Wrong regional and household priorities
Coalition and Nationals speakers argued the budget left households facing inflation and power-price pressure while cutting or failing to replace regional infrastructure and community programs.
Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023
Current status
This bill became law on Nov 30th, 2022.
Policy area
Budget, tax & economy
What does this bill do?
Approves about $3.6 billion in federal spending for 2022-23 on items outside the government's ordinary yearly running costs, including new budget measures and capital-style funding.
Why was it introduced?
The March 2022 supply laws only funded the first five months of 2022-23 before Parliament was dissolved for the federal election, leaving later non-ordinary spending and new measures to be approved. This bill provides that funding, including for new budget measures and departments created on 1 July 2022.
Broader context
March 2022 supply laws kept government operating for only the first five months of 2022-23 before Parliament was dissolved for the federal election, so later non-ordinary spending still had to be approved once the new government delivered its October 2022 budget and new departments started on 1 July 2022. This bill responded by authorising about $3.6 billion for those later measures, including major health and COVID-19 spending and a broader advance power for national emergencies, before Parliament passed it in late November and it became law on 30 November 2022.
Key criticism
The main criticism was that the bill funded the wrong priorities: several Coalition and Nationals MPs argued the budget did too little on cost of living, energy prices and regional infrastructure, while crossbench MPs pressed for harder long-term reform and Greens senators objected to possible fossil-fuel-linked spending such as Middle Arm.
Who supported it?
Stephen Jones 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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Approves about $3.6 billion in federal spending for 2022-23 on items outside the government's ordinary yearly running costs, including new budget measures and capital-style funding.
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Lets the Finance Minister add up to $3.6 billion more for urgent needs during 2022-23, with $3 billion reserved for COVID-19, natural disasters and other national emergencies.
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Expands the urgent funding power so the government can move money faster for floods, fires and other national emergencies, not just COVID-19 responses.
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Allows responsible ministers to decide the amounts, timing and conditions for some federal payments to states, territories and local councils under this Act.
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Funds major 2022-23 measures including about $1.1 billion for Health and Aged Care, with $770 million for extra COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and protective equipment.
Show source excerpts
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Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023 seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of approximately $3.6 billion. This represents funding for the endorsed March 2022 budget measures, the 2022 election commitments and other decisions taken by the government in the October 2022 budget. The Supply Act (No. 2) 2022-2023 contains, broadly, five-twelfths of the estimated 2022-23 annual appropriations which are required to support services which are not the ordinary annual services of government such as capital works and services; payments to or for states, territories and local government authorities; equity injections; and funding for new administered outcomes not previously endorsed by the parliament. The balance of supply appropriations, representing broadly seven-twelfths of the 2022-23 annual appropriations, is included in Supply Bill (No. 4) 2022-2023, which is part of the additional 2022-23 supply bills that were introduced into the parliament concurrently with the budget bills on 25 October 2022. Together with the Supply Act (No. 2) 2022-2023 and the Supply Bill (No. 4) 2022-2023, currently before the parliament, this bill presents a complete view of the proposed annual appropriations for services that are not the ordinary annual services of government for the 2022-23 financial year.
Second reading speech -
Subclause 12(3) provides that the total amount that can be determined under the AFM provisions in the Bill, if enacted, would be $3,600 million. Out of this amount, $600 million can be allocated for any purpose. The remaining amount of $3,000 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. 2) 2022-2023 explanatory memorandum -
The above provisions are similar to those currently included in the Supply Act (No. 2) 2022-2023, except to expand the scope of the statutorily limited AFM provision to also support expenditure on natural disaster and other national emergency related responses. The expanded AFM provision enables the Government to make funding available to events, such as flood and fire, in a timely manner should the relevant circumstances arise during the 2022-23 financial year, where it is not possible or not practical to pass further Appropriation Acts.
Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023 explanatory memorandum -
Clauses 7 and 14 delegate the Parliament’s power under section 96 of the Constitution to impose terms and conditions on payments of financial assistance to the States to the responsible Ministers listed in Schedule 1 to the Bill. Schedule 1 also lists the Ministers who may determine the amounts and timing of those payments. These payments are usually made pursuant to eligibility rules and conditions established by the Government or the Parliament.
Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023 explanatory memorandum -
(1) The Department of Health and Aged Care will receive approximately $1.1 billion, of which $770 million is provided for additional COVID-19 purchases, such as vaccines, treatments and personal protective equipment.
Second reading speech
Context
Broader context for this bill
March 2022 supply laws kept government operating for only the first five months of 2022-23 before Parliament was dissolved for the federal election, so later non-ordinary spending still had to be approved once the new government delivered its October 2022 budget and new departments started on 1 July 2022. This bill responded by authorising about $3.6 billion for those later measures, including major health and COVID-19 spending and a broader advance power for national emergencies, before Parliament passed it in late November and it became law on 30 November 2022.
