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 es read as follows—

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 1) 2023-2024

The 2023-24 Budget builds stronger foundations for a better future.

This bill, Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024, along with Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2023-2024 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024 are the principal ills underpinning the Government's Budget.

Appropriation Bill 1 seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of over $146 billion. Funding provided through this Bill will support the following significant items.

The Defence portfolio will receive over $40 billion, including $38 billion for the Department of Defence to support the Government's response to the Defence Strategic Review, including for nuclear-powered submarines, long-range strike capabilities, strengthening northern bases, workforce growth and retention, innovation, and regional partnerships. The Australian Signals Directorate will receive over $1.5 billion to continue to deliver on the Government's foreign signals intelligence and cyber security objectives, including through Project REDSPICE.

The Social Services portfolio will receive over $38 billion, with most of the funding provided for the National Disability Insurance Agency to provide reasonable and necessary supports for National Disability Insurance Scheme participants. Services Australia will receive over $4.5 billion to ensure Australians receive government payments including natural disaster, health and social welfare payments, and to support other government agencies to deliver Government priorities through ICT investments to strengthen Medicare, aged care, and sustain the myGov platform.

The Department of Health and Aged Care will receive just over $17 billion to implement various programs to ensure the current and future health needs of all Australians are met through the delivery of evidence-based health policy, improved access to comprehensive and coordinated health care, and protection of the health and safety of the Australian community. The funding will also support older Australians who need assistance and improve opportunities for community participation in sport and recreation. Over $4.1 billion will be provided for aged care services; approximately $1.8 billion for the health workforce; approximately $1.5 billion for mental health; just over $1.3 billion for health protection, emergency response and regulations; and over $1.2 billion for First Nations people health.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will receive close to $6.5 billion to advance Australia's international strategic and security interests including through continued enhanced engagement across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with the aim of increasing trade and investment opportunities, protecting international rules, and keeping our region safe.

The Treasury portfolio will receive close to $6 billion, with over $4 billion provided for the Australian Taxation Office to administer the taxation and superannuation systems. This includes new funding to support government election commitments, including to implement a global minimum tax and domestic minimum tax for large multinational enterprises and to increase the frequency of superannuation guarantee payments; implement the Government's policy to increase the concessional tax rate for superannuation balances above $3 million; and to extend and enhance major tax compliance taskforces.

The Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio will receive $5.4 billion, including approximately $2.7 billion for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts for departmental functions and regional development grants programs included in the Responsible Investment to Grow Our Regions measure and other grants programs.

The Department of Home Affairs will receive over $5 billion to implement various programs to ensure Australia's security, prosperity and unity by safeguarding national security interests and improving cyber security and security of critical infrastructure assets, enabling economic growth and maintaining Australia's cohesive multicultural society. The funding will also enable the Department of Home Affairs to continue to reform the migration framework and maintain the integrity of the migration system, sustain visa processing capability, provide settlement services to refugees and migrants and protect the Australian border.

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations will receive $4.7 billion, including $2.3 billion to support vocational education and training and $2.3 billion to support employment services.

Appropriation Bill 1 also contains an Advance to the Finance Minister (AFM) provision of $400 million to provide the Government with the capacity to allocate additional appropriations for urgent and unforeseen expenditure.

Since March 2020, the AFM provisions in annual Appropriation Acts have been set at an extraordinary level, primarily due to the unique and evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2023-24 Bills return the AFM provisions to conventional levels as the Australian governments have agreed to a strategic framework to support the transition of measures and policies to a sustainable COVID-19 steady state. These measures should reduce the potential call on AFM provisions in the future and a specific AFM provision for COVID-19 or other national emergency response is no longer required.

Full details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the Schedule to the Bill, the Explanatory Memorandum, and the Portfolio Budget Statements previously tabled in the Parliament.

I commend this Bill to the chamber.

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 2) 2023-2024

Appropriation Bill 2 seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of approximately $28 billion, incorporating decisions from the 2023-24 Budget. I now outline the most significant items provided for in this Bill.

The Department of Defence will receive nearly $12 billion which will support the implementation of the Government's response to the Defence Strategic Review, including major investments in military capabilities, as well as enabling ICT capabilities and infrastructure.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will receive close to $9 billion, primarily for Rewiring the Nation to continue expanding and modernising Australia's electricity grids at lowest cost, unlocking new renewables and storage capacity and driving down power prices.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts will receive approximately $4 billion, including funding for Government Business Enterprises to continue to deliver projects including the ARTC for the Inland Rail Program, WSA Co for Western Sydney International Airport and the NBN Co for the election commitment to Boost Fibre and Fast-Track the NBN Repair Job.

Appropriation Bill 2 also contains an Advance to the Finance Minister (AFM) provision of $600 million to provide the Government with the capacity to allocate additional appropriations for urgent and unforeseen expenditure.

Since March 2020, the AFM provisions in annual Appropriation Acts have been set at an extraordinary level, primarily due to the unique and evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2023-24 Bills return the AFM provisions to conventional levels as the Australian governments have agreed to a strategic framework to support the transition of measures and policies to a sustainable COVID-19 steady state. These measures should reduce the potential call on AFM provisions in the future and a specific AFM provision for COVID-19 or other national emergency response is no longer required.

This Bill also sets the debit limits for payments under the Federal Financial Relations Act 2009 that apply in 2023-24 and they are:

Full details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the Schedules to the Bill, the Explanatory Memorandum, and the Portfolio Budget Statements previously tabled in the Parliament.

I commend this Bill to the chamber.

APPROPRIATION (PARLIAMENTARY DEPARTMENTS) BILL (NO. 1) 2023-2024

Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill 1 provides appropriations for decisions taken by Government in the 2023-24 Budget for the operations of Parliamentary Departments.

This Bill seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of over $314 million. Funding provided through this Bill will support the following significant items of Parliamentary Departments.

The Department of Parliamentary Services will receive over $250 million to support the work of the Australian Parliament, through services to parliamentarians and as custodians of Parliament House. This includes additional funding to alleviate accommodation pressures at Parliament House and to support the delivery of ICT services to other parliamentary departments.

This Bill also includes an Advance to the responsible Presiding Officer (APO) of $1.9 million.

Full details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the Schedule to the Bill, the Explanatory Memorandum, and the Portfolio Budget Statements previously tabled in the Parliament.

I commend this Bill to the chamber.

I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.