Extra spending may worsen inflation
The strongest criticism was that further appropriations reflected weak fiscal discipline and risked adding to inflation, which in turn would deepen cost-of-living pressure on households.
Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2023-2024
Current status
This bill became law on Apr 8th, 2024.
Policy area
Budget, tax & economy
What does this bill do?
The Act provides about $8.7 billion in extra funding for the Australian Government's ordinary services in 2023-24.
Why was it introduced?
Government decisions made after the 2023-24 Budget left the government needing extra money for its ordinary annual servicesThis means the day-to-day running costs of the Australian Government, not special one-off spending.. This bill provides those extra appropriations and refreshes the Finance MinisterThe minister who can authorise urgent spending from the reserve and help manage how appropriated money is released.’s urgent spending reserve while preventing the same expense from being funded twice.
Broader context
The May 2023 federal budget set the year’s initial funding for ordinary government services, but later decisions during the financial year, including measures reflected in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal OutlookThis is the government update that revises the budget outlook during the year and often triggers funding changes., changed what agencies needed to spend. Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2023-2024This is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. responded by adding about $8.7 billion for those ordinary services, refreshing the Finance MinisterThe minister who can authorise urgent spending from the reserve and help manage how appropriated money is released.’s urgent spending reserve for the rest of 2023-24, and then became law in April 2024 so that extra funding could be legally issued.
Key criticism
The main criticism was that approving more spending without a stronger economic plan could add to inflation and make cost-of-living pressures worse for households. This case was raised by the opposition while still supporting the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money., so recorded criticism was limited and directed more at fiscal management than the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money.'s basic purpose.
Who supported it?
Stephen Jones MP introduced this bill. It passed on the voices.
Introduced in House 07 Feb 2024
Passed House 15 Feb 2024
Passed Senate 27 Mar 2024
Became law 08 Apr 2024
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 08 Apr 2024
Final passage
Passed without a counted vote
Members called out ‘aye’ or ‘no’ — no individual votes were recorded.
Passage speed
61 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
What does this bill do?
-
The Act provides about $8.7 billion in extra funding for the Australian Government's ordinary services in 2023-24.
-
The extra funding covers government decisions made after the 2023-24 budget, including costs that changed during the year and newly announced measures.
-
The Finance MinisterThe minister who can authorise urgent spending from the reserve and help manage how appropriated money is released. gets a fresh $400 million reserve for urgent spending during the rest of 2023-24, even if some of that reserve was already used earlier.
-
If urgent spending was already advanced for the same purpose, this Act cuts the later appropriation by that amount so the same expense is not funded twice.
Show source excerpts
-
The total of the items specified in Schedule 1 is $8,703,757,000.
Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2023-2024 as-passed bill text -
Appropriation Bill (No. 3) seeks approval for appropriations of approximately $8.7 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. This would ensure that there is sufficient funding available to cover estimate variations for existing programs—for example, changes in costs for demand driven programs. The bill would also provide funding for the 2023-24 financial year costs of measures announced since the 2023-24 budget.
Minister's second reading speech -
Subclause 10(1) of the Bill provides that irrespective of the amounts allocated from the AFM before the commencement of the Bill once enacted, the amount available under section 10 of the Appropriation Act (No. 1) 2023-2024 will be restored to the original amount of $400 million after the commencement of the Bill once enacted. This ensures that there will be sufficient scope to provide amounts from the AFM for the remainder of the financial year. From the date this Bill commences as an Act, the total amount that can be determined under the AFM will again be $400 million.
Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2023-2024 explanatory memorandum -
Subclause 10(2) prevents appropriations for the same expenditure from both the AFM and the Bill. It provides that if the Bill appropriates an amount for particular expenditure but prior to the commencement of this Bill as an Act, the Finance Minister allocates an amount from the AFM for the same expenditure (the advanced amount), then the appropriation in this Bill, once enacted, will be reduced by the amount of the advanced amount. The appropriated amount cannot be reduced below nil.
Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2023-2024 explanatory memorandum
Context
Broader context for this bill
The May 2023 federal budget set the year’s initial funding for ordinary government services, but later decisions during the financial year, including measures reflected in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal OutlookThis is the government update that revises the budget outlook during the year and often triggers funding changes., changed what agencies needed to spend. Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2023-2024This is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. responded by adding about $8.7 billion for those ordinary services, refreshing the Finance MinisterThe minister who can authorise urgent spending from the reserve and help manage how appropriated money is released.’s urgent spending reserve for the rest of 2023-24, and then became law in April 2024 so that extra funding could be legally issued.
- May 2023
May budget sets the year's initial funding
The May 2023 budget provided the original appropriations for ordinary annual servicesThis means the day-to-day running costs of the Australian Government, not special one-off spending. that later had to be topped up during the financial year.
Hansard ↗ - 07 Feb 2024
Government seeks extra money after post-budget decisions
When introducing the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money., the government said it was needed to fund expenditure decisions made since the 2023-24 Budget, including decisions reflected in MYEFOThis is the government update that revises the budget outlook during the year and often triggers funding changes., for the rest of the financial year.
Hansard ↗ - 27 Mar 2024
Parliament passes the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money.
Both houses passed the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. in the same form, clearing the way for roughly $8.7 billion in extra ordinary annual servicesThis means the day-to-day running costs of the Australian Government, not special one-off spending. funding and a refreshed $400 million Advance to the Finance MinisterThis is a reserve that lets the Finance Minister quickly approve urgent spending before Parliament can pass a full top-up law..
