Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2016-2017, along with Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2016-2017, which was introduced just moments ago, and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2016-2017, form the principal bills underpinning the government's budget. Together with the supply acts passed by the parliament earlier this year, these bills provide appropriations for the full year of 2016-17.

These bills are substantively the same as the bills of the same names that were introduced into the previous parliament in May this year. Minor changes have been made to reflect only new administrative arrangements and machinery of government changes.

Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2016-2017 seeks authority for appropriations that are not for the ordinary annual services of government for 2016-17, such as for capital works and services and payments to states, territories and local governments.

This bill seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of just under $9 billion.

The provisions in the bill seek authority for appropriations broadly equivalent to 7/12ths of the estimated 2016-17 annual appropriations, plus budget measures. Together with Supply Act (No. 2) 2016-2017, this bill provides appropriations that are not for the ordinary annual services of government for the full year of 2016-17.

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

First, the Department of Communications and the Arts would receive just under $4.9 billion in 2016-17. This is required to provide equity funding to NBN Co. to continue to roll out the national broadband network.

Second, the Department of Defence would receive just under $1.4 billion, which includes an additional $700 million in 2016-17, to support the defence strategy and capability plans detailed in the 2016 defence white paper.

Third, the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development would receive just under $544 million in 2016-17. This would be used to support Roads to Recovery to help local governments and councils maintain Australia's roads; drought communities programs; preparatory works on Western Sydney Airport; and, an equity injection for the Moorebank Intermodal Company.

Fourth, just over $310 million is proposed for the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. This includes $50 million in concessional loan funding in 2016-17 to establish the National Water Infrastructure Loan Facility. Loans would be provided to the states and territories to support major water infrastructure projects.

The bill also provides the debit limit for the Nation-building Funds, the Building Australia Fund and the Education Investment Fund; the general purpose financial assistance payments; and, the national partnership payments. The debit limits relate to the estimated expenditure after November 2016.

Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedules to the bill and the portfolio budget statements previously tabled in the parliament. I thank the House.

Debate adjourned.