Sponsor speech Supports
Stephen Jones
Stephen Jones supports the bill and recommends it to the House, describing it as a modest but important set of extra appropriations for the parliamentary departments.
Read in Hansard ↗Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2024-2025
Current status
This bill became law on Feb 14th, 2025.
Policy area
Budget, tax & economy
What does this bill do?
The Act provides an extra $132,000 from federal revenue for parliamentary department spending in 2024-25.
Why was it introduced?
A decision made after the 2024-25 Budget left the Department of the House of RepresentativesThe parliamentary department that supports the House and, on this page, receives the extra funding. needing extra money, including for a national youth parliament program. The bill provides an extra $132,000 for 2024-25 and resets the department's urgent spending reserve while preventing the same cost being paid twice.
Broader context
The 2024-25 Budget had already set the parliamentary departments’ funding, but decisions taken afterwards left the Department of the House of RepresentativesThe parliamentary department that supports the House and, on this page, receives the extra funding. short of money for the rest of the year, including early work for a national youth parliament program. This bill responded by adding $132,000, restoring the department’s urgent spending reserve for 2024-25 while preventing double payment of the same cost, and the funding was later tied to delivering the youth parliament program in August 2026.
Key criticism
Little direct criticism of this bill itself was recorded; the main complaint aired in debate was that taxpayer spending should face tighter scrutiny and that the government was managing public money poorly more broadly. Those concerns came from opposition speakers using the appropriationLegal authority for government money to be spent for a stated purpose. debate to make wider political and cost-of-living criticisms, while no party represented in the debate argued against the bill's specific youth parliament funding or mechanics.
Who supported it?
Stephen Jones MP introduced this bill. It passed on the voices.
Introduced in House 04 Feb 2025
Passed House 11 Feb 2025
Passed Senate 12 Feb 2025
Became law 14 Feb 2025
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 14 Feb 2025
Final passage
Passed without a counted vote
Members called out ‘aye’ or ‘no’ — no individual votes were recorded.
Passage speed
10 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
What does this bill do?
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The Act provides an extra $132,000 from federal revenue for parliamentary department spending in 2024-25.
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In practice, this funding goes to the Department of the House of RepresentativesThe parliamentary department that supports the House and, on this page, receives the extra funding. to run a national youth parliament program in August 2026 for students from every electorate.
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The Act restores each parliamentary department's full urgent spending advance for the rest of the financial year, even if some of that reserve was already used earlier.
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The Act prevents the same expense from being paid twice by reducing this funding if an urgent advance was already used for that exact cost.
Show source excerpts
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The total of the items specified in Schedule 1 is $132,000.
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 2) 2024-2025 final Act text -
The bill seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of $132,000 for the Department of the House of Representatives to prepare and deliver a national youth parliament program in August 2026, a program that I know the Minister for Youth, who's with me at the table today, is very, very supportive of. The program would allow students representing each Australian electorate to travel to Canberra and learn about being a member of parliament.
Minister's second reading speech -
Subclause 11(1) of the Bill provides that irrespective of the amounts allocated from the APO before the commencement of the Bill once enacted, the amounts available under section 11 of the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2024-2025 will be restored to their original limits after the commencement of the Bill once enacted. This ensures that there will be sufficient scope to provide amounts from the APO for the remainder of the financial year.
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2024-2025 explanatory memorandum -
Subclause 11(2) prevents appropriations for the same expenditure from both the APO 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 responsible Presiding Officer allocates an amount from the APO 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 (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2024-2025 explanatory memorandum
Context
Broader context for this bill
The 2024-25 Budget had already set the parliamentary departments’ funding, but decisions taken afterwards left the Department of the House of RepresentativesThe parliamentary department that supports the House and, on this page, receives the extra funding. short of money for the rest of the year, including early work for a national youth parliament program. This bill responded by adding $132,000, restoring the department’s urgent spending reserve for 2024-25 while preventing double payment of the same cost, and the funding was later tied to delivering the youth parliament program in August 2026.
- May 2024
2024-25 Budget sets the year's parliamentary funding
The annual budget established the original appropriations that parliamentary departments were expected to work within for 2024-25.
Hansard ↗ - 2024 to early 2025
Post-budget decisions create a need for extra House funding
Speakers said decisions made since the May 2024 budget meant extra appropriations were needed, including for the Department of the House of RepresentativesThe parliamentary department that supports the House and, on this page, receives the extra funding..
Hansard ↗ - 04 Feb 2025
Government announces funding for a national youth parliament program
In introducing the bill, the government said it would provide $132,000 so the House of Representatives could prepare and deliver a national youth parliament program in August 2026 for students from every electorate.
