Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) 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. 2) 2013-2014

The purpose of Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2013-2014 is to provide additional funding for the operations of the Department of Parliamentary Services. It is the third and final of the additional estimates appropriation bills being introduced today.

This bill, if passed, would provide the Department of Parliamentary Services with additional funding of $5.4 million to assist in meeting operating expenditure and to maintain the provision of core services to support the operation of parliament. The department's operating expenditure includes responses to recent reviews of its operations, including in relation to the management of capital works and the provision of information, communications and technology services.

Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedule to the bill and the portfolio additional estimates statements for the Department of Parliamentary Services.

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 3) 2013-2014

Today, the government introduces the additional estimates appropriations bills. These bills are:

Appropriation Bill (No.3) 2013-2014

Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2013-2014

Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2013-2014

These bills underpin the government's expenditure decisions, including pre-election commitments, and decisions made in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2013-2014 seeks approval for additional appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of just under $11.6 billion.

I now outline four major items sought in the bill.

First, the bill includes funding to enable the Department of the Treasury to make an $8.8 billion one-off grant to the Reserve Bank of Australia. The grant will strengthen the Reserve Bank's financial position to the level considered appropriate by the board of the Reserve Bank. This will ensure that the Reserve Bank is adequately resourced to conduct its monetary policy and foreign exchange operations in an environment of financial market volatility.

Second, this bill would provide the Department of Immigration and Border Protection almost $750 million. This includes over $400 million for offshore processing of illegal maritime arrivals, and $220 million to address the backlog of illegal maritime arrivals.

Third, this bill would provide the Department of Defence with just over $660 million reflecting four matters. Those are the increased funding for Defence's overseas operations, supplementation for foreign exchange movements, expenditure brought forward into 2013-2014 from the forward estimates, and the re-appropriation between appropriation acts of amounts to better align with Defence's current work programs.

Fourth, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade would receive almost $335 million. The majority of this amount is to administer official development assistance programs from the former AusAID, the functions of which were moved to the department on 1 November 2013.

On more general matters, this bill reflects the current names of government departments, consistent with the Administrative Arrangements Order of 18 September 2013. For example, the bill proposes appropriations for the Department of Industry, instead of the former Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.

Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedule to the bill and the portfolio additional estimates statements tabled in the parliament.

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 4) 2013-2014

Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2013-2014, along with Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2013-2014 which I introduced earlier, and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments Bill (No. 2) 2013 2014, are the additional estimates appropriation bills for this financial year.

This bill seeks further approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of just over $3.2 billion.

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

First, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade would receive just under $2.2 billion once this bill commences as an act. This is primarily to administer official development assistance programmes which moved to the department from AusAID, which was abolished on 1 November 2013.

Second, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection would be provided with almost $400 million for offshore asylum seeker management, including $180 million in capital funding announced in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook. This implements the government's policy commitment to process illegal maritime arrivals offshore.

Third, this bill would provide the Department of Defence with just over $235 million, reflecting three matters. Those are the supplementation for foreign exchange movements, expenditure brought forward into 2013 2014 from the forward estimates, and the re appropriation of amounts between appropriation acts to better align with Defence's current work programmes.

Fourth, the bill provides just over $3.3 million for payments to local government for the Liveable Cities program that is administered by the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development. Whilst this programme has been terminated, these payments represent the final amounts due. As outlined in Schedule 1 of the bill, the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development is responsible for determining the relevant conditions and payments.

Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedules to the bill and the portfolio additional estimates statements tabled in the parliament.

Debate adjourned.