Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026; Third Reading

Summary

The government is asking Parliament to approve extra spending money for various government departments and agencies beyond what was already approved in the main budget earlier in the year. This appropriation works alongside the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and splits the funding into three separate bills (one for regular government services, one for other appropriations, and one for Parliament itself) as required by the Australian Constitution. The money covers new government decisions and programs that have come up since the original 2025-26 Budget was finalised, meaning departments can now spend these additional amounts on departmental costs, programs they administer, and corporate entities they run. Without this approval, government agencies would not have legal permission to spend this extra money, so Parliament must pass it to allow the government to fund new initiatives and respond to changed circumstances during the financial year.

What happens at this stage

The final vote in this chamber on the bill as a whole, after all amendments have been considered. If it passes, the bill moves to the other chamber to go through the same process. If both chambers have already agreed to identical text, the bill proceeds directly to Royal Assent.

Next: The other chamber, which runs the same process from First Reading, or Royal Assent if both chambers have already agreed