Part of a broader budget criticised as hurting households
The Coalition said it would support the bill as a routine supplementary appropriation, but argued it formed part of a wider Labor budget that had left Australians worse off economically.
Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2023-2024
Current status
This bill became law on Jun 26th, 2024.
Policy area
Budget, tax & economy
What does this bill do?
Australia gets an extra $2.072 billion for the federal government's ordinary annual services in 2023-24.
Why was it introduced?
Government decisions made after the 2023-24 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal OutlookA budget update used here to show which spending decisions were made after the original 2023-24 appropriations were set. left existing 2023-24 appropriations short for ordinary annual services. This bill provides extra money from the Consolidated Revenue FundThe main federal government bank account that public money is paid out of once Parliament authorises it. to cover those new spending decisions and top up affected government activities.
Broader context
After the 2023-24 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal OutlookA budget update used here to show which spending decisions were made after the original 2023-24 appropriations were set., the government made new spending decisions and faced higher costs in existing demand-driven programs, leaving the original 2023-24 appropriations for ordinary annual services short. Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2023-2024The law that gave the federal government extra spending authority for 2023-24. responded by seeking an extra $2.072 billion to top up those activities and cover the first-year costs of some 2024-25 budget measures, before passing both houses in June 2024 and receiving Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act. the next day.
Key criticism
The main criticism was not of the appropriation mechanism itself but of the spending choices around it, with opponents arguing it sat inside a broader budget that was making Australians worse off or failing to fund urgent needs properly. Those objections were limited and mostly came from opposition or crossbench speakers who still did not vote against the bill itself.
Who supported it?
Stephen Jones MP introduced this bill. It passed on the voices.
Introduced in House 14 May 2024
Passed House 29 May 2024
Passed Senate 25 June 2024
Became law 26 June 2024
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 26 June 2024
Final passage
Passed without a counted vote
2 recorded amendment or procedural votes were found, but no counted vote on the bill itself was recorded.
Passage speed
43 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
What does this bill do?
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Australia gets an extra $2.072 billion for the federal government's ordinary annual services in 2023-24.
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The extra funding covers new 2023-24 spending decisions, including higher costs in existing programs and the first-year costs of some 2024-25 budget measures.
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Government departments can use their share of this law's funding for their own operating costs, such as running services and doing their day-to-day work.
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Government departments can also use this law's funding for grants, benefits and other public spending aimed at the specific results set out for each department.
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Separate government bodies funded under this law must receive the full amount if another law says Parliament's appropriation for that body has to be paid in full.
Show source excerpts
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The total of the items specified in Schedule 1 is $2,072,383,000.
Appropriation Act (No. 5) 2023-2024 final Act text -
Today, the government introduces the 2023-24 supplementary additional estimates appropriations bills. They are Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2023-2024 and Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2023-2024. These bills underpin the government's expenditure decisions made since the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook that relate to the 2023-24 financial year. Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2023-2024 seeks approval for appropriations from a consolidated revenue fund of $2.1 billion. This would ensure that there is sufficient appropriation to cover estimate variations relating to existing programs—for instance, changes in the costs for demand driven programs. These bills also pave the first-year costs of measures that were announced in the 2024-25 budget.
Second reading speech -
The amount specified in a departmental item for a non‑corporate entity may be applied for the departmental expenditure of the entity.
Appropriation Act (No. 5) 2023-2024 final Act text -
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. 5) 2023-2024 explanatory memorandum -
then the entity must be paid the full amount specified in the item.
Appropriation Act (No. 5) 2023-2024 final Act text
Context
Broader context for this bill
After the 2023-24 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal OutlookA budget update used here to show which spending decisions were made after the original 2023-24 appropriations were set., the government made new spending decisions and faced higher costs in existing demand-driven programs, leaving the original 2023-24 appropriations for ordinary annual services short. Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2023-2024The law that gave the federal government extra spending authority for 2023-24. responded by seeking an extra $2.072 billion to top up those activities and cover the first-year costs of some 2024-25 budget measures, before passing both houses in June 2024 and receiving Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act. the next day.
- 14 May 2024
Government seeks extra funding after post-MYEFOA budget update used here to show which spending decisions were made after the original 2023-24 appropriations were set. spending decisions
The second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. speech said decisions made since the 2023-24 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal OutlookA budget update used here to show which spending decisions were made after the original 2023-24 appropriations were set., higher demand-driven program costs and first-year 2024-25 budget measures had left existing 2023-24 appropriations short.
Hansard ↗ - 14 May 2024
House introduces the bill for an extra $2.1 billion
The government introduced the bill in the House to appropriate about $2.1 billion from the Consolidated Revenue FundThe main federal government bank account that public money is paid out of once Parliament authorises it. for the ordinary annual services of government in 2023-24.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 29 May 2024
House passes the bill
After second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. and Federation ChamberA smaller House of Representatives chamber that handles some stages of parliamentary debate and consideration. stages, the House completed its consideration and sent the bill on for the next stage of parliamentary approval.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 24 June 2024
Senate takes up the supplementary appropriation bills
When the bill was introduced in the Senate, the government again said it was needed to give effect to expenditure decisions made since MYEFOA budget update used here to show which spending decisions were made after the original 2023-24 appropriations were set. for the 2023-24 financial year.
Hansard ↗ - 25 June 2024
Parliament passes the bill
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, clearing the way for the extra appropriations to become law before the end of the financial year.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 26 June 2024
Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act. turns the bill into law
Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act. completed the process and authorised the additional 2023-24 funding sought for ordinary annual services.
