This bill did not become law and is no longer proceeding.
Budget, tax & economy
The bill would let the Australian Government spend budget money on non-routine government programs, including new 2025-26 budget measures and some extra 2024-25 spending agreed after additional estimatesA later budget process where Parliament considers extra spending needs after the main budget has already been settled..
New 2025-26 budget measures and extra 2024-25 spending agreed after additional estimatesA later budget process where Parliament considers extra spending needs after the main budget has already been settled. left non-ordinary government programs needing fresh legal funding. This bill appropriates money from the Consolidated Revenue FundThe federal money pool that government spending is paid from unless Parliament sets up a separate source. for those programs, in the separate non-ordinary-services bill the Constitution requires.
Before this bill, separate 2025-26 supply billsA temporary spending bill that keeps ordinary government services funded at the start of the financial year before the full appropriation bills pass. were already in the Parliament to cover the first five months of ordinary annual spending, but the March 2025 budget and extra 2024-25 spending settled after additional estimatesA later budget process where Parliament considers extra spending needs after the main budget has already been settled. left new non-routine programs needing fresh legal authority. Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026 was introduced on 25 March 2025 to provide that funding from the Consolidated Revenue FundThe federal money pool that government spending is paid from unless Parliament sets up a separate source., including $14.6 billion for new budget measures, but it lapsed three days later when Parliament was dissolved.
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far, with no substantive criticism identified beyond the ordinary breadth and discretion that come with annual appropriation legislation. In the debate publicly available sources, no party represented in the debate opposed the bill and the only recorded speech simply supported its budget funding role.
Stephen Jones MP introduced this bill. Speeches supporting it came from Labor.
Did it become law?
No
The bill did not complete passage through Parliament.
Final passage
No final passage
The bill has not completed passage and is no longer proceeding.
Time before failure
3 days
From introduction to the final recorded step before the bill stopped proceeding
Meaning
The bill would let the Australian Government spend budget money on non-routine government programs, including new 2025-26 budget measures and some extra 2024-25 spending agreed after additional estimatesA later budget process where Parliament considers extra spending needs after the main budget has already been settled..
The bill would appropriate about $14.6 billion from the Consolidated Revenue FundThe federal money pool that government spending is paid from unless Parliament sets up a separate source. for these non-routine services and new budget spending in 2025-26.
The bill would fund grants, benefits and transfer payments through outcome-based amounts, so money must be used for the government results described in the budget papers.
The bill would let responsible ministers decide the amount, timing and conditions of some payments to states, territories and local councils.
The bill would give the Finance Minister up to $600 million extra to cover urgent spending needs during 2025-26 if existing amounts were missing, too low or overtaken by unexpected events.
The Bill proposes appropriations broadly equivalent to 7/12ths of the estimated 2025-26 annual appropriations for services that are not the ordinary annual services of the Government, plus 2025‑26 Budget measures. The Bill also includes appropriations for expenditure in the remainder of 2024-25 agreed since the 2024-25 Additional Estimates.Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026 explanatory memorandum
Appropriation Bill (No. 2) seeks approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of $14.6 billion. This broadly represents seven-twelfths of the estimated 2025-26 annual appropriations and provides funding for new measures announced in tonight's budget. The supply bills currently before the parliament provide for the balance of annual appropriations for 2025-26—that is funding for the first five months of 2025-26.Minister's second reading speech
New Administered Outcomes are 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. 2) 2025-2026 explanatory memorandum
Although financial assistance is provided to the ACT, NT and local governments without reference to section 96 of the Constitution, those payments are administered in the same way. Therefore, the Ministers identified in Schedule 1 may set the amounts and timing and impose terms and conditions on those payments. Subclause 14(5) also notes that clause 14 will not limit the powers of the Commonwealth under section 96 of the Constitution to provide financial assistance to a State which is not appropriated by a State, ACT, NT and local government item.Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026 explanatory memorandum
Subclause 12(1) enables the Finance Minister to allocate additional amounts for expenditure when satisfied that there is an urgent need for expenditure in the current year that is not provided for, or is insufficiently provided for, in Schedule 2 either because of an erroneous omission or understatement, or because of unforeseen circumstances. The allocated amount is referred to as the Advance to the Finance Minister (AFM).Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026 explanatory memorandum
Context
Before this bill, separate 2025-26 supply billsA temporary spending bill that keeps ordinary government services funded at the start of the financial year before the full appropriation bills pass. were already in the Parliament to cover the first five months of ordinary annual spending, but the March 2025 budget and extra 2024-25 spending settled after additional estimatesA later budget process where Parliament considers extra spending needs after the main budget has already been settled. left new non-routine programs needing fresh legal authority. Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026 was introduced on 25 March 2025 to provide that funding from the Consolidated Revenue FundThe federal money pool that government spending is paid from unless Parliament sets up a separate source., including $14.6 billion for new budget measures, but it lapsed three days later when Parliament was dissolved.
Budget night sets up a separate non-ordinary services funding bill
In his second reading speech, the Assistant Treasurer said existing supply billsA temporary spending bill that keeps ordinary government services funded at the start of the financial year before the full appropriation bills pass. covered the first five months of 2025-26 while this bill was needed for new budget measures and other non-ordinary annual servicesThe regular running costs of government that have to be funded in a different appropriation bill from special or new spending..
Hansard ↗Government seeks $14.6 billion for new measures and non-routine spending
The second reading speech said the bill sought $14.6 billion, broadly seven-twelfths of estimated 2025-26 annual appropriations, to fund new measures announced in the budget.
Hansard ↗House introduces Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026
The bill was presented and read a first time as the mechanism to appropriate money from the Consolidated Revenue FundThe federal money pool that government spending is paid from unless Parliament sets up a separate source. for non-routine government spending in 2025-26.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Bill lapses when Parliament is dissolved
The bill did not complete its passage and fell away at dissolution, so the proposed appropriation in this form was not enacted.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Key criticism
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far, with no substantive criticism identified beyond the ordinary breadth and discretion that come with annual appropriation legislation. In the debate publicly available sources, no party represented in the debate opposed the bill and the only recorded speech simply supported its budget funding role.
No significant public case against the bill is recorded so far.
Votes
No recorded votes were found before this bill stopped proceeding.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Stephen Jones supports the bill and says it is part of the 2025-26 budget appropriations, providing funding for new measures and key spending areas like defence, infrastructure and finance.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
1 speaker · 1 support
“Details of the proposed expenditure are set out in the schedules to the bill, the explanatory memorandum, and the portfolio budget statements tabled in relation to the supply bills and budget bills for 2025-26. I commend this bill to the chamber.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
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.
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.
House · Lapsed at dissolution
Lapsed at dissolution
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
