Too little relief from rising costs
Critics argued the bill backed a budget that failed to do enough about inflation, interest rates, power bills and broader household cost-of-living pressure, leaving families and businesses exposed.
Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023
Current status
This bill became law on Nov 30th, 2022.
Policy area
Budget, tax & economy
What does this bill do?
The Act approves $10.02674 billion for the Australian Government’s ordinary yearly operations in 2022-23, covering spending across departments and agencies named in Schedule 1.
Why was it introduced?
The March 2022 Supply ActsThese are short-term funding laws that keep the government operating when the full-year budget bills are not yet in place. only funded the first five months of 2022-23 before Parliament was dissolved for the federal election, leaving the rest of the year's ordinary government spending unfunded. This bill provides the full-year money for departments and programs, including new portfolio arrangements from 1 July 2022.
Broader context
In March 2022, Parliament passed Supply ActsThese are short-term funding laws that keep the government operating when the full-year budget bills are not yet in place. that kept the government running for only the first five months of 2022-23 because the federal election would dissolve Parliament before the usual full-year appropriations could be passed. After new portfolio arrangements took effect on 1 July 2022 and the Albanese government brought down its first budget in October, this bill supplied the rest of the year's ordinary funding for departments and programs, then completed passage and received Royal AssentThis is the formal step where the Governor-General signs the bill and it becomes law. at the end of November 2022.
Key criticism
The main case against the bill was that this budget spending package did not do enough to reduce inflation and cost-of-living pressure, while also shortchanging some areas such as digital policy, online safety and regional infrastructure. These objections were raised mainly by Coalition speakers, and several critics still said the bill should pass while arguing the broader budget settings were inadequate.
Who supported it?
Minister MP introduced this bill. It passed on the voices.
Introduced in House 25 Oct 2022
Passed House 24 Nov 2022
Passed Senate 28 Nov 2022
Became law 30 Nov 2022
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 30 Nov 2022
Final passage
Passed without a counted vote
1 recorded amendment or procedural vote was found, but no counted vote on the bill itself was recorded.
Passage speed
36 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
What does this bill do?
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The Act approves $10.02674 billion for the Australian Government’s ordinary yearly operations in 2022-23, covering spending across departments and agencies named in Schedule 1.
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Australian Government departments can use their departmental allocations for their own running costs, including staff, suppliers and smaller assets needed to do their work.
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Money set aside for government-managed programs must be spent on the specific results those programs are meant to deliver, such as grants, benefits and other transfer payments.
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The Finance Minister can add urgent extra funding during 2022-23 of up to $400 million for any purpose, plus another $2 billion for COVID-19, natural disasters or national emergencies.
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The Act lets money from an approved item be moved into a special accountThis is a dedicated government account that money can be moved into when the funds have the same purpose. when that account covers the same purpose, so agencies can channel funding through dedicated accounts.
Show source excerpts
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The total of the items specified in Schedule 1 is $10,026,740,000.
Appropriation Act (No. 1) 2022-2023 final Act text -
Departmental items involve costs over which a non-corporate entity has control. Departmental appropriations can be used to make any payment related to the functions of the non-corporate entity including on purposes covered by other items whether or not they are in the Act for an entity. Expenditure typically covered by departmental items includes:
Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023 explanatory memorandum -
Administered items are those administered by a non-corporate entity on behalf of the Government (e.g. certain grants, benefits and transfer payments). These payments are usually made pursuant to eligibility rules and conditions established by the Government or the Parliament. Specifically, administered items are tied to outcomes (departmental items are not).
Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023 explanatory memorandum -
Subclause 10(3) provides that the total amount that can be determined under the AFM provisions in the Bill, if enacted, would be $2,400 million. Out of this amount, $400 million can be allocated for any purpose. The remaining amount of $2,000 million is statutorily limited to expenditure for the purposes of responding to the COVID-19, or an event that the Finance Minister is satisfied is a natural disaster, or circumstances that the Finance Minister is satisfied is a national emergency.
Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023 explanatory memorandum -
If any of the purposes of a special account is a purpose that is covered by an item (whether or not the item expressly refers to the special account), then amounts may be debited against the appropriation for that item and credited to that special account.
Appropriation Act (No. 1) 2022-2023 final Act text
Context
Broader context for this bill
In March 2022, Parliament passed Supply ActsThese are short-term funding laws that keep the government operating when the full-year budget bills are not yet in place. that kept the government running for only the first five months of 2022-23 because the federal election would dissolve Parliament before the usual full-year appropriations could be passed. After new portfolio arrangements took effect on 1 July 2022 and the Albanese government brought down its first budget in October, this bill supplied the rest of the year's ordinary funding for departments and programs, then completed passage and received Royal AssentThis is the formal step where the Governor-General signs the bill and it becomes law. at the end of November 2022.
