Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share 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 speeches read as follows—

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 3) 2021-2022

SECOND READING SPEECH

Today, the Government introduces the Additional Estimates Appropriation Bills. These Bills are:

Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2021-2022

Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2021-2022.

These Bills underpin the Government's expenditure decisions.

Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2021-2022 seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of just over $11.9 billion. These bills ensure there is 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 new 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 payment to the National Disability Insurance Agency to continue to deliver the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). 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 child care 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 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 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 commend this Bill.

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 4) 2021-2022

SECOND READING SPEECH

Appr opriation Bill (No. 4) 2021-2022, along with Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2021-2022, which was introduced earlier, are the Additional Estimates Appropriation Bills for this financial year.

Together, these bills ensure there is sufficient appropriation to cover estimates variations related to existing programs and measures.

This Bill seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of approximately $4.033 billion.

I now outline the most significant items provided for in this Bill.

The Bill proposes $2.493 billion to the Department of Health primarily for the purchase of additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the National Medical Stockpile as part of the Government response to COVID-19. I note that pressure for additional PPE in February and March 2022 is met on an expedited basis using the Appropriation (Coronavirus Response) Bills (No. 1 and 2) 2021-22. Accordingly Bill 4 addresses pressure for additional PPE from the months of April to June 2022.

The Bill provides additional $424 million to the Department of Industry, Science Energy and Resources to support the construction of the Hunter Power Project by Snowy Hydro Limited.

Additional funds are also provided to the Department of Finance to support the final stages of construction of Centres of National Resilience in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. This augments initial funding provided through Advances to the Finance Minister in 2021.

Full details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the Schedule to the Bill and the Portfolio Additional Estimate Statements tabled in the Parliament.

I commend this Bill.