Stephen Jones (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023 provides appropriations for new decisions taken by government in the October 2022 budget for the operations of the parliamentary departments. This bill seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of approximately $19.2 million. The Supply (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No.1) 2022-2023 contains broadly five-twelfths of the estimated 2022-23 annual appropriations which are required to support the operations of the parliamentary departments. The balance of appropriations, representing broadly seven-twelfths of the 2022-23 annual appropriations, is included in the Supply (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023, which is part of the additional 2022-23 supply bills that were introduced into parliament concurrently with the budget bills on 25 October 2022, together with the Supply (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No.1) 2022-2023 and the Supply (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023, which is currently before the parliament.

This bill presents a complete view of the proposed annual appropriations for the expenditure of the parliamentary departments for the financial year of 2022-23. Importantly—in a matter that I know will be of interest to the crossbench—the bill proposes appropriations of parliamentary services of approximately $19.2 million, including $4.2 million to support its operations—including to increase the capacity of the Parliamentary Library to support parliamentarians with advice and research and to increase Hansard and Broadcasting services staffing levels to support increased parliamentary committee activity. I'm sure all members of this House will agree with me when I comment in passing on the excellent work that these departments do on behalf of all members of parliament. The details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedule to the bill, the explanatory memorandum and the updated 2022-23 Portfolio Budget Statements tabled in the parliament in relation to the October 2022 budget. I commend the bill to the chamber.

Debate adjourned.

Ordered that the resumption of the debate be made an order of the day for the next sitting.