Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2014-2015, along with Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2014-2015, which I introduced earlier, and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2014-2015, are the additional estimates appropriation bills for this financial year.

This bill seeks further approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of just under $241 million.

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

First, this bill would provide the Department of Agriculture with $90 million for concessional loans under the Drought Recovery Concessional Loans Scheme. These funds will be used to provide support to eligible primary production businesses in Queensland and New South Wales who are experiencing financial difficulties resulting from the impacts of severe and prolonged drought conditions, or as a result of the combined effects of drought and the mid-2011 disruption to live cattle exports to Indonesia.

Second, the bill would provide the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with just over $40 million for additional capital funding for a temporary embassy in the Ukraine, and for the re-appropriation of funding for previously approved capital projects that had been previously repealed as part of a repeal bill.

Third, the bill would provide the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service with just under $35 million for additional counter-terrorism activities, and to repurpose the Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield for transition of its ownership from the Department of Defence to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedules to the bill and the portfolio additional estimates statements tabled in the parliament.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.

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