Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to 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 (PARLIAMENTARY DEPARTMENTS) BILL (No. 1) 2007-2008

The purpose of the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2007-2008 is to provide funding for the operations of the three Parliamentary Departments.

The total appropriation sought through this Bill is $170.7 million. Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the Schedule to the Bill.

The redundant “Departmental items adjustment” provision has also been removed from the Bill.  This provision has never been exercised.

I commend the Bill to the Senate.

APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 1) 2007-2008

It is with great pleasure that I introduce Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2007-2008, which, together with Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2007-2008, is one of the principal pieces of legislation underpinning the third Budget of the fourth term of the Coalition Government.

Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2007-2008 seeks authority for meeting the expenses of the ordinary annual services of Government.

This Bill seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund totalling approximately $59 billion.

Details of the proposed appropriations are set out in Schedule 1 to the Bill, the main features of which were outlined in the Treasurer’s Budget speech on 8 May 2007.

We have taken the opportunity to remove a redundant provision from Appropriation Bills Nos. 1 and 2 and the Parliamentary Departments Appropriation Bill No. 1. The Departmental Items Adjustments and other similar provisions will no longer be required in the annual appropriation Bills. These sections were originally included to smooth the transition to the accrual arrangements implemented in 1999-2000. They have not been exercised for some five years and are no longer required.

I commend the Bill to the Senate.

APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 2) 2007-2008

It is with great pleasure that I introduce Appropriation Bill (NO. 2) 2007-2008, which, together with Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2007-2008, is one of the principal pieces of legislation underpinning the third Budget of the fourth term of the Coalition Government.

Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2007-2008 proposes appropriations for agencies to meet:

• expenses in relation to grants to the States under section 96 of the Constitution and for payments to the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory and local government authorities;
• administered expenses for new outcomes;
• requirements for departmental equity injections, loans and previous years’ outputs; and
• requirements to create or acquire administered assets and to discharge administered liabilities.

Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2007-2008 seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund totalling $10,133.4 million.

The Bill includes a minor technical change to section 14 to streamline ministerial determinations that are made on payments to the states, territories and local government authorities. The change will enable payments to be made without the mandatory ministerial determination on the amount and timing. The provision otherwise is unaltered and determinations may be issued if required.

The redundant “Departmental items adjustment” provision has also been removed from the Bill. The provision has not been exercised for some five years and is no longer required.

Details of the proposed appropriations are set out in Schedule 2 to the Bill, the main features of which were outlined in the Treasurer’s Budget speech on 8 May 2007.

I commend the Bill to the Senate.

APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 5) 2006-2007

It is with great pleasure that I introduce Appropriation Bill (NO. 5) 2006-2007.

There are two Supplementary Additional Estimates Bills: Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2006-2007, and Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2006-2007. I shall introduce the latter Bill shortly.

These Bills seek authority for supplementary appropriation from the Consolidated Revenue Fund in the current financial year, to pay for important initiatives agreed by the Government since the Additional Estimates 2006-2007.

The total appropriation being sought through the Supplementary Additional Estimates Bills is approximately $814.0 million, with $554.8 million being sought in Bill 5.

I now outline the major items provided for in the Bill.

• An increase of $66.3 million will be made available to the Department of Education, Science and Training to provide:
• $50 million to the Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Programme for infrastructure investment to existing non-government schools, particularly those in remote and regional areas that accommodate significant numbers of Indigenous students: and
• $50 million to the Synchrotron facility to support its ongoing operations, subject to the Victorian State Government matching this funding.
• These funding increases are partially offset by savings in 2006-07 of $33.7 million in other programmes.
• An additional $435.8 million will be provided to the Department of Health and Ageing to fund a variety of development and expansion projects by medical research facilities.  This measure will enhance the capacity and quality of Australia’s health and medical research efforts and assist Australian researchers to continue high quality world-class research.  The major items of funding include:
• $100 million for the Princess Alexandra Hospital and University of Queensland;
• $100 million for the Western Australian Institutes for Health;
• $55 million for the Queensland Institute of Medical Research;
• $50 million for the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Victoria; and
• $30 million for the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute in New South Wales.

The balance of the amount in Appropriation Bill (No. 5) relate to estimates variations and other minor measures.

I commend the Bill to the Senate.

APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 6) 2006-2007

Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2006-2007 requests additional funding for agencies to meet:

• expenses in relation to grants to the States under section 96 of the Constitution and for payments to the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory and local government authorities; and
• non-operating requirements in the form of departmental equity injections.

Total additional appropriation of around $259.2 million is proposed in Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2006-2007.

The supplementary appropriation is required to fund an important initiative during the current financial year that has been agreed by the Government since the Additional Estimates 2006-2007. The initiative involves an additional $250 million to the Department of Transport and Regional Services for the AusLink Strategic Regional Programme. This funding increase is partially offset by savings in other programmes.

The balance of the amount in Appropriation Bill (No. 6) relate to estimates variations, and other minor measures.

Appropriation Bill (No. 6) includes the same minor technical change to section 14 that has been made to Appropriation Bill (No. 2).

I commend the Bill to the Senate.

Debate (on motion by Senator Abetz) adjourned.