Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians) 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 speec hes read as follows—

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 3) 2022-2023

Today, the Government introduces 2022-23 Additional Estimates Appropriation Bills. These Bills are:

These Bills underpin the Government's expenditure decisions made since the October 2022 Budget that relate to the 2022-23 financial year.

Appropriation Bill 3 seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of $5.5 billion. This would ensure there is sufficient appropriation to cover estimate 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 since the October 2022 Budget.

The Bill provides funding to support the following significant items.

The Department of Defence will receive $1.8 billion. This primarily reflects reclassification of $1.3 billion from capital to operating funding reflecting updated expenditure requirements and supplementation of $172.3 million for foreign exchange losses incurred in 2021-22.

The Social Services portfolio will receive over $1 billion, with the majority of funding provided for the National Disability Insurance Agency to provide reasonable and necessary supports for National Disability Insurance Scheme participants.

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations will receive just under $1 billion, primarily to support apprentices and employers through the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy.

The Department of Health and Aged Care will receive close to $900 million, including $207 million for vaccines and logistics, $182 million to reimburse aged care providers for direct costs related to managing COVID-19 outbreaks and $166 million for administration of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will receive over $235 million to meet the surge in demand for passports following the reopening of international borders and for the design and construction of the Australian Pavilion at the OSAKA World Expo.

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

I commend this Bill to the chamber.

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 4) 2022-2023

This Bill seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of approximately $164 million for the 2022-23 financial year. These appropriations will support the following significant items.

The Department of Defence will receive close to $140 million to reflect updated estimates for foreign exchange exposure.

The Attorney-General's portfolio will receive over $10 million, with approximately $7 million for the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to support the development of a new case management system for a new federal administrative review body.

The Department of Health and Aged Care will receive approximately $10 million, including $7 million to manage COVID-19 vaccine data.

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

I commend this Bill to the chamber.

APPROPRIATION (PARLIAMENTARY DEPARTMENTS) BILL (NO. 2) 2022-2023

Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill 2 provides additional appropriations for the operations of Parliamentary Departments, specifically the Department of the House of Representatives, for the remainder of 2022-23.

This Bill seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of $560,000 for the Department of the House of Representatives to support the transition of IT systems to cloud-based solutions.

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

I commend this Bill to the chamber.

Debate adjourned.

Ordered that the resumption of the debate be made an order of the day for a later hour.