- Mar 2022
Supply ActsThese are short-term funding laws that keep the government operating when the full-year budget bills are not yet in place. fund only the first five months of 2022-23
The March 2022 Supply ActsThese are short-term funding laws that keep the government operating when the full-year budget bills are not yet in place. provided interim money before the federal election, leaving the rest of the year's ordinary government spending to be funded later.
Explanatory memorandum ↗ - 01 July 2022
New portfolio arrangements begin for the 2022-23 year
The full-year appropriation needed to reflect machinery-of-government changes that applied from the start of the financial year.
Explanatory memorandum ↗ - 25 Oct 2022
Government introduces the bill to fund the rest of 2022-23
The government presented the bill after the budget to provide the ordinary annual services funding that had not been covered by the earlier Supply ActsThese are short-term funding laws that keep the government operating when the full-year budget bills are not yet in place..
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 24 Nov 2022
House passes the bill
Third reading in the House completed passage through the chamber after debate on the budget's spending priorities.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 28 Nov 2022
Parliament passes the bill
Both houses agreed to the bill in the same form, clearing the way for the remaining 2022-23 appropriations to become law.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 30 Nov 2022
Royal AssentThis is the formal step where the Governor-General signs the bill and it becomes law. makes the appropriations law
Royal AssentThis is the formal step where the Governor-General signs the bill and it becomes law. turned the bill into an Act authorising the ordinary annual services spending for 2022-23.
Parliamentary timeline ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced 25 Oct 2022
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 25 Oct 2022
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Sent to Federation Chamber for debate 08 Nov 2022
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Referred to Federation Chamber
Second reading debate 09 Nov 2022
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Returned to House for further debate 21 Nov 2022
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Second reading debate 21 Nov 2022
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Sent to Federation Chamber for debate 21 Nov 2022
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Referred to Federation Chamber
Second reading debate 22 Nov 2022
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House second reading agreed 23 Nov 2022
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
Consideration in detail 23 Nov 2022
The chamber considered the bill in detail and dealt with amendments before the next stage.
Consideration in detail debate
Consideration in detail 24 Nov 2022
The chamber considered the bill in detail and dealt with amendments before the next stage.
Consideration in detail debate
Returned from Federation Chamber 24 Nov 2022
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Reported from Federation Chamber
House third reading agreed 24 Nov 2022
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Introduced 25 Nov 2022
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 25 Nov 2022
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Second reading debate 28 Nov 2022
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate second reading agreed 28 Nov 2022
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
Senate third reading agreed 28 Nov 2022
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Passed both houses 28 Nov 2022
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
Assent 30 Nov 2022
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThis is the formal step where the Governor-General signs the bill and it becomes law., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
The main case against the bill was that this budget spending package did not do enough to reduce inflation and cost-of-living pressure, while also shortchanging some areas such as digital policy, online safety and regional infrastructure. These objections were raised mainly by Coalition speakers, and several critics still said the bill should pass while arguing the broader budget settings were inadequate.
Criticism was real but mostly targeted the budget’s priorities and adequacy, not the basic need to appropriate funds.
Wrong spending priorities in digital and regional areas
Some opponents said the bill reflected poor budget priorities by cutting or neglecting support for the digital economy, visa processing, online safety, and rural or regional infrastructure and services.
Not enough long-term reform
Crossbench supporters warned the bill relied too much on short-term measures and avoided harder long-term choices on tax, decarbonisation, deficits, housing transparency and fossil fuel subsidies.
Further sources
Votes
Recorded votes
How the bill itself passed
The bill passed both chambers on the voices. The counted divisions below were about amendments or procedure, not final passage.
Passed House passed the bill
House agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed
House passed the bill
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Passed Senate passed the bill
Senate agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed
Senate passed the bill
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Amendments at a glance
Recorded amendment and procedural votes grouped by chamber. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.
Senate
Defeated Cut Middle Arm precinct funding
Defeated 13 to 24. Support came from Greens and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, One Nation, and minor parties and independents.
Defeated
Cut Middle Arm precinct funding
This was an attempt to strip Middle Arm funding from the appropriation bill. Its defeat left the government's funding provision intact.
