Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2012-2013

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Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 20122013

 

No. 80, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

An Act to appropriate money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for expenditure in relation to the Parliamentary Departments, and for related purposes

 

 

 

Contents

Part 1—Preliminary

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Definitions

4 Portfolio Statements

5 Notional payments, receipts etc.

Part 2—Appropriation items

6 Summary of appropriations

7 Departmental items

8 Administered items

9 Administered assets and liabilities items

10 Other departmental items

Part 3—Adjusting appropriation items

11 Reducing departmental items, administered assets and liabilities items and other departmental items

12 Reducing administered items

13 Advance to the responsible Presiding Officer

Part 4—Miscellaneous

14 Crediting amounts to Special Accounts

15 Appropriation of the Consolidated Revenue Fund

Schedule 1—Services for which money is appropriated

 

 

 

Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2012-2013

No. 80, 2012

 

 

 

An Act to appropriate money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for expenditure in relation to the Parliamentary Departments, and for related purposes

[Assented to 28 June 2012]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

Part 1—Preliminary

 

1  Short title

  This Act may be cited as the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 20122013.

2  Commencement

  This Act commences on the day this Act receives the Royal Assent.

3  Definitions

  In this Act:

administered assets and liabilities item means an amount set out in Schedule 1 in relation to a Parliamentary Department opposite the heading “Administered Assets and Liabilities”.

administered item means an amount set out in Schedule 1 opposite an outcome for a Parliamentary Department under the heading “Administered”.

Agency has the same meaning as in the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

Note: Each Parliamentary Department is an Agency for the purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

Chief Executive has the same meaning as in the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

current year means the financial year ending on 30 June 2013.

departmental item means the total amount set out in Schedule 1 in relation to a Parliamentary Department under the heading “Departmental”.

Note: The amounts set out opposite outcomes, under the heading “Departmental”, are “notional”. They are not part of the item, and do not in any way restrict the scope of the expenditure authorised by the item.

expenditure means payments for expenses, acquiring assets, making loans or paying liabilities.

Finance Minister means the Minister administering this Act.

item means any of the following:

 (a) a departmental item;

 (b) an administered item;

 (c) an administered assets and liabilities item;

 (d) an other departmental item.

other departmental item means an amount set out in Schedule 1 in relation to a Parliamentary Department opposite the heading “Equity Injections”.

Parliamentary Department means any of the following:

 (a) the Department of the Senate;

 (b) the Department of the House of Representatives;

 (c) the Department of Parliamentary Services;

 (d) the Parliamentary Budget Office.

Portfolio Budget Statements means the Portfolio Budget Statements that were tabled in the Senate or the House of Representatives in relation to the Bill for this Act.

Portfolio Statements means the Portfolio Budget Statements.

President means the President of the Senate.

responsible Presiding Officer means:

 (a) in relation to the Department of the Senate—the President; or

 (b) in relation to the Department of the House of Representatives—the Speaker; or

 (c) in relation to the Department of Parliamentary Services—the President and the Speaker together; or

 (d) in relation to the Parliamentary Budget Office—the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

Speaker means the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Special Account has the same meaning as in the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

4  Portfolio Statements

  The Portfolio Statements are hereby declared to be relevant documents for the purposes of section 15AB of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.

Note: See paragraph 15AB(2)(g) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.

5  Notional payments, receipts etc.

  For the purposes of this Act, notional transactions between Agencies are to be treated as if they were real transactions.

Note: This section applies, for example, to a “payment” between Agencies that are both part of the Commonwealth. One of the effects of this section is that the payment will be debited from an appropriation for the paying Agency, even though no payment is actually made from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.


Part 2—Appropriation items

 

6  Summary of appropriations

  The total of the items specified in Schedule 1 is $174,550,000.

Note 1: Items in Schedule 1 can be adjusted under Part 3 of this Act.

Note 2: Sections 30 to 32 of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 also provide for adjustments of amounts appropriated by this Act.

