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Tuesday, 2 April 2019
Page: 1528

Mr HAWKE (Mitchell—Special Minister of State) (17:01): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The Supply (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2019-2020 provides appropriations for 2019-20 for the operations of:

the Department of the Senate;

the Department of the House of Representatives;

the Department of Parliamentary Services; and

the Parliamentary Budget Office.

This bill seeks approval for appropriations from the consolidated revenue fund of just over $101 million for parliamentary expenditure for the first part of 2019-20, broadly until the end of November.

The appropriations proposed in this bill are based on five-twelfths of the estimated 2019-20 annual appropriations. The 2019-20 estimates are broadly the 2018-19 base, adjusted for economic and program specific parameters, and the effect of decisions announced as part of the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook or included in the 2018-19 additional estimates appropriation bills.

Supply (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2019-2020must be passed in this session to ensure funding is available to parliamentary departments from 1 July 2019, thereby ensuring the continuity of parliament's operations.

As with the other supply bills, I wish to emphasise that this bill seeks provision only to appropriate money to fund government expenditure on an interim basis until budget appropriation bills have passed. And consistent with convention, supply bills do not include budget measure funding.

This arrangement allows for Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2019-2020,or a similar bill, to be passed in 2019-20 by the next parliament if necessary.

Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedule to the bill and the portfolio budget statements tabled in parliament with the budget appropriation bills.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.

Leave granted for second reading debate to resume at a later hour this day.