Party Aye / No
Greens 12 / 0
Labor 0 / 11
Liberal Party 0 / 6
Unknown 0 / 6
Independent 1 / 0
One Nation 0 / 1
These are amendment votes, not the final passage vote on the bill itself. The bill passed both chambers on the voices.
Parliamentary debate
Who spoke, and what they said
Start here — lead voices
Sponsor speech Unclear
Minister
The minister is recorded as moving the second reading, but this extract contains no substantive remarks about the bill, so their position cannot be assessed from the text alone.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead opposing voice Opposes
Sam Birrell
Sam Birrell opposes the bill because he says the budget is a missed opportunity for regional Australia and does not replace the regional programs and projects it has cut.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead supporting voice Supports
Jim Chalmers
Chalmers supports the bill, presenting it as a responsible budget that is right for the times and prepares Australia for the future.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead non-major voice Supports
Kate Chaney
Chaney supports the appropriation bill as a generally sensible budget, but says the government must keep pushing longer term reform, especially on tax and decarbonisation, rather than relying on short term fixes.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Labor
24 speakers · 26 contributions · 24 support
Labor
24 speakers · 26 contributions · 24 support
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Jim Chalmers ★ Chalmers supports the bill, presenting it as a responsible budget that is right for the times and prepares Australia for the future.
“This is a responsible budget that is right for the times and readies us for the future.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Emma McBride McBride supports the bill, saying it delivers Labor's first budget commitments and starts repairing years of neglect under the previous government.
“I am pleased to speak on the three appropriation bills relating to our first budget—Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023, Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023. Our budget delivers on our election commitments and begins the process of repairing the near-decade of neglect under the previous government. Since the election we've gotten straight to work, delivering on our commitments across Australia and in my community on the Central Coast of New South Wales.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Louise Miller-Frost Louise Miller-Frost supports the appropriation bill and says the budget delivers on Labor's commitments after nine years of poor decisions by the previous government.
“I rise today to speak to the government's appropriation bill cognate debate. Budgets are about decisions. Unsurprisingly, this government is making different decisions to the last one. I'm delighted to speak on these bills because it has been nine long years that Australians—and I know the people of Boothby feel this—have had to sit through the missed opportunities and shortsighted politicking of the previous government's lacklustre budgets. This budget continues the mission and guiding principle of this government: to deliver on the commitments we made to the Australian people.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Shayne Neumann Neumann supports the appropriation bill, saying it delivers Labor's election commitments and funds cost-of-living relief, infrastructure, housing, education, and local projects in his electorate.
“So I'm very pleased to support this appropriations legislation. It fulfils just so many of the commitments I made during the course of this campaign. And I thank the Treasurer, my friend the member for Rankin, for the work he does.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Andrew Leigh Leigh supports the bill and says it reflects Labor's investments in climate action, housing, education and the national capital.
“The Appropriations Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023 deals with investments in Australia, including investments in the national capital. After the previous budget, which saw the ACT get just one-fifth of our fair share of infrastructure spending, this budget ensured that the ACT received our decent share of infrastructure spending.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Alison Byrnes Byrnes supports the bill and presents it as a responsible Labor budget that delivers cost-of-living relief, invests in housing, health, skills and regional projects, and helps repair the budget.
“With this budget, we are investing in Australians. We are taking responsible action to ease cost-of-living pressures, build the economy and repair the budget over the long term. It is only through responsible budget management that we can pay for the things Australians care about and build a better future.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Rob Mitchell Rob Mitchell supports the bill, saying it delivers Labor's election commitments and provides sensible, realistic funding for regional infrastructure, cost of living relief and veterans.
“I proudly rise to support Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023, with Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023, representing a sensible and realistic path for Australia's economic future. The bill delivers on the key promises that Labor took to the election—important commitments like cheaper child care, cheaper medications and investment in infrastructure.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Madeleine King King supports the appropriation bill because it delivers the Albanese government's first budget, especially cheaper child care and cost-of-living relief for families in her electorate.
“The Albanese government's first budget delivers for the people of Brand and will ensure that no one is left behind. The Albanese government will deliver cheaper child care for the people of Brand.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Josh Burns Burns supports the bill and says it is a responsible Labor budget that helps bring down inflation, backs wage growth, and funds Labor election commitments.
“We made a number of election commitments, and I'm really looking forward to delivering them. This budget is responsible. This budget builds on our election commitments that we made, and the Australian people gave us the real privilege of being in government to try to help deliver on them. And this budget also aligns fiscal and monetary policy to try to ensure inflation is brought down as quickly as possible. It complements our work to increase wages in this country. It is the budget that Australians need, and I'm proud it's the budget we are delivering. The first Labor budget in over a decade; hopefully, we will have many more in the decades to come.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Patrick Gorman Patrick Gorman says he supports the bill because it delivers the Albanese government's budget measures, including cheaper child care, lower medicine costs, more housing support and major investment in skills, wages and infrastructure.