7  Departmental items

  The amount specified in a departmental item for a Parliamentary Department may be applied for the departmental expenditure of the Parliamentary Department.

Note: The Finance Minister manages the expenditure of public money through the issue of drawing rights under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

8  Administered items

 (1) The amount specified in an administered item for an outcome for a Parliamentary Department may be applied for expenditure for the purpose of contributing to achieving that outcome.

Note: The Finance Minister manages the expenditure of public money through the issue of drawing rights under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

 (2) If the Portfolio Statements indicate that activities of a particular kind were intended to be treated as activities in respect of a particular outcome, then expenditure for the purpose of carrying out those activities is taken to be expenditure for the purpose of contributing to achieving the outcome.

9  Administered assets and liabilities items

 (1) The amount specified in an administered assets and liabilities item for a Parliamentary Department may be applied for expenditure for the purpose of contributing to achieving any outcome specified in Schedule 1 for the Parliamentary Department.

Note: The Finance Minister manages the expenditure of public money through the issue of drawing rights under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

 (2) If the Portfolio Statements indicate that activities of a particular kind were intended to be treated as activities in respect of a particular outcome, then expenditure for the purpose of carrying out those activities is taken to be expenditure for the purpose of contributing to achieving the outcome.

10  Other departmental items

  The amount specified in an other departmental item for a Parliamentary Department may be applied for the departmental expenditure of the Parliamentary Department.

Note: The Finance Minister manages the expenditure of public money through the issue of drawing rights under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.


Part 3—Adjusting appropriation items

 

11  Reducing departmental items, administered assets and liabilities items and other departmental items

 (1) A written request to reduce a departmental item, an administered assets and liabilities item or an other departmental item for a Parliamentary Department may be made to the Finance Minister by the responsible Presiding Officer.

 (2) If a request is made under subsection (1), the Finance Minister may, by writing, determine that the item is to be reduced by the amount specified in the request.

 (3) However, the determination has no effect to the extent that it would reduce the item below nil, after subtracting amounts that have been applied under Part 2 in respect of the item.

 (4) The item is taken to be reduced in accordance with the determination.

 (5) Despite subsection 33(3) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, the determination must not be rescinded, revoked, amended or varied.

 (6) A request made under subsection (1) is not a legislative instrument.

 (7) A determination made under subsection (2) is a legislative instrument and, despite subsection 44(2) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003, section 42 (disallowance) of that Act applies to the determination. However, Part 6 (sunsetting) of that Act does not apply to the determination.

12  Reducing administered items

 (1) If:

 (a) an annual report for a Parliamentary Department for the current year is tabled in the Parliament; and

 (b) the report specifies an amount required by the Parliamentary Department in respect of an administered item; and

 (c) the required amount is less than the amount of the item;

the item is taken to be reduced to the required amount.

 (2) The Finance Minister may, by writing:

 (a) determine that subsection (1):

 (i) does not apply in relation to the item; or

 (ii) applies as if the amount specified in the annual report were the amount specified in the determination; or

 (b) if the report does not specify the required amount—determine an amount that is taken to be the required amount for the purposes of subsection (1).

 (3) A determination made under subsection (2) is a legislative instrument and, despite subsection 44(2) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003, section 42 (disallowance) of that Act applies to the determination. However, Part 6 (sunsetting) of that Act does not apply to the determination.

13  Advance to the responsible Presiding Officer

 (1) This section applies if the responsible Presiding Officer is satisfied that there is an urgent need for expenditure in relation to a Parliamentary Department, in the current year, that is not provided for, or is insufficiently provided for, in Schedule 1:

 (a) because of an erroneous omission or understatement; or

 (b) because the 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.

 (2) This Act has effect as if Schedule 1 were amended, in accordance with a determination of the responsible Presiding Officer, to make provision for so much (if any) of the additional expenditure as the responsible Presiding Officer determines.

 (3) The total of the amounts determined under subsection (2) for the Department of the Senate cannot be more than $300,000.

