Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That these bills be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speeches read as follows—

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 1) 2019-2020

The parliament passed the 2019-20 Supply Bills before the election, to facilitate the continuation of normal Government business through until the end of November (around the end of the Spring parliamentary sittings). At the same time, for transparency about funding for the balance of the year, we also introduced Annual Appropriation Bills for scrutiny by the Estimates Committees.

Following convention, the pre-election version of the Annual Appropriation Bills then lapsed when the parliament was prorogued.

The re-introduced Appropriation Bill(No.1)2019-2020, together with Appropriation Bill(No.2)2019-2020 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No.1) 2019-2020, form the principal Bills underpinning the Government's Budget.

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 between the pre-election and post-election versions of these Annual Appropriation Bills to reflect new machinery of government changes resulting from the Administrative Arrangements Order and new decisions made since the 2019-20 Budget.

Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2019 -2020 seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of approximately $58.4 billion. The provisions in the Bill seek authority for appropriations broadly equivalent to 7/12ths of the 2019-20 annual appropriations and other measures. Together with the Supply Act (No.1) 2019-2020, this Bill provides appropriations 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 $19.7 billion to protect and advance Australia's strategic interests through the provision of military capabilities, the promotion of security and stability, and the provision of support to the Australian community in accordance with Government direction. Included in this amount is funding to support ongoing major Defence operations including Operations OKRA, ACCORDION, HIGHROAD, RESOLUTE, and MANITOU.

Second, the Department of Health will receive approximately $6.3 billion to continue to strengthen health services for all Australians. This will include funding for: new medical research including administration of the Medical Research Future Fund; better mental health and drug and alcohol support services including the expansion of the national headspace network; further support for improved access to quality of aged care residential and home care services; and workforce priorities, improved access to medicines and implementing the Sport 2030 National Sport Plan.

Third, the Department of Social Services will receive just under $5.6 billion, including funding for the Commonwealth's contribution to the Fourth Action Plan to prevent violence against women and their children, the expansion of the Cashless Debit Card to tackle drug, alcohol and gambling misuse, and the establishment of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with a Disability.

Fourth, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will receive just under $3.2 billion to advance Australia's international strategic, security and economic interests and to manage and distribute Australia's Official Development Assistance.

Fifth, Services Australia will receive just under $2.7 billion to support individuals, families and communities to achieve greater self-sufficiency; and providers and businesses through convenient and efficient service delivery.

Sixth, the Department of Home Affairs will receive just under $2.5 billion, which includes funding for national security, the management of non-citizens within onshore and offshore detention, facilitation of people and goods across the border, and the provision of refugee and humanitarian assistance.

Finally, the Australian Taxation Office will receive just over $2.1 billion to manage Australia's taxation and superannuation systems, including through helping people understand their rights and obligations, improving ease of compliance and access to benefits, and managing non-compliance with the law. In particular, the Bill contains funding for the continuation of the Corporate Tax Avoidance Taskforce and the expansion of Single Touch Payroll.

Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the Schedule to the Bill and the 2019-20 Portfolio Budget Statements.

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 2) 2019-2020

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.

APPROPRIATION (PARLIAMENTARY DEPARTMENTS) BILL (NO. 1) 2019-2020

Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2019 -2020 provides appropriations for 2019-20 for the operations of:

This Bill is substantively the same as the Bill of the same name that was introduced into the previous Parliament in April this year.

Together with Supply (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2019-2020, this Bill provides appropriations for the expenditure of the Parliamentary Departments for the full year of 2019-20.

The most significant item in this Bill is for the Department of Parliamentary Services, which will receive almost $126 million for the maintenance of the Australian Parliament House, and to support the functions of Parliament and parliamentarians through the provision of professional services, advice and facilities.

This amount also includes funding to replace the original Australian Parliament House auxiliary power system to ensure the continued supply of power for critical systems and to upgrade the mobile phone antenna for the benefit of building occupants and visitors.

Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the Schedule to the Bill and the 2019-20 Portfolio Budget Statements.

Debate adjourned.