“I might start concluding my remarks by noting that I am able to support this budget, and all of us are able to come and put our views on these appropriation bills—and, indeed, every piece of legislation that's put before us—because of the support of so many. No-one makes into this place on their own. I want to say thank you to my campaign team. I can vote for this Labor budget because of them. I also recognise that they are people who tend to be pretty honest with you. They tell you when you're doing well, and they tell you when you can do better. For that, I'm grateful as well. I thank my campaign team who supported me all the way up to 21 May, six months ago today. I want to say a huge thankyou to Dylan, Marissa, Kiani, Aoife, Beth, Daniel, Mike, Ebony, Callum, Megyn and Naomi, who formed the core of that team. They sent me out doorknocking when I didn't want to. They sent me out phone banking when I didn't want to. They also sent me out doorknocking when I did want to. They are all passionate people who believe in the cause of Labor. They recognise that the mission of Labor in government is not to hold anyone back but also not to leave anyone behind.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Carina Garland Garland supports the bill and says it shows Labor is delivering on its election promises and investing in practical benefits for her community.
“I'm delighted to speak in support of this bill, Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023, because this bill shows that Labor were really serious in the election about working with communities to build a better future for all Australians. I know that my community of Chisholm in Melbourne will benefit from the changes and commitments an Albanese Labor government is making in the budget in so many different ways. Whether you're a student, a young person, a parent, someone who relies on medicines, someone involved in a local sporting club or a resident who values community safety and infrastructure, our budget is delivering for you, your family and your neighbours in Chisholm.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Jenny McAllister McAllister supports the bill and says it is part of the Albanese Labor Government's October 2022 Budget, which she describes as responsible, delivers election commitments, and provides targeted cost-of-living relief and investment in Australia's future.
“It is a responsible budget that delivers on the Albanese Labor Government's election commitments, delivering targeted cost-of-living relief and investing in Australia's future.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Alicia Payne Alicia Payne strongly supports the bill and presents it as the Labor government's budget for rebuilding services, lifting wages, and investing in climate action, housing, child care, and jobs.
“I'm very proud today to rise to speak on the appropriation bills of 2022-23 and on the Labor government's budget and the many things that it invests in for our nation and for the Australian people.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Brian Mitchell Mitchell supports the bill and says it delivers a responsible first budget that provides cost-of-living relief, invests in services and infrastructure, and starts repairing the budget.
“This budget delivers for Lyons, it delivers for Tasmania and it delivers for Australia. It's responsible, it's right for the times and it sets Australia up for the future. I commend this bill to the House.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Luke Gosling Luke Gosling strongly supports the appropriation bill, saying the Albanese Labor government is using the budget to invest in the Northern Territory through infrastructure, water security, roads, skills, health and community projects.
“There was so much in our government's first budget for the Northern Territory and so much that underlines the understanding that, by investing in infrastructure, skills and our local communities, we will build not only a better Northern Territory but a better Australia, and the regions of the Northern Territory are so important in that aim.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Joanne Ryan Ryan supports the bill and says it delivers the Albanese Labor government's first budget, which she argues backs cost-of-living relief, renewable energy, Medicare, cheaper medicines, education, child care and local infrastructure.
“It's an important budget. It's a budget that puts down the indicators, if you like, and sets out the priorities of the Albanese Labor government. It's about bringing people together. It is about people coming together to look forward. It's a budget with a vision for the future. It's a budget that serves communities like mine as much as it serves communities across this country. It's a budget with attention to the regions as well as to the metropolitan areas. It's a budget that understands the way Australians live their lives. It's a budget that understands aspiration and doesn't punish it. It's a budget that understands that workers need a pay rise. It's a budget that delivers for all Australians.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Sharon Claydon Sharon Claydon supports the appropriation bill because it funds Labor's agenda, including cheaper child care, health services, housing, climate action and local projects for Newcastle.