Hansard ↗ - 12 Feb 2025
Parliament passes the bill
Both houses agreed to the bill, clearing the way for the extra appropriationLegal authority for government money to be spent for a stated purpose. and the reset of the department's urgent spending advance for the rest of 2024-25.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 14 Feb 2025
Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act and makes the funding lawful. makes the extra appropriationLegal authority for government money to be spent for a stated purpose. law
Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act and makes the funding lawful. turned the bill into an Act, authorising the added funding and the safeguard against paying the same expense twice if an advance had already been used.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - August 2026
National youth parliament program is scheduled to be delivered
The funded program was intended to bring students representing each Australian electorate to Canberra, showing the practical purpose behind the additional 2024-25 appropriationLegal authority for government money to be spent for a stated purpose..
Hansard ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced 04 Feb 2025
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 04 Feb 2025
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 11 Feb 2025
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House second reading agreed 11 Feb 2025
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
House third reading agreed 11 Feb 2025
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Introduced 12 Feb 2025
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 12 Feb 2025
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Senate second reading agreed 12 Feb 2025
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
Senate third reading agreed 12 Feb 2025
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Passed both houses 12 Feb 2025
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
Assent 14 Feb 2025
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act and makes the funding lawful., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
Little direct criticism of this bill itself was recorded; the main complaint aired in debate was that taxpayer spending should face tighter scrutiny and that the government was managing public money poorly more broadly. Those concerns came from opposition speakers using the appropriationLegal authority for government money to be spent for a stated purpose. debate to make wider political and cost-of-living criticisms, while no party represented in the debate argued against the bill's specific youth parliament funding or mechanics.
No significant public case against the bill itself is recorded so far.
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 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.
Parliamentary debate
Who spoke, and what they said
Start here — lead voices
Lead supporting voice Supports
Luke Howarth
Howarth says the opposition will support the bill so government departments can keep operating, but he uses the speech to attack Labor for economic mismanagement and worsening cost-of-living pressures.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Unclear
Anne Webster
Webster uses the appropriationLegal authority for government money to be spent for a stated purpose. bill speech to attack Labor's energy policy and waste, arguing that taxpayers' money should be scrutinised and spent more efficiently.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Supports
Jenny Ware
Ware says the coalition supports the bill to keep parliamentary funding and government services operating smoothly, but uses the debate to criticise Labor for economic mismanagement and the cost-of-living crisis.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Labor
1 speaker · 1 support
Labor
1 speaker · 1 support
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Stephen Jones ★ Stephen Jones supports the bill and recommends it to the House, describing it as a modest but important set of extra appropriations for the parliamentary departments.
“Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) provides additional appropriations for the operation of the parliamentary departments, specifically the Department of the House of Representatives, for the remainder of 2024-25. It's considerably more modest than the previous two bills but no less important.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Coalition
3 speakers · 2 support · 1 unclear
Coalition
3 speakers · 2 support · 1 unclear
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Luke Howarth ★ Howarth says the opposition will support the bill so government departments can keep operating, but he uses the speech to attack Labor for economic mismanagement and worsening cost-of-living pressures.
“The opposition supports this legislation to ensure the smooth operation of government and the uninterrupted provision of services that the Australian people rely on. However, while we support these bills as a matter of necessity, we must also use this opportunity to highlight the grave economic mismanagement that has led us to this point and put Australians under so much cost-of-living pressure.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Anne Webster ★ Webster uses the appropriationLegal authority for government money to be spent for a stated purpose. bill speech to attack Labor's energy policy and waste, arguing that taxpayers' money should be scrutinised and spent more efficiently.
“I can only hope the expenditure in this bill might go towards departments and staff who will call out this nonsense on behalf of regional Australians—salt-of-the-earth, hardworking farmers like Glenden Watts, Ben Duxon, Tess Healy, Barry Batters, Gerald Feeney, Andrew Weidemann, Ross Johns and too many more to mention from my electorate who didn't choose this fight.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Jenny Ware ★ Ware says the coalition supports the bill to keep parliamentary funding and government services operating smoothly, but uses the debate to criticise Labor for economic mismanagement and the cost-of-living crisis.
“I rise to speak on these bills, the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2024-25, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2024-2025 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2024-2025. These bills do, of course, provide the necessary appropriations to ensure the continued delivery of essential government services and to fund decisions made since the 2024-25 budget was announced in May last year. In total, these bills appropriate $12 billion for the remainder of the financial year, the majority of which, some $7 billion, is directed towards the ordinary annual services of government. The coalition supports this legislation to ensure the smooth operation of government and the uninterrupted provision of services upon which Australians rely.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Full record
- Act title
- Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 2) 2024-2025
- Act number
- Act No. 3, 2025
- Became law
- 14 Feb 2025
- Takes effect
- The whole of this Act 14 Feb 2025
- Registered
- 17 Feb 2025
- 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
- 04 Feb 2025
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.
- 04 Feb 2025
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.
- 11 Feb 2025
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 11 Feb 2025
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.
- 11 Feb 2025
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 12 Feb 2025
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.
- 12 Feb 2025
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.
- 12 Feb 2025
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.
- 12 Feb 2025
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 12 Feb 2025
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
- 14 Feb 2025
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act and makes the funding lawful., turning the bill into an Act.