 (4) The total of the amounts determined under subsection (2) for the Department of the House of Representatives cannot be more than $300,000.

 (5) The total of the amounts determined under subsection (2) for the Department of Parliamentary Services cannot be more than $1 million.

 (6) A determination made under subsection (2) is a legislative instrument, but neither section 42 (disallowance) nor Part 6 (sunsetting) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 applies to the determination.


Part 4—Miscellaneous

 

14  Crediting amounts to Special Accounts

  If any of the purposes of a Special Account is a purpose that is covered by an item (whether or not the item expressly refers to the Special Account), then amounts may be debited against the appropriation for that item and credited to that Special Account.

15  Appropriation of the Consolidated Revenue Fund

  The Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated as necessary for the purposes of this Act, including the operation of this Act as affected by the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

Schedule 1—Services for which money is appropriated

Note: See sections 6 and 15.

 

 

Abstract

 

 

Page

Reference

 

Department

 

Total

 

 

 $'000

 

 

 

14

Department of the Senate

21,141

15

Department of the House of Representatives

22,691

16

Department of Parliamentary Services

124,635

17

Parliamentary Budget Office

6,083

 

 

 

 

Total

174,550

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPROPRIATIONS

 

 

 

 

 

Summary

Summary of Appropriations (plain figures)—20122013

Actual Available Appropriation (italic figures)—20112012

 

 

Entity

 

Departmental

 

Administered

Non

operating

 

Total

 

$'000

$'000

$'000

$'000

 

 

 

 

 

Department of the Senate

21,141

21,141

21,569

21,569

 

 

 

 

 

Department of the House of Representatives

22,691

22,691

23,253

23,253

 

 

 

 

 

Department of Parliamentary Services

111,739

12,896

124,635

123,774

12,279

136,053

 

 

 

 

 

Parliamentary Budget Office

6,083

6,083

 

 

 

 

 

Total: Parliamentary Departments

161,654

12,896

174,550

 

168,596

12,279

180,875

 

Parliament

Appropriation (plain figures)—20122013

Actual Available Appropriation (italic figures)—20112012

 

 

Departmental

Administered

Total

 

$'000

$'000

$'000

DEPARTMENT OF THE SENATE

 

 

 

Operating

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outcome 1

Advisory and administrative support services to enable the Senate and Senators to fulfil their representative and legislative duties

 

 

 

21,141

21,141

21,569

21,569

 

 

 

 

Total: Department of the Senate

21,141

21,141

21,569

21,569

 

Parliament

Appropriation (plain figures)—20122013

Actual Available Appropriation (italic figures)—20112012

 

 

Departmental

Administered

Total

 

$'000

$'000

$'000

DEPARTMENT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

 

 

Operating

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outcome 1

Advisory and administrative services support the House of Representatives to fulfil its representative and legislative role

 

 

 

22,691

22,691

23,253

23,253

 

 

 

 

Total: Department of the House of Representatives

22,691

22,691

23,253

23,253

 

Parliament

Appropriation (plain figures)—20122013

Actual Available Appropriation (italic figures)—20112012

 

 

Departmental

Administered

Total

 

$'000

$'000

$'000

DEPARTMENT OF PARLIAMENTARY SERVICES

 

 

 

Operating

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outcome 1

Occupants of Parliament House are supported by integrated services and facilities, Parliament functions effectively and its work and building are accessible to the public

 

 

 

111,739

111,739

123,774

123,774

 

 

 

 

Total: Operating

111,739

111,739

 

123,774

123,774

Nonoperating

 

 

 

Administered Assets and Liabilities

 

 

12,896

 

 

12,279

Total: Nonoperating

 

 

12,896

 

 

 

12,279

Total: Department of Parliamentary Services

111,739

124,635

123,774

136,053

 

Parliament

Appropriation (plain figures)—20122013

Actual Available Appropriation (italic figures)—20112012

 

 

Departmental

Administered

Total

 

$'000

$'000

$'000

PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE

 

 

 