“Newcastle was overlooked by the former coalition government for nearly a decade. Now Labor is getting on with the big reforms that will change lives and the local projects that will help shape Newcastle's future. We're delivering on commitments that we made to the Australian people, including cheaper child care. More than 7,300 families in Newcastle stand to benefit directly from those changes. We're expanding paid parental leave to 26 weeks and remedying gross anomalies that, perversely, have disincentivised some parents from being able to take leave because they haven't fitted the traditional model of a family unit. We have now made massive investments into social and affordable housing. There is perhaps no issue that concentrates the minds of people in my community more than the fact that we are seeing generations of Novocastrians being priced out of homeownership and increased levels of homelessness, particularly amongst vulnerable people in our communities. We are delivering on long-overdue climate action and we are delivering cheaper medicines and accessible health services. We are less than six months into government and we are not wasting a second.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Matt Keogh Keogh supports the appropriation bill and argues it delivers the government's budget commitments, especially for veterans, families, housing, infrastructure and cost-of-living relief.
“These are just some of the measures from our budget that we've delivered since coming into government. They show how committed the Albanese Labor government is to delivering a better future for our nation.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Anne Stanley Stanley supports the bill as the Albanese government's first budget, saying it delivers cost-of-living relief, more investment in health, child care, skills and manufacturing, and starts repairing trust in government after nine years of waste.
“The Australian people want a government that provides solutions, that works for them and that takes responsibility and acts, and this is what our first budget does. It keeps the promises made to the Australian people and begins the process of repairing their trust in government. I commend the bill to the House.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Amanda Rishworth 2 contributions Rishworth supports the appropriation bill and says it delivers a responsible budget focused on productivity, cost-of-living help and targeted investment in services, health and local infrastructure.
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Amanda Rishworth on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Rishworth supports the appropriation bill and says it delivers a responsible budget focused on productivity, cost-of-living help and targeted investment in services, health and local infrastructure. She commends it because she says it is right for the times and does not worsen inflation.
“This was a budget that not only delivered nationally but also delivered locally. It was a budget right for the times that was about economic productivity, growing our economy in a responsible way and not adding to that difficult problem of inflation that we are currently facing and that has made it difficult for families. This was responsible and it was right. I commend the budget to the House.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗Second reading speech
Rishworth supports the bill, saying Labor's first budget is a responsible response to a difficult economic time that begins budget repair while funding childcare, health, cheaper energy, housing and wage growth. She argues the spending is targeted and aimed at building a better future rather than repeating the previous government's debt without lasting returns.
“This is a budget that starts the all-important budget repair task but also, importantly, makes those investments that are so important at this time to start that building, that economic investment, that economic reform that's so desperately needed in this country.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗ -
Meryl Swanson Swanson supports the appropriation bill and says it sets up a better future by backing higher wages, cheaper child care, aged care, housing and education.
“My great hope and my great aspiration in supporting this appropriation bill is that we are paving the way for the next 10 years in Australia so that we can look back in another 10 years time and say that we've done a better job, we didn't waste those 10 years and we set our country up not only to be more prosperous but also to be more considerate and to be a happier place and a healthier place that rewards all Australians.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Anika Wells Wells supports the bill, saying it delivers the first Labor budget in almost a decade and backs the government’s promises on cost-of-living relief and reform.
“This budget is about delivering cost-of-living relief and genuine reform to help make medicines cheaper, to increase paid parental leave, to reduce child education costs, to reduce our impact on the environment and to encourage women and girls to enjoy sport in a safe environment at last.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Marion Scrymgour 2 contributions Scrymgour strongly supports the bill, saying it delivers a record $2.5 billion infrastructure investment for the Northern Territory, especially roads and connectivity for remote communities.
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Marion Scrymgour on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Scrymgour backs the appropriation bill because she says the budget will deliver practical cost-of-living help, including cheaper child care, medicines and more affordable housing. She also highlights extra funding for remote homelands in the Northern Territory as an important step for her electorate.
“I cannot overstate just how beneficial this budget will be to communities back home. Cheaper child care will mean that families and working parents will have much-needed cost-of-living relief.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗Second reading speech
Scrymgour strongly supports the bill, saying it delivers a record $2.5 billion infrastructure investment for the Northern Territory, especially roads and connectivity for remote communities. She argues the funding will address long neglected social and economic problems and wants it delivered quickly.
“During the election, I did say and the mantra was that the Territory always does better under a Labor government. Many may scoff, but when you've lived in the Territory—I was born there and I've never left the Territory—you see $2.5 billion investment in infrastructure, and not just any infrastructure but road connectivity, information technology, mobile phones and mobile connectivity, is really important in terms of this budget. People often talk about regional Australia. This is a great budget in the Northern Territory, not just for regional communities but also because it will provide infrastructure and needed connectivity for remote Aboriginal communities that have suffered. I know that members opposite don't like to hear it, but they have suffered in the Northern Territory over the last 10 years under a Coalition government. So it was great to see the investment from the Labor government of $2.5 billion—the biggest investment ever of any government into infrastructure in the Northern Territory. I am proud to stand up and applaud the Labor government, because those communities that are benefiting from all that needed infrastructure certainly have been singing the praises of the government for delivering on that.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗ -
Tim Ayres Ayres supports the bill and says it is part of the October 2022 budget that delivers Labor's election commitments, cost-of-living relief and investment in Australia's future.
