Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Government Service Delivery) 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 BILL (No. 5) 2008-2009

Since the introduction and passage of the nation building and jobs bills, it has become necessary to introduce a further two annual appropriation bills. These bills propose appropriations that complement the Nation Building and Jobs Plan (including implementation costs); they give effect to important elements of the December 2008 nation building plan and they propose appropriations for enhancements to employment and apprenticeship programs and other urgent measures and variations.

The two bills are the Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2008-2009 and the Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2008-2009. I shall introduce the latter bill shortly.

The total additional appropriation being sought through these supplementary additional estimates bills is $2.2 billion, of which $384 million is sought in Appropriation Bill (No. 5).

I will now outline the major items provided for in the bill.

To support and secure the jobs and training of apprentices, trainees and adult workers who are vulnerable to redundancy in the economic downturn and to provide assistance to workers recently retrenched, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations will be provided with funding for a range of measures, including:

• An additional $43.7 million to provide for the increase in the commencements and completion claims under the Australian Apprenticeships system, which provides financial support for employers and their apprentices.
• An additional $38.8 million to assist apprentices and trainees to return to the workforce and maintain their training. Employers and training organisations will also be encouraged to retain apprentices and trainees through an additional payment on completion of training.
• An additional $34 million will be provided to keep 241 ABC Learning centres open until 31 March 2009. The receiver assessed these centres to be unviable under the ABC Learning business model.
• An additional $36.8 million will be provided to ensure that any Australian worker made redundant will receive immediate and personalised assistance to help them get back into the workforce. Rather than having to wait at least three months to receive intensive customised assistance, all newly redundant workers would be entitled to receive this support immediately.
• An additional $70 million to meet an anticipated increase in expenditure against the General Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme. The scheme assists employees who have lost their employment due to the liquidation or bankruptcy of their employer and who are owed certain employee entitlements. The scheme will require this additional amount before May 2009.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government will be provided with an additional $16.4 million in 2008-09 and $195 million in total over two years to implement the East Kimberley Development Package. The package is designed to support economic development in the region through investment in social and common use infrastructure. The contribution is conditional on a joint assessment with the Western Australian government of the most effective infrastructure investments to meet the social and economic development needs of the region. The Western Australian government will match this contribution with an aim of doubling the available irrigated development area from 14,000 to 28,000 hectares to provide for a possible large scale expansion of agriculture. The social infrastructure component of the Package may provide for investment in schools, health, early childhood, aged care and recreational facilities. Common use infrastructure may provide for the development of roads, aeronautical and power infrastructure.

The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs will be provided with funding to double the Emergency Relief Program until 30 June 2011. The additional funding of $11.1 million will enable the community organisations to respond to the expected increase in demand for emergency relief resulting from the recent deterioration in economic conditions.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will receive an additional appropriation of $14.9 million to account for the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations on its ability to make payments to international organisations on behalf of the Australian government.

Appropriations amounting to $68.7 million will be provided to a range of agencies to meet implementation costs associated with the economic stimulus package.

The remaining amounts that appear in Appropriation Bill (No. 5) relate to other estimates variations.

APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 6) 2008-2009

Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2008-2009 provides additional funding for payments of a capital nature, such as for the purchase of administered assets and for payments to the States, Territories and local government authorities.

The total additional appropriation sought in Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2008-2009 is $1.83 billion.

As part of the $4.7 billion Nation Building Package, the Government will provide the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government with $1.189 billion for additional equity in the Australian Rail Track Corporation. The Australian Rail Track Corporation is a wholly owned Commonwealth company and is undertaking a significant infrastructure investment program. This includes 17 projects to improve the reliability and competitiveness of the nation’s rail freight network, including the expansion of capacity along the rail corridors connecting Hunter Valley coal mines to the Port of Newcastle. This expansion of capacity will more than double the amount of coal capable of being transported to port from 97 to 200 million tonnes a year.

The Government also proposes under the Package to bring forward $711 million to invest in building better roads. The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government will be provided with $392 million in 2008-09 for payment to the States, Territories and local government to accelerate the commencement of a number of important projects on the national network and other strategic roads. This will bring forward expenditure on projects including the Bulahdelah Bypass on the Pacific Highway, Melbourne’s Western Ring Road, the Douglas arterial on the Bruce Highway in Townsville, Adelaide’s Northern Expressway and the Brighton Bypass on the Midland Highway in Tasmania. The payment to the States also includes an additional $60 million investment this year in the highly successful road safety Black Spots program.

Consistent with the agreement reached with the minor parties during the passage of the Nation Building and Jobs Plan, the Government proposes to bring forward expenditure totalling $500 million over four years beginning in 2008-09 to assist in expediting the return of water to the environment and deliver long-term benefits to the Murray Darling Basin. The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts will be provided $250 million in 2008-09 for this purpose. The Government considers that this is the maximum pace of water recovery that can be pursued without causing unnecessary disruption to the water market, and without compromising the amount of water that can be returned to the rivers over time.

Debate (on motion by Senator Arbib) adjourned.