Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026, Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026; Second Reading

Summary

The Australian Parliament is appropriating additional money for the House of Representatives and Department of Parliamentary Services for the 2025-26 financial year, beyond what was already approved in earlier budget bills. This happens because the government has made new decisions since the initial budget was passed, requiring extra funding to be set aside. The money comes from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (the government's main bank account) and is divided into different types of spending — departmental costs, administered items, and assets or liabilities — each of which has its own allocation. This follows the Australian Constitution's requirement that ordinary government spending must be approved in separate bills from other appropriations, and the amounts can be adjusted as needed under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

What happens at this stage

The main debate on whether the chamber supports the broad purpose of the bill. Members speak to its overall merits and concerns rather than the fine print. The government outlines its policy intentions; the opposition and crossbench put their case. This is the stage that determines whether the bill proceeds at all.

Next: Consideration in Detail (House) or Committee of the Whole (Senate), where the bill is examined clause by clause