“I commend the appropriation bills to the Senate, and I look forward to the Senate's support.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Coalition
19 speakers · 5 support · 12 oppose · 2 unclear
Coalition
19 speakers · 5 support · 12 oppose · 2 unclear
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Angus Taylor Taylor says the opposition will support the bill and the related appropriation bills, but argues the budget is a missed opportunity because it does too little to ease inflation, interest rates and cost-of-living pressure.
“I rise to speak on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023 and cognate bills and note that the opposition supports the passage of these bills. It has been a bipartisan approach for many decades to offer support to these bills. I would note, however, that supporting the bills doesn't mean that we support all the measures contained within them.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Paul Fletcher Fletcher criticises the budget’s digital-economy approach, saying the government has not matched the previous government’s commitment to tech jobs, skilled migration and digital services.
“I would certainly hope, in Australia's national interest, that the present government would show a similar commitment to the digital economy. But, unfortunately, that is not the case.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Sam Birrell ★ Sam Birrell opposes the bill because he says the budget is a missed opportunity for regional Australia and does not replace the regional programs and projects it has cut.
“That's what I wanted to see in this budget, and I didn't see it. Instead, the programs and buckets of money that I was hoping to work with constructively up here, to develop regional Australia, I've seen them go and I haven't seen them replaced with anything. For me, that's the real disappointment. I also want to work constructively with businesses in the manufacturing sector in the Goulburn Valley who want to work constructively on new, lower-emissions energy sources, because I share the desire to reduce our emissions. There were businesses, such as SPC and others, who wanted to dip into the Regional Accelerator Program and look at taking some of their energy use off the grid and develop biogas. There were a whole suite of programs. It's gone now. I think it's a missed opportunity, and I hope we can reconsider and work together towards properly funded regional development.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Aaron Violi Aaron Violi opposes the bill, saying the budget misses the mark on the cost of living and fails to deliver immediate help for Australians.
“This budget is a disgrace. It does nothing for the residents of Casey. It leaves us abandoned.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
David Coleman David Coleman opposes the bill, saying it delivers more debt and will lead to higher taxes while failing to fix key spending priorities.
“It's not a good budget for Australia. It means greater debt, it'll lead to more taxes, and it's the wrong budget for this country.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Henry Pike Henry Pike opposes the appropriation bill, saying Labor's budget does nothing for cost of living, will add inflationary pressure, and fails to honour commitments to his electorate.
“This budget does nothing to assist household budgets. In fact, the spending contained in the budget will simply create more inflationary pressure at a time when we can least afford it. There is no credible plan to deal with the sources of inflation or to help families deal with immediate cost-of-living pressures.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Keith Wolahan Wolahan opposes the bill, arguing that the budget fails to deliver real relief for families facing rising inflation, mortgage stress and living costs.
“The Albanese government needs to recognise they are not in opposition anymore. They were a very effective opposition; that's why they get to sit over there. But they're not there anymore. They need to take responsibility for balancing sustained growth with ever increasing inflation. I am disappointed to see that there is no immediate relief in sight for families. Between a combination of surging inflation and rising interest rates, average wage earners will be $5,000 a year worse off. Even worse, mortgage holders will on average be up to $13,000 a year out of pocket. This budget fails to deliver not only on a macro level but also on a micro level within particular seats. I've listened to many of my colleagues speak about projects they were expecting to see in this budget, projects they fought hard for, and then, when they opened the budget papers: whoosh, gone, not there.”
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Colin Boyce Boyce opposes the appropriation bill, saying the budget does little for his electorate and leaves families worse off on cost of living, energy, and housing pressures.
“Unfortunately this budget does nothing to address it. The average family is set to be worse off by at least $2,000 by Christmas. Grocery prices are eight per cent higher, not just because of natural disasters but also because of Labor-made disasters—scrapping, for example, ag visas.”
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Garth Hamilton Garth Hamilton opposes the appropriation bill because he says the budget is a missed opportunity that does little for Groom and fails to deal with cost-of-living pressures.
