Bills Digest No. 105 1997-98
Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 1997-98
WARNING:
This Digest was prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as introduced
and does not canvass subsequent amendments. This Digest does not have any
official legal status. Other sources should be consulted to determine the
subsequent official status of the Bill.
CONTENTS
Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 1997-98
Date Introduced: 29 October 1997
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Finance
Commencement: Royal Assent
To authorise the Minister for Finance to issue an additional $509 973
000 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund in addition to the funds allocated
under the Appropriation Act (No. 2) 1996-97 for proposed expenditure
on capital works and services, payments to the States and Territories
and other services.
The reader is referred to the Digest for the Appropriation Bill (No.
4) 1997-98.
Outline of Major Additional Appropriations
The major additional appropriations effected by this Bill are:
- Department of Primary Industries and Energy - $128 085 000. Of that
total $58 159 000 is for rural adjustment under the States Grants
(Rural Adjustment) Act 1988 and the Rural Adjustment Act 1992,
$22 010 000 is for payment to the Tasmanian State Government under the
Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement and $16 638 000 for the Farm Family
Restart Scheme (FFRS). The rationale given by the Minister in the Second
Reading Speech to the Bill for the amount relating to rural adjustment
is that it is '... largely as a result exceptional circumstances increases
(for South Burnette, Gippsland, and extension of drought relief in parts
of Queensland and NSW) and a transfer from the Integrated Rural Policy
Package for the repayment of interest rate subsidies commitments under
Rural Adjustment Scheme'.
- The FFRS was announced on 14 September 1997 as part of the Government's
rural policy package entitled Agriculture - Advancing Australia.
Key features of the FFRS are detailed in the Digest for the Farm Household
Support Amendment (Restart and Exceptional Circumstances) Bill 19997
(Bills Digest No. 59 1997-98).
- Department of the Treasury - $96 650 000. Of that total $96 100 000
is for payments to State Government in lieu of stamp duty on Airport
Sales. The rationale given by the Minister in the Second Reading Speech
to the Bill for the payment is the effect of a recent High Court decision
The reference to a recent High Court decision is a reference to Allders
International Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue [1996]186
CLR 630. In that case the High Court held invalid the imposition of
State stamp duty on a lease covering parts of a Commonwealth place on
the grounds that section 52(i) of the Constitution gives the Commonwealth
exclusive power to make laws with respect to Commonwealth places.
- Department of Social Security - $58 135 000. Of that total $29 475
000 is for acquisition of computer equipment and $28 660 000 for compensation
to the States and Territories for extension of fringe benefits to pensioners
and older long-term allowees and beneficiaries.
The effect of clause 3 is to authorise the Minister for Finance
to issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund an additional $509 973 00
for the year ending 30 June 1998 (Schedule 2 gives a portfolio and program
breakup of the proposed expenditure).
Clause 4 deals with payments to the States. Schedule 2 deals
with payments to the Sates and Territories by each Department. Payments
to States details in Schedule 1 must be made on the terms and conditions
determined by the specified Minister.
Ian Ireland
17 November 1997
Bills Digest Service
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ISSN 1328-8091
© Commonwealth of Australia 1997
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Published by the Department of the Parliamentary Library, 1997.
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Last updated: 18 November 1997
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