5 Introduction and Passage of the Appropriation Bill
The first Appropriation Bill must be introduced in the House of Representatives no later than 31 July each year. In practice, the Budget and the first Appropriation Bill are usually presented in May. This gives agencies sufficient time to prepare for the coming year.
The first reading of the main Appropriation Bill takes place on Budget Day after the Bill is introduced in the House. The Minister of Finance delivers the Budget speech in moving the second reading of the main Appropriation Bill and tables[15] the Budget documents in the House. The debate on the second reading of the Bill is the Budget debate.
The Fiscal Strategy Report, Budget Economic and Fiscal Update and the Estimates are then referred to the FEC. The FEC allocates Votes to appropriate select committees for the Estimates examination.
Acting under standing orders, the select committees question Ministers and departments about the appropriations requested. Each select committee is required to report back to the House within two months of the delivery of the Budget. In addition, the FEC questions the Minister of Finance on the Fiscal Strategy Report and the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update.
The Committee of the Whole House stage of the main Appropriation Bill is called the Estimates debate. During this debate, individual Votes are debated.
The debate on the third reading of the main Appropriation Bill must be completed within three months of the delivery of the Budget. The debate on the third reading may include reference to the content of the Fiscal Strategy Report, the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update and FEC's report on these documents. When the Bill has been read a third time, it is passed by the House and becomes law with the assent of the Governor-General.
Chapter Four explains the appropriation system in more detail.
Notes
- [15]The current Statutes Amendment Bill is amending the Public Finance Act 1989 to allow the documents to be presented before the Budget speech in future.