“We are in a time of high cost-of-living pressures. Inflation is rising and interest rates are going up. Across the board, this pressure is being felt. This budget makes for a very good op-ed by the Treasurer; it's full of excellent commentary on the problems that we are faced with across the country. In fact, if we look at the whole commentary and delivery of this from the government, we see they spend a lot of time admiring the problem but not as much time addressing it. I guess when we talk about this budget being a missed opportunity, that's the context we're seeing it in. There are significant pressures being faced by Australians in almost every area in which they turn. And we need to see that plan.”
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Jenny Ware Jenny Ware opposes the bill, arguing it fails to address the cost of living, rising energy prices, housing pressure and small business costs.
“Fundamentally, this bill does not address the integral issue which is facing our nation—the rapidly accelerating cost of living. This is now out of control. It does not even attempt to address Labor's own assumptions in its budget around rising inflation, rising interest rates and higher energy prices. I have been inundated by concerned Australians within my electorate of Hughes around these issues and other cost-of-living pressures.”
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David Gillespie Gillespie supports the bill overall because it includes rural health measures the coalition had already backed, but he argues Labor has mostly copied earlier coalition policies and should have done more for rural and regional services.
“In the last government we started the concept of having a single employer during general practice training, and we plan to expand that, because many people in salaried jobs in hospitals are very loath to leave the security of a salary with all the added benefits like maternity leave, holiday pay, superannuation payments—all those other conditions that you get with salaried employment in public health. When you become a general practice registrar you lose those and you take a pay cut, and they wonder why only 15 per cent of med students plan to go into general practice. That's why it was so important to increase the payments for rural GPs, and I'm glad that the assistant minister responsible honoured their commitment to bringing in these programs, but I would have liked more volume in that assistance.”
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Michael Sukkar Michael Sukkar opposes the appropriation bill, saying the budget behind it is a "stinker" that will worsen inflation, interest rates and household costs.
“I think it's pretty clear this was a stinker—an absolute shocker of a budget. We know that it's been an absolute stinker, because the Labor Party do not want to talk about this budget.”
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Anne Webster Webster opposes the appropriation bill because she says Labor has cut funding for regional projects in Mallee, hurting tourism, childcare, education and health training.
“Labor's axing of the Building Better Regions Fund round 6 and the Community Development Grants Program in this year's budget robbed the regions of that funding that they desperately need.”
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Jason Wood Jason Wood opposes the bill, saying the budget is devastating for his area because it scraps promised road funding and leaves local residents and councils with abandoned works.
“It's devastating for residents, who are getting phone calls from the Yarra Ranges Council and the Cardinia Shire Council at the moment, saying, 'All those roadworks which were planned for sealing your road in January or February have now been abandoned, and all the construction teams are being put off.' It's devastating for the area. On that note, I'll leave it there. It wasn't a good budget at all for those two groups. For those who care about safety when it comes to road funding in the hills, it was devastating.”
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Bridget Archer Archer supports the appropriation bill and says she wants Labor to back in the projects and funding that matter to Bass, especially the Launceston City Deal and local health and infrastructure commitments.
“Northern Tasmania is flourishing, and initiatives like the Launceston City Deal are cementing the region as a desirable place for people to live and work, and for families to establish themselves in the region long-term. It has proven to me to be a collaborative model that works between all levels of government, and I want to see Labor back it in and demonstrate their continued support for a better Bass.”
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Andrew Wallace Wallace says there are good and bad parts in the budget, and the opposition will not oppose it just for the sake of it, but he criticises Labor on access to childcare and other cost-of-living pressures.
“But it's not all bad. I want to talk about some of the good things. As the Leader of the Opposition said, we in opposition are not going to oppose for opposition's sake. We will identify and recognise where there are good things in the budget, and we will call out where there are bad things, bad policy that the government undertakes. I was pleased to see the childcare subsidy extended to even more Australians. I was with the shadow minister for early childhood education for an industry round table, and it was great to see and learn the perspectives of many industry players from the early childhood sector. Whilst I recognise and acknowledge it's a good thing that the childcare subsidy is being extended, it was made very clear to me in that meeting, and since, that there are many early childhood centres operating around the country but, in fact, there are many places in the country that simply don't have access to those early childhood centres. The government can throw all the money it likes at this issue, but I know that particularly in rural, remote and some parts of regional Australia there are young people who just simply cannot get those services. Families can't get those services. That means at least one parent has to stay at home and look after those children, and that has a significant impact on the productivity of this nation.”
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James Stevens James Stevens says the opposition will support the bill, but argues it fails to tackle inflation and leaves households and businesses exposed to higher power bills, mortgages, and costs.
