget statements.

Debate adjourned.