- March 2022
Supply laws fund only the first five months of 2022-23
Pre-election supply legislation covered early 2022-23 spending only, leaving later non-ordinary annual servicesThe normal running costs of government that must be funded in a separate appropriation bill from special or new spending. and new measures to be approved after the election period.
Australian Parliament House ↗ - 01 July 2022
New departments begin operating for the 2022-23 year
The explanatory material says the bill also had to provide funding for departments created from 1 July 2022 as the new financial year began.
Australian Parliament House ↗ - 25 Oct 2022
October budget bill seeks extra funding after the election
When introducing the bill, the government said it formed part of the 2022-23 October budget and sought about $3.6 billion for budget decisions outside ordinary annual servicesThe normal running costs of government that must be funded in a separate appropriation bill from special or new spending..
Hansard ↗ - 25 Oct 2022
Bill expands the advance for emergencies and COVID-19 needs
The bill also let the Finance Minister allocate up to $3.6 billion more during 2022-23, with $3 billion reserved for COVID-19, natural disasters and other national emergencies.
Australian Parliament House ↗ - 28 Nov 2022
Parliament passes the bill
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary approval for the additional 2022-23 appropriations.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 30 Nov 2022
Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into law so the approved spending can take effect. makes the funding law
Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into law so the approved spending can take effect. turned the bill into an Act, allowing the approved spending and emergency advance arrangements to operate 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 24 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
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
Committee of the Whole debate 28 Nov 2022
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
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 AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into law so the approved spending can take effect., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
The main criticism was that the bill funded the wrong priorities: several Coalition and Nationals MPs argued the budget did too little on cost of living, energy prices and regional infrastructure, while crossbench MPs pressed for harder long-term reform and Greens senators objected to possible fossil-fuel-linked spending such as Middle Arm.
The opposition supported passage of the appropriation bills in principle, but multiple Coalition and Nationals speakers used the debate to argue the budget failed households and regional communities.
Does not tackle inflation or long-term pressures
Some MPs argued the budget did not do enough to reduce inflation, ease rising power prices or make harder long-term budget choices, meaning households and businesses could still be left worse off.
Concern about fossil-fuel and Middle Arm spending
A narrower but concrete criticism was that money available under the bill could support fossil-fuel expansion, especially the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct, which opponents wanted explicitly blocked.
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 Block funding for Middle Arm precinct
Moved by Cox. 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
Block funding for Middle Arm precinct
The amendment was defeated 24-13, so the bill continued without the proposed funding restriction.
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 Supports
Stephen Jones
Stephen Jones supports the bill and presents it as part of Labor’s first budget in nearly a decade, saying it delivers cost-of-living relief and funds priorities such as health, infrastructure, energy and emergency response.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead opposing voice Opposes
Sam Birrell
Birrell says he cannot support the bill as presented because it ignores rural and regional Australia and strips out funding he sees as vital for regional development.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead supporting voice Supports
Kate Chaney
Chaney supports the bill, describing it as generally sensible in difficult economic conditions and welcoming its work on climate, accountability and wellbeing measures.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead non-major voice Supports
Allegra Spender
Spender supports the bill because she says it funds important priorities like child care, parental leave, domestic violence services, aged care and clean energy, but she argues it still falls short on fossil fuel subsidies, energy prices, infrastructure discipline and structural deficits.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Labor
23 speakers · 25 contributions · 22 support · 1 unclear
Labor
23 speakers · 25 contributions · 22 support · 1 unclear
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Emma McBride Emma McBride supports the appropriation bill as part of Labor's first budget, saying it delivers on election commitments and begins repairing years of neglect.
“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 Miller-Frost supports the appropriation bill and says it backs the Albanese government's budget priorities, which she presents as repairing missed opportunities and delivering promised projects.
“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 funding for cost-of-living relief, jobs, infrastructure 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 ↗ -
Alison Byrnes Byrnes supports the bill and describes it as a responsible Labor budget that delivers cost-of-living relief, investment in housing, training and clean energy, and long-term budget repair.
“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 Mitchell supports the bill and says it delivers Labor's election commitments, especially regional infrastructure, disaster resilience, cost-of-living relief and veteran support for McEwen and other communities.
“So this is a budget that is actually providing relief that is needed, not only to those who work in the sector but also to the very people who have honourably served our country. With that said, I'm proud to support the appropriation bills. It is delivering on our election commitments and is finally, after nine long years, a budget that serves the people of McEwen.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Madeleine King Madeleine King supports the appropriation bill as part of the Albanese government's first budget, saying it will deliver cheaper child care, a local urgent-care clinic, sports upgrades and a new veterans hub for Brand.