“In my last few moments, I will conclude by saying whilst we commend and will be supporting—”
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Nola Marino Nola Marino opposes the bill because she says the budget cuts online safety funding and reduces support for rural and regional infrastructure.
“I was also concerned to see in the budget the cuts for rural and regional infrastructure. For those of us who don't live in cities, they were nation-building projects and vital to production in rural and regional Australia. The regions produce the wealth in this country. Mining and agricultural exports have underpinned and supported Australians, whether it was through the Global Financial Crisis, through COVID or through what we are currently facing. These major rural and regional projects for roads, rail, bridges and ports are critical.”
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James McGrath McGrath says the opposition will support the bill so government can keep functioning, but argues Labor's budget was a missed opportunity that failed to deliver immediate cost-of-living help.
“The opposition will support the passage of these bills to ensure the continued functioning of government and so Australians can continue to benefit from the essential services that the Commonwealth provides.”
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Greens
1 speaker · 1 oppose
Greens
1 speaker · 1 oppose
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Dorinda Cox Cox opposes the bill because she says the appropriation would keep funding the Middle Arm project and other fossil fuel developments instead of driving a clean energy transition.
“This government today has a very important decision to make: do they continue to throw billions of dollars at projects that wreck the climate, destroy the natural environment and cultural heritage of this precinct and, ultimately, make Australians who live in the direct area sick? Or do they commit with the same intensity to use public funds to transition this country to a cleaner future with renewable energy?”
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Minor parties and independents
2 speakers · 2 support
Minor parties and independents
2 speakers · 2 support
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Kate Chaney ★ Chaney supports the appropriation bill as a generally sensible budget, but says the government must keep pushing longer term reform, especially on tax and decarbonisation, rather than relying on short term fixes.
“In summary, the budget was generally sensible in the context of challenging economic times. Many of the economic challenges currently being experienced are outside the control of the government. There will be pressure to provide cost-of-living relief, and some short-term financial relief may be justified, but the big challenge ahead will be to maintain a focus on long-term reform, especially on tax and decarbonisation and to resist the pull of populist short-term fixes.”
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Allegra Spender Spender supports the bill and praises the budget for child care, parental leave, domestic violence services, housing, aged care and clean energy.
“I commend the government for what is really good in this budget, but I want to acknowledge that there are areas where my community expects more. That is in terms of not subsidising fossil fuels; making the hard decisions to not support projects that are politically expedient but don't stack up under infrastructure cost-benefit analysis; dealing with the hard choices in terms of energy prices; and, finally, recognising that a structural deficit as far as the eye can see is not tenable for future generations. We must deal with it, and we must deal with it in a way that drives productivity and grows the pie for other generations.”
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Unknown
1 speaker · 1 unclear
Unknown
1 speaker · 1 unclear
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Minister ★ The minister is recorded as moving the second reading, but this extract contains no substantive remarks about the bill, so their position cannot be assessed from the text alone.
“That this bill be now read a second time.”
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Record
Full record
- Act title
- Appropriation Act (No. 1) 2022-2023
- Act number
- Act No. 67, 2022
- Became law
- 30 Nov 2022
- Takes effect
- The whole of this Act 30 Nov 2022
- Registered
- 01 Dec 2022
- Administered by
- Department of Finance
- Final law metadata was collected from the APH progress table; commencement rows were parsed from the bill text.
- Status
- Act -- Collected from the APH bill page.
- Originating house
- House of Representatives
- 25 Oct 2022
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 25 Oct 2022
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
- 08 Nov 2022
House · Referred to Federation Chamber
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 09 Nov 2022
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 21 Nov 2022
House · Returned to House for further debate
Returned to House for further debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 21 Nov 2022
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 21 Nov 2022
House · Referred to Federation Chamber
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 22 Nov 2022
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 23 Nov 2022
House · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
- 23 Nov 2022
House · Consideration in detail debate
Consideration in detail
The chamber considered the bill in detail and dealt with amendments before the next stage.
- 24 Nov 2022
House · Consideration in detail debate
Consideration in detail
The chamber considered the bill in detail and dealt with amendments before the next stage.
- 24 Nov 2022
House · Reported from Federation Chamber
Reported from Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 24 Nov 2022
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 25 Nov 2022
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 25 Nov 2022
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
- 28 Nov 2022
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 28 Nov 2022
Senate · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
- 28 Nov 2022
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 28 Nov 2022
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
- 30 Nov 2022
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThis is the formal step where the Governor-General signs the bill and it becomes law., turning the bill into an Act.