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 08 Apr 2024
Royal Assent turns the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. into law
Royal Assent made the additional appropriations legally available and ensured any earlier urgent advances for the same purpose would be offset to avoid double funding.
Parliamentary timeline ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced 07 Feb 2024
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. 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 07 Feb 2024
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money.'s purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Second reading debate 13 Feb 2024
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Sent to Federation Chamber for debate 13 Feb 2024
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Referred to Federation Chamber
Federation Chamber debate 13 Feb 2024
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Second reading debate
Second reading debate 14 Feb 2024
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House second reading agreed 14 Feb 2024
The chamber agreed to the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. at second reading, meaning it accepted the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
Returned from Federation Chamber 15 Feb 2024
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Reported from Federation Chamber
House third reading agreed 15 Feb 2024
The chamber agreed to the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Introduced 26 Feb 2024
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. 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 26 Feb 2024
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money.'s purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Scrutiny of Bills review 28 Feb 2024
The scrutiny committee recorded that it considered the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. in Scrutiny Digest 4 of 2024.
Considered
APH bill page notesSenate second reading agreed 27 Mar 2024
The chamber agreed to the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. at second reading, meaning it accepted the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
Senate third reading agreed 27 Mar 2024
The chamber agreed to the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Passed both houses 27 Mar 2024
Both houses passed the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
Assent 08 Apr 2024
The Governor-General gave Royal Assent, turning the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. into an Act.
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
The main criticism was that approving more spending without a stronger economic plan could add to inflation and make cost-of-living pressures worse for households. This case was raised by the opposition while still supporting the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money., so recorded criticism was limited and directed more at fiscal management than the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money.'s basic purpose.
No party represented in the debate opposed the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money., and criticism stayed narrow and conditional.
Further sources
Votes
Recorded votes
How the bill itself passed
The bill passed both chambers on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage.
Passed House passed the bill
House agreed to the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money.'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 billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money.'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.
Parliamentary debate
Who spoke, and what they said
Start here — lead voices
Sponsor speech Supports
Stephen Jones
Stephen Jones supports the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money., saying it provides extra funding for existing programs and new measures announced since the budget, including defence, social services, health, services delivery and national security.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead supporting voice Supports
Angus Taylor
Taylor says the opposition will support the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. to keep government services running, but argues it shows Labor has no effective plan to deal with the cost-of-living crisis and is worsening inflation and household pain.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Supports
Carol Brown
Brown supports the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money., saying it provides the extra appropriations needed to cover estimate variations and new spending decisions made since the 2023-24 Budget.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Labor
2 speakers · 2 support
Labor
2 speakers · 2 support
-
Carol Brown ★ Brown supports the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money., saying it provides the extra appropriations needed to cover estimate variations and new spending decisions made since the 2023-24 Budget.
“Appropriation Bill 3 seeks approval for appropriations of $8.7 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. This would ensure there is sufficient funding available to cover estimate variations for existing programs, for example, changes in costs for demand driven programs. The Bill would also provide funding for the 2023-24 financial year costs of measures announced since the 2023-24 Budget.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Stephen Jones ★ Stephen Jones supports the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money., saying it provides extra funding for existing programs and new measures announced since the budget, including defence, social services, health, services delivery and national security.
“Appropriation Bill (No. 3) seeks approval for appropriations of approximately $8.7 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. This would ensure that there is sufficient funding available to cover estimate variations for existing programs—for example, changes in costs for demand driven programs. The bill would also provide funding for the 2023-24 financial year costs of measures announced since the 2023-24 budget.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Coalition
1 speaker · 1 support
Coalition
1 speaker · 1 support
-
Angus Taylor ★ Taylor says the opposition will support the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. to keep government services running, but argues it shows Labor has no effective plan to deal with the cost-of-living crisis and is worsening inflation and household pain.
“I'll say from the outset that the opposition will support this legislation of the government. We will ensure that the services of government continue to operate by facilitating the passage of these bills through parliament. However, these additional appropriation bills and the proceeding appropriation bills that were handed down with the 2023-24 budget and, more recently, MYEFO demonstrate yet again that the government has no effective plan to deal with the cost-of-living crisis that is bearing down on Australian households right across this great country and has eventuated in the 18 months that this government has been in office.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Full record
- Act title
- Appropriation Act (No. 3) 2023-2024
- Act number
- Act No. 12, 2024
- Became law
- 08 Apr 2024
- Takes effect
- The whole of this Act 08 Apr 2024
- Registered
- 09 Apr 2024
- 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
- 07 Feb 2024
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 07 Feb 2024
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money.'s purpose and principles.
- 13 Feb 2024
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 13 Feb 2024
House · Referred to Federation Chamber
Referred to Federation Chamber
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 13 Feb 2024
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 14 Feb 2024
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 14 Feb 2024
House · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. at second reading, meaning it accepted the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. in principle and allowed it to continue.
- 15 Feb 2024
House · Reported from Federation Chamber
Reported from Federation Chamber
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 15 Feb 2024
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 26 Feb 2024
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 26 Feb 2024
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money.'s purpose and principles.
- 27 Mar 2024
Senate · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. at second reading, meaning it accepted the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. in principle and allowed it to continue.
- 27 Mar 2024
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 27 Mar 2024
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
- 08 Apr 2024
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal Assent, turning the billThis is the law that tops up government spending for the 2023-24 year after the budget, so agencies can legally spend more money. into an Act.
Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills
Considered
The scrutiny committee recorded that it considered the bill in Scrutiny Digest 4 of 2024.
Considered by scrutiny committee (28 Feb 2024): Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Scrutiny Digest 4 of 2024
APH bill page notes