“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 appropriation bill and says it is the responsible Labor budget Australia needs because it helps bring down inflation, backs wage growth, and funds the government’s 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 appropriation bill because it delivers Labor's budget measures, including cost-of-living relief, cheaper child care, medicines, housing and investment in wages, training 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.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Carina Garland Carina Garland supports the appropriation bill and says it delivers on Labor's election promises by funding cheaper child care, better health costs, housing, transport and local community projects.
“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.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Jenny McAllister McAllister supports the bill and says it is part of a responsible Labor budget that delivers election commitments and targeted cost-of-living relief.
“I commend this Bill to the chamber.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Alicia Payne Payne supports the appropriation bill and presents it as part of Labor's budget delivering on election promises.
“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 appropriation bill and says it delivers a responsible budget that provides cost-of-living relief, investment and budget repair.
“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 Gosling supports the appropriation bill because it backs major Labor funding for the Northern Territory, including infrastructure, water security, roads, training and health services.
“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 appropriation bill, saying it delivers the Albanese Labor government's first budget and advances Labor's election commitments on cost-of-living relief, climate action, Medicare, education, childcare 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 Claydon supports the appropriation bill because it funds Labor's agenda for cheaper childcare, health care, climate action, education and local Newcastle projects.
“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, saying the budget funds practical measures for veterans, families, housing, education 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. These are measures that will help responsibly address cost-of-living pressure.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Anne Stanley Stanley speaks in favour of the appropriation package overall, but the speech is about Appropriation Bill (No.
“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 responsible budget measures that boost productivity, fund services and local projects, and avoid adding to inflation.
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 responsible budget measures that boost productivity, fund services and local projects, and avoid adding to inflation. She praises it as the right budget for the times and commends it to the House.
“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's speech is about Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023, not the target bill, so her position on this bill is unclear.
“I'm very pleased to rise to speak on the all important Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023, the Labor government's first budget. It is a budget that has been crafted for a very difficult time—after profligate spending by those opposite with no real economic dividend. Nine years with not an economic dividend to show for their investment; a trillion dollars of debt with nothing long term to show for it. 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 because she says it backs Labor's budget priorities, including higher wages, housing, aged care and cheaper child care.
“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. I'm particularly proud to be part of a Labor government that is doing that. I know that my colleagues join me in congratulating the Treasurer and his team on delivering a budget that casts the net wider and that really creates a better environment for all Australians in the coming decades.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Anika Wells Wells strongly supports the bill, saying it delivers cost-of-living relief and genuine reform through cheaper medicines, more paid parental leave, lower child care costs, and investment in the environment and sport.
“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 supports the bill and says it delivers a major boost for the Northern Territory through roads, remote-community infrastructure and connectivity.
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 supports the bill as part of the Labor budget, saying it will deliver cost-of-living relief, better paid parental leave, cheaper medicines, more affordable housing and investment in remote Territory communities. She presents it as a practical step toward a better future after years of Coalition neglect.
“This budget will make it cheaper to buy much-needed medicines. For too long we have heard that people have simply not been taking their medicines because they cannot afford them. This is true for many communities in Lingiari which are hard-pressed with the cost of living at the moment. This measure will save 30 per cent of the cost of a prescription. This is putting more money back in their pockets.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗Second reading speech
Scrymgour supports the bill and says it delivers a major boost for the Northern Territory through roads, remote-community infrastructure and connectivity. She argues Labor is correcting a decade of neglect and backing projects that will improve jobs, access and living conditions in the 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 ↗ -
Stephen Jones ★ Stephen Jones supports the bill and presents it as part of Labor’s first budget in nearly a decade, saying it delivers cost-of-living relief and funds priorities such as health, infrastructure, energy and emergency response.
“I commend this bill to the chamber.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Tim Ayres Ayres supports the appropriation bill and says the Labor government is proud of the October 2022 budget because it delivers election commitments, cost-of-living relief and investment in the 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
17 speakers · 4 support · 7 oppose · 6 unclear
Coalition
17 speakers · 4 support · 7 oppose · 6 unclear
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Angus Taylor Taylor does not speak to the target bill in this speech; he addresses Appropriation Bill (No.
“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 uses the appropriation debate to attack Labor for lacking a clear digital economy plan, mishandling skilled migration, and neglecting digital government services, but he does not clearly state that he is opposing the spending bill itself.
“I rise to speak on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023, the Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2022-2023 and the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023. I want to focus on the digital economy and the approach that this government is taking. First, I want to touch first on why the digital economy is so important and on the lack of a clear policy framework from this government. Second, I want to touch on the particular challenge of skilled migration and the role it can play in bringing people with needed high-tech skills into Australia, and the government's mismanagement of that issue. Third, I want to talk about digital government services and, again, the lack of a plan from this government.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Sam Birrell ★ Birrell says he cannot support the bill as presented because it ignores rural and regional Australia and strips out funding he sees as vital for regional development.