Operating

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outcome 1

Inform the Parliament by providing independent and nonpartisan analysis of the budget cycle, fiscal policy and the financial implications of proposals

 

 

 

6,083

6,083

 

 

 

 

Total: Parliamentary Budget Office

6,083

6,083

 

[Minister’s second reading speech made in—

House of Representatives on 8 May 2012

Senate on 21 June 2012]

(70/12)

 

Overview

The Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2012-2013 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to address the need for the appropriation of funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the expenditure of Parliamentary Departments for the financial year 2012-2013 and related purposes. The Act specifies the appropriation of funds for the Department of the Senate, the Department of the House of Representatives, the Department of Parliamentary Services, and the Parliamentary Budget Office, as well as the mechanisms for adjusting these appropriations. The policy objective is to ensure that the Parliamentary Departments receive the necessary funding to support their operations and achieve their respective outcomes, while maintaining financial accountability and control over the allocated funds. The Act also provides for the appropriation of funds to Special Accounts if applicable and specifies the procedures for making adjustments to the appropriations as needed.

Scope and Application

The Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2012-2013, referred to as the Act, applies specifically to the appropriation of funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the expenditure of four Parliamentary Departments: the Department of the Senate, the Department of the House of Representatives, the Department of Parliamentary Services, and the Parliamentary Budget Office. The Act provides for the appropriation of a total of $174,550,000 for the financial year ending on 30 June 2013, which is to be allocated among these departments as detailed in Schedule 1. The Act also mandates the Finance Minister to manage these funds through the issuance of drawing rights under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997. The Act's jurisdiction extends across the Commonwealth of Australia, and while it primarily concerns the appropriation of funds for specified Parliamentary Departments, it also includes provisions for the adjustment of appropriation items and the crediting of amounts to Special Accounts. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions in this Act, and its provisions apply comprehensively to the appropriation of funds for the listed Parliamentary Departments as outlined.

Key Provisions

The Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No. 1) 2012-2013 provides the legal framework for the appropriation of funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to support the operations of the Parliamentary Departments for the financial year ending 30 June 2013. The Act is divided into several parts, each addressing different aspects of the appropriation process. Part 1 includes preliminary provisions such as the short title of the Act, its commencement, and definitions of key terms. Part 2 outlines the appropriation items, detailing how the funds are to be allocated and used. Part 3 deals with the adjustments that can be made to the appropriation items, while Part 4 includes miscellaneous provisions such as the crediting of amounts to Special Accounts and the appropriation of the Consolidated Revenue Fund. Under the Act, various types of items are defined and specified in Schedule 1, including departmental items, administered items, administered assets and liabilities items, and other departmental items. Each type of item has specific purposes and restrictions on its use. For instance, departmental items (Section 7) can be used for the general departmental expenditure, while administered items (Section 8) are designated for specific outcomes. Administered assets and liabilities items (Section 9) are earmarked for achieving particular outcomes, and other departmental items (Section 10) are also designated for departmental use. The Act imposes several obligations on the parties involved, particularly the responsible Presiding Officers and the Finance Minister. For example, the responsible Presiding Officers can request reductions in certain appropriation items (Section 11), and the Finance Minister has the authority to approve these reductions. The Act also allows for the reduction of administered items based on the annual reports of the Parliamentary Departments (Section 12). Additionally, the responsible Presiding Officers can request advances for urgent, unforeseen expenditures (Section 13). Breaching the provisions of this Act can have various consequences. While specific offences and penalties are not detailed in the Act, the consequences of non-compliance could include financial mismanagement or the improper use of public funds. The Act also provides mechanisms for disallowance of certain legislative instruments, ensuring that adjustments to appropriation items are subject to parliamentary oversight. Failure to adhere to the procedures and restrictions set out in the Act could result in the invalidity of certain determinations and amendments to the appropriation items.

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Act
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Appropriation of the Consolidated Revenue Fund
Notional payments, receipts etc.
Departmental items
Administered items
Adjusting appropriation items
Crediting amounts to Special Accounts

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