Parliamentary timeline ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced 14 May 2024
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 readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. opened 14 May 2024
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed., opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. moved
Second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. debate 28 May 2024
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Sent to Federation ChamberA smaller House of Representatives chamber that handles some stages of parliamentary debate and consideration. for debate 28 May 2024
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Referred to Federation ChamberA smaller House of Representatives chamber that handles some stages of parliamentary debate and consideration.
House second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. agreed 28 May 2024
The chamber agreed to the bill at second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed., meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. agreed to
Returned from Federation ChamberA smaller House of Representatives chamber that handles some stages of parliamentary debate and consideration. 29 May 2024
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Reported from Federation ChamberA smaller House of Representatives chamber that handles some stages of parliamentary debate and consideration.
House third reading agreed 29 May 2024
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Introduced 24 June 2024
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 readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. opened 24 June 2024
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed., opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. moved
Second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. debate 25 June 2024
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. agreed 25 June 2024
The chamber agreed to the bill at second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed., meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. agreed to
Senate third reading agreed 25 June 2024
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Passed both houses 25 June 2024
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
Assent 26 June 2024
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
The main criticism was not of the appropriation mechanism itself but of the spending choices around it, with opponents arguing it sat inside a broader budget that was making Australians worse off or failing to fund urgent needs properly. Those objections were limited and mostly came from opposition or crossbench speakers who still did not vote against the bill itself.
No party represented in the debate opposed the bill itself; criticism was narrow and mostly about budget priorities.
Concerns that urgent legal assistance funding was still missing
A Senate amendment argued the government should provide the full urgent funding recommended for legal assistance programs, suggesting current budget allocations were not meeting identified need.
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 Call for gas in net zero plan
Defeated 12 to 29. Support came from GreensThe minor party that moved one of the Senate amendments discussed on the page. and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, Jacqui Lambie Network, and Nationals.
Defeated
Call for gas in net zero plan
The amendment was defeated, so it did not add the GreensThe minor party that moved one of the Senate amendments discussed on the page.' position to the bill's second-reading motion and the bills proceeded without that extra Senate statement.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 18
Greens 10 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 9
Independent 2 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 0 / 1
Nationals 0 / 1
Defeated Call for urgent legal aid funding
Defeated 13 to 27. Support came from GreensThe minor party that moved one of the Senate amendments discussed on the page., Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, and Nationals.
Defeated
Call for urgent legal aid funding
The amendment was defeated, so the Senate did not attach that call for increased legal assistance funding to the second-reading motion before the bills were read a second time.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 18
Greens 10 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 8
Independent 2 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 1 / 0
Nationals 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
Jones supports the bill and says it provides the supplementary appropriations needed to cover spending decisions made since the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal OutlookA budget update used here to show which spending decisions were made after the original 2023-24 appropriations were set. and to fund priority programs such as disability support, payments, housing, defence and health.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead supporting voice Supports
Luke Howarth
Howarth says the opposition will support the bill because it provides additional funding for government spending in 2023-24.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Supports
Carol Brown
Brown supports the bill and says it will provide the extra appropriation needed for existing programs and first-year costs of measures announced in the 2024-25 budget.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Supports
James McGrath
McGrath says the opposition will support passage of Appropriation Bill (No.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Labor
2 speakers · 2 support
Labor
2 speakers · 2 support
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Carol Brown ★ Brown supports the bill and says it will provide the extra appropriation needed for existing programs and first-year costs of measures announced in the 2024-25 budget.
“I commend this Bill to the chamber.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Stephen Jones ★ Jones supports the bill and says it provides the supplementary appropriations needed to cover spending decisions made since the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal OutlookA budget update used here to show which spending decisions were made after the original 2023-24 appropriations were set. and to fund priority programs such as disability support, payments, housing, defence and health.
“Full details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedule to the bill, the explanatory memorandum and the portfolio supplementary additional estimates statements. I commend this bill to the chamber.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Coalition
2 speakers · 2 support
Coalition
2 speakers · 2 support
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Luke Howarth ★ Howarth says the opposition will support the bill because it provides additional funding for government spending in 2023-24.
“The opposition will support the passage of these bills, as we have the passage of the initial appropriation bill 2023-24 and the additional appropriation bill in 2024.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
James McGrath ★ McGrath says the opposition will support passage of Appropriation Bill (No.
“The opposition will be supporting the passage of these bills, as we have the passage of the initial appropriation bill of 2023-24 and the additional appropriation bill of 2024-25. I also note the second reading amendment to the motion circulated by the Greens to progress these bills. The coalition knows the important role that gas has as a transition fuel to net zero and will be opposing that amendment.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Full record
- Act title
- Appropriation Act (No. 5) 2023-2024
- Act number
- Act No. 45, 2024
- Became law
- 26 June 2024
- Takes effect
- The whole of this Act 26 June 2024
- Registered
- 27 June 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
- 14 May 2024
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.
- 14 May 2024
House · Second reading moved
Second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed., opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
- 28 May 2024
House · Second reading debate
Second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 28 May 2024
House · Referred to Federation Chamber
Referred to Federation ChamberA smaller House of Representatives chamber that handles some stages of parliamentary debate and consideration.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 28 May 2024
House · Second reading agreed to
Second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed., meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
- 29 May 2024
House · Reported from Federation Chamber
Reported from Federation ChamberA smaller House of Representatives chamber that handles some stages of parliamentary debate and consideration.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 29 May 2024
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 24 June 2024
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.
- 24 June 2024
Senate · Second reading moved
Second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed., opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
- 25 June 2024
Senate · Second reading debate
Second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 25 June 2024
Senate · Second reading agreed to
Second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed. agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second readingThe main debate stage where Parliament considers the policy purpose of a bill before it is passed., meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
- 25 June 2024
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 25 June 2024
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
- 26 June 2024
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act., turning the bill into an Act.