“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 Violi opposes the bill, saying the budget it funds leaves Australians without immediate cost-of-living help and abandons Casey on roads and community projects.
“This budget is a disgrace. It does nothing for the residents of Casey. It leaves us abandoned.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Henry Pike Pike criticises the budget as adding inflationary pressure and doing nothing for cost-of-living relief, but says the appropriation bills will pass through parliament and uses the speech to demand a better budget in May.
“The appropriation bills will of course, as is appropriate, pass through the parliament. The budget is set in stone and it won't change. There is an opportunity for this government to reflect on what they have actually delivered with this budget—or what they haven't delivered in this budget.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Keith Wolahan Wolahan opposes the appropriation bill because he says the budget does nothing immediate for families facing higher inflation, mortgage stress, and rising living costs.
“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.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Colin Boyce Boyce opposes the bill, saying the budget is written for metropolitan Australia and fails his regional Queensland electorate.
“In conclusion, it is clear the Labor budget is one to appease metropolitan Australia and is not one for regional and rural Australia and particularly my electorate of Flynn.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Garth Hamilton Hamilton opposes the bill, calling it a missed opportunity that does little to help Groom or address cost-of-living pressures.
“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.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Jenny Ware Ware strongly criticises the budget and says it fails to address cost of living, energy prices, housing affordability and tax pressures.
“To conclude, the Labor government has missed a vital opportunity in this legislation and this budget to address serious economic issues.”
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David Gillespie Gillespie supports the bill's rural health and training measures, but says Labor has mostly copied Coalition policies and should have done more for regional Australia, especially on GP incentives and regional development.
“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 Sukkar opposes the appropriation bill, saying the budget behind it is badly mismanaged and will worsen inflation, power prices, housing and NDIS pressures.
“It's a budget that fails on so many measures. We saw hundreds of millions of dollars of infrastructure ripped out of Victoria. In my own seat alone we saw $4 billion cut from the East West Link. We saw $34 million cut from train station car parks at Heatherdale and Heathmont, and it won't be long before people who are back on public transport will be searching for those car parks in the morning and won't able to get one. They also cut $50 million from Dorset Road, one of the most dangerous and congested roads in my area. Why did they cut all that? They did it to give Daniel Andrews his $2.2 billion for the Suburban Rail Loop. This budget fails on every measure.”
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Anne Webster Webster opposes the bill because she says Labor has cut regional infrastructure and community funding, including projects in Mallee that would support childcare, tourism and local jobs.
“They may not have started well with the cuts to regional infrastructure funding, including to projects such as the $6.4 million Sawyer Park pavilion upgrade applied for by the Horsham Rural City Council, or the cut to the $3.5 million re-imagining Robinvale project applied for by Swan Hill Rural City Council, or the $845,000 Dunmunkle child care applied for by the Yarriambiack Shire Council.”
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Bridget Archer Archer criticises Labor’s budget for lacking immediate cost-of-living relief and leaving uncertainty around some commitments, while welcoming support for several Northern Tasmanian health and infrastructure projects.
“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 is sharply critical of the budget's cost-of-living and energy settings, saying the government has abandoned its election promises and left power and gas prices heading up.
“So, there are some good things and there are certainly some bad things in this budget, and I'll continue to talk about them in this place. (Time expired)”
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James Stevens Stevens says he will support the bill, but argues the government's budget is not tackling inflation or rising power prices and is leaving households and businesses worse off.
“In my last few moments, I will conclude by saying whilst we commend and will be supporting—”
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Nola Marino Marino criticises the budget for cutting online safety funding and rural and regional infrastructure when those areas need more support.
“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.”
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James McGrath McGrath says the opposition will support the bill to keep government functioning, but argues Labor's first budget is a missed opportunity that leaves households worse off and fails to deliver real cost-of-living relief.
“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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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 bill, describing it as generally sensible in difficult economic conditions and welcoming its work on climate, accountability and wellbeing measures.
“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.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Allegra Spender ★ Spender supports the bill because she says it funds important priorities like child care, parental leave, domestic violence services, aged care and clean energy, but she argues it still falls short on fossil fuel subsidies, energy prices, infrastructure discipline and structural deficits.
“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.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Full record
- Act title
- Appropriation Act (No. 2) 2022-2023
- Act number
- Act No. 68, 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.
- 24 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.
- 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 · Committee of the Whole debate
Committee of the Whole debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 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 AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into law so the approved spending can take effect., turning the bill into an Act.