Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | 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 speech read as follows—

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 1) 2022-2023

The Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023, together with the Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023 and the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023, form the principal Bills underpinning the Government's October 2022 Budget.

It is the first Labor Budget in nearly a decade, a budget that builds a better future, and a budget I and all who sit on this side of the chamber are extremely proud of.

It is a responsible budget that delivers on the Albanese Labor Government's election commitments, delivering targeted cost-of-living relief and investing in Australia's future.

The Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023 seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of approximately $10 billion. This represents funding for endorsed March 2022 Budget measures, 2022 election commitments, and other decisions taken by the Government in the October 2022 Budget.

The Supply Act (No. 1) 2022-2023 contains broadly five-twelfths of the estimated 2022-23 annual appropriations which are required to support the ongoing business of government. The balance of supply appropriations representing broadly seven-twelfths of the 2022-23 annual appropriations is included in the Supply Bill (No. 3) 2022-2023, which is part of the additional 2022-23 Supply Bills that were introduced to the Parliament concurrently with the Budget Bills on 25 October 2022.

Together with the Supply Act (No. 1) 2022-2023 and the Supply Bill (No. 3) 2022-2023 currently before the Parliament, this Bill presents a complete view of the proposed annual appropriations for the ordinary services of government for the 2022-23 financial year.

This Bill provides appropriations that support the following significant measures in the October 2022 Budget.

The Department of Health and Aged Care will receive approximately $3.4 billion across a large number of programs, including around $810 million to support older Australians and the aged care sector with managing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and around $314 million for the expansion of eligibility for a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccines to additional people.

Services Australia will receive approximately $1.1 billion, of which over $900 million will be provided to support Services Australia's role in emergency responses. Services Australia will also support other lead government agencies to deliver the Government's election commitments such as Abolishing the Cashless Debit Card, Cheaper Child Care, and Fixing the Aged Care Crisis.

The Department of Industry, Science and Resources will receive approximately $657 million, which includes $344.6 million for the Modern Manufacturing Initiative and the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative. Funding is also provided to support Australian industry to develop domestic manufacturing capabilities and upskill the manufacturing sector workforce, including through supporting local industry.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will receive approximately $600 million. The appropriation includes funding for programs such as: Saving Native Species, to support actions to slow the rate of environmental and native species decline; the Driving the Nation initiative to establish the Driving the Nation Fund to invest in cheaper, cleaner transport; and Increasing Security for the Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market. Funding is also provided for the Sustainable Rural Water Use program, Clean Hydrogen Hubs Investment and activities that strengthen Australia's capabilities and presence within Antarctica and Support Australia's scientific leadership and international collaboration amongst Antarctic nations.

The Bill also contains an Advance to the Finance Minister (AFM) provision of $2.4 billion to provide the Government with the capacity to allocate additional appropriations for urgent and unforeseen expenditure: $2 billion of the AFM provision is set aside for COVID-19 and natural disaster or other national emergency response related expenditure and $400 million for other general urgent and unforeseen expenditure.

These AFM provisions are similar to those currently included in the Supply Act (No. 1) 2022-2023, except to expand the current provisions that are statutorily limited to COVID-19 related expenditure to also support natural disaster and other national emergency response related expenditure. The expanded AFM provisions would enable the Government to make funding available to events, such as flood and fire, in a timely manner, should the circumstances require. Once the Bill commences, the AFM provisions in the Supply Act (No. 1) 2022-2023 would no longer be available for allocation.

In light of the size of the AFM, the strong accountability and transparency arrangements that have been in place March 2020 will be continued, including a regular media release in weeks when AFMs are issued, which reports and reconciles the use of the AFM provision.

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 this Bill to the chamber.

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 2) 2022-2023

The Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023, together with the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023 and the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023, are the Budget Bills for the 2022-23 financial year, incorporating the decisions outlined in the 2022-23 October budget.

It is the first Labor Budget in nearly a decade, a budget that builds a better future, and a budget I and all who sit on this side of the chamber are extremely proud of.

It is a responsible budget that delivers on the Albanese Labor Government's election commitments, delivering targeted cost-of-living relief and investing in Australia's future.

The Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023 seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of approximately $3.6 billion. This represents funding for endorsed March 2022 Budget measures, 2022 election commitments, and other decisions taken by the Government in the October 2022 Budget.

The Supply Act (No. 2) 2022-2023 contains broadly five-twelfths of the estimated 2022-23 annual appropriations which are required to support services that are not the ordinary annual services of government, such as capital works and services; payments to or for states, territories and local government authorities; equity injections; and funding for new administered outcomes not previously endorsed by the Parliament. The balance of supply appropriations representing broadly seven-twelfths of the 2022-23 annual appropriations is included in the Supply Bill (No. 4) 2022-2023, which is part of the additional 2022-23 Supply Bills that were introduced to the Parliament concurrently with the Budget Bills on 25 October 2022.

Together with the Supply Act (No. 2) 2022-2023 and the Supply Bill (No. 4) 2022-2023 currently before the Parliament, this Bill presents a complete view of the proposed annual appropriations for services that are not the ordinary annual services of government for the 2022-23 financial year.

This Bill provides appropriations that support the following significant items in the October 2022 Budget.

The Department of Health and Aged Care will receive approximately $1.1 billion, of which approximately $770 million is provided for additional COVID-19 purchases such as vaccines, treatments and personal protective equipment.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts will receive $791.5 million. This includes $495 million in equity for Airservices Australia as part of the COVID-19 response package to continue to provide critical air navigation, air traffic control, aviation fire and rescue services across Australia and $328 million in equity to upgrade the National Broadband Network to deliver fibre-ready access to a further 1.5 million premises by late 2025.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will receive approximately $538 million which includes funding of $500 million for the Rewiring the Nation measure to expand and modernise Australia's electricity grids.

The Bill also contains an Advance to the Finance Minister (AFM) provision of $3.6 billion to provide the Government with the capacity to allocate additional appropriations for urgent and unforeseen expenditure: $3 billion of the AFM provision is set aside for COVID-19 and natural disaster or other national emergency response related expenditure and $600 million for other general urgent and unforeseen expenditure.

These AFM provisions are similar to those currently included in the Supply Act (No. 2) 2022-2023, except to expand the current provisions that are statutorily limited to COVID-19 related expenditure to also support natural disaster and other national emergency response related expenditure. This expansion has been proposed in light of the recent flood events and would enable the Government to make funding available for responses to events such as flood and fire in a timely manner, should the circumstances require. Once the Bill commences, the AFM provisions in the Supply Act (No. 2) 2022-2023 would no longer be available for allocation.

In light of the size of the AFM, the strong accountability and transparency arrangements that have been in place since March 2020 will be continued, including a regular media release in weeks when AFMs are issued, which reports and reconciles the use of the AFM provision.

Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the Schedules 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 this Bill to the chamber.

APPROPRIATION (PARLIAMENTARY DEPARTMENTS) BILL (NO. 1) 2022-2023

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 supply 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 to the 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 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.

This Bill proposes appropriations for the Department 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.

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 this Bill to the chamber.

I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.