Michael Sukkar (Deakin, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

SUKKAR (—) (): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Today the government introduces the additional estimates appropriation bills. These bills are the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2021-22 and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2021-2022. These bills underpin the government's expenditure decisions.

Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2021-22 seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of just over $11.9 billion. These bills ensure there is a sufficient appropriation to cover estimates variations related to existing programs—for instance, changes in costs for demand-driven programs.

These bills also pay for the first-year costs for measures announced in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook and subsequently announced measures.

Importantly these bills also provide additional funding to support the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic through purchases of additional personal protective equipment for the National Medical Stockpile and the national COVID-19 vaccine rollout, reflecting the latest health advice about dosage intervals. Through this bill the Department of Health will receive nearly $2.9 billion, the majority of which is for COVID-19 response programs, and a further $741 million of additional funding support for senior Australians.

The bill also provides $2.8 billion in additional funding to the Department of Social Services for payments to the National Disability Insurance Agency to continue to deliver the National Disability Insurance Scheme. This increased NDIS funding ensures that those individuals with permanent and significant disability receive reasonable and necessary support to build capacity, increase independence and establish stronger connections with their community.

The Department of Education, Skills and Employment will receive an additional $1.4 billion across a range of programs, including an additional $73.9 million to support the childcare sector, $102.4 million to support jobs in the post-pandemic economic recovery and a further $1.096 billion to support vocational education and training.

The Department of Defence, meanwhile, will receive nearly $1.3 billion. This additional funding is primarily to support the implementation of recent government decisions on defence capability and to continue the Australian Defence Force's support for the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Full details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedule to the bill and the portfolio additional estimates statements tabled in the parliament. I therefore commend the bill.

Debate adjourned.

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