Explanatory Statement
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2007-2008, Section 13 – Advance to the responsible Presiding Officer
The instrument to which this explanatory statement relates
This explanatory statement relates to an instrument (the instrument) entitled “Advance to the Presiding Officer – Section 13 of Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1)
2007-2008”, dated 31 March 2008 and numbered 1 of 2007-2008.
The legislative authority under which the instrument is made
The Advance to the responsible Presiding Officer is a provision authorised by the annual Appropriation Acts and made available to the responsible Presiding Officer of a Parliamentary Department as a central contingency fund to provide urgent funding to these departments throughout the financial year.
In Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2007-2008, the Advance to the responsible Presiding Officer is provided for under section 13. This section indicates that amounts can be issued from the Advance for the Department of the House of Representatives, up to a limit of $300,000, if the Presiding Officer is satisfied that:
(a) There is an urgent need for expenditure, in the current year, that is not provided for, or is insufficiently provided for, in Schedule 1 (which sets out the amounts appropriated); and
(b) The additional expenditure is not provided for, or is insufficiently provided for, in Schedule 1:
(i) Because of an erroneous omission or understatement; or
(ii) Because the additional expenditure was unforeseen until after the last day on which it was practicable to provide for it in the Bill for this Act before that Bill was introduced into the House of Representatives.
Exercise of the provision via the issue of a determination, has effect as if Schedule 1 of Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2007-2008 were amended to make provision for the additional expenditure specified in the determination.
Purpose of the instrument
The instrument determines that the Administered expenses – Outcome 1 appropriation for the Department of the House of Representatives in Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2007-2008 be increased by $210,000. The additional amount is provided for payments in relation to salaries and superannuation contributions for staff of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Second Deputy Speaker.
Background
The background to the instrument is provided in the application made by the Department of the House of Representatives for funding from the Advance to the Presiding Officer. The application is reproduced below.