57th Report
Introduction
Standing order 19 (2) and (3)
requires that the Committee determine the amounts to be included in the
parliamentary appropriation bills for the Department of the Senate.
Proposed Appropriations for 2015-16
The Committee notes that the Senate
Department’s 2015-16 appropriations have been calculated in accordance with
current Commonwealth funding policy. Under this policy, the forward estimates
reflect:
- a reduction in
funding of $0.64m due to the cessation of funding for the Parliamentary Joint
Select Committee on the Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Peoples;
-
an increase in
funding of $0.2m, ongoing, to offset the department’s increased fringe benefits
tax liability arising from the introduction of paid parking in the
parliamentary triangle; and
-
a one-off funding
measure for 2015-16 of $1.5m to provide additional resources for each of the
eight standing committee secretariats in response to ongoing elevated levels of
committee activity.
The proposed
appropriation has been calculated as follows:
Part 1 - Departmental Annual
Appropriation
| The current year’s budget for departmental expenses (as disclosed in the 2014-15 PBS) |
$20.627m |
| |
|
| Agreed budget measures: |
|
| FBT supplementation |
+0.207m |
| Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (cessation) |
-0.643m |
| Committee secretariat support supplementation |
+1.500m |
| Parameter and other adjustments |
-0.188m |
| Total departmental appropriation for 2015-16 |
$21.503m |
Part 2 –
Accumulated Prior Year Appropriations, Operating Results and Capital Expenditure
| Balance of prior year appropriations (estimate as at 30 June 2015) |
$10.243m |
Part 3 - Special Appropriations
(senators' remuneration and entitlements)
Made up of the following components (for this and next year):
| 2014-15: |
|
| Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990 |
$0.736m |
| Parliamentary Superannuation Act 2004 |
$1.995m |
| Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973 |
$19.821m |
| Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1901 |
$1.434m |
| Total Special Appropriations for 2014-15 |
$23.986m |
| |
|
| 2015-16: |
|
| Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990 |
$0.200m |
| Parliamentary Superannuation Act 2004 |
$2.075m |
| Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973 |
$20.198m |
| Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1901 |
$1.434m |
| Total Special Appropriations for 2015-16 |
$23.907m |
The total appropriation to be
approved by the Parliament in the appropriation bill for 2015-16 will be $21.503m (compared to $20.627m
in 2014-15).
Special appropriations of $23.907m
will also be drawn down during the year (compared to an estimate of $23.986m in
2014-15).
Conclusions
The Committee
acknowledges the cessation of funding for the Parliamentary Joint Select
Committee on the Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Peoples, and the ongoing supplementation of funding for future FBT
liabilities.
The Committee also
welcomes the one-off funding measure of $1.5m for additional committee
resources, negotiated by the President with the Minister for Finance in lieu of
the funding requests put forward by the Department with the endorsement of the
(then) Appropriations and Staffing Committee. This measure – although less than
the amount originally proposed by the Committee, and representing an allocation
from the Contingency Reserve rather than shown as a budget measure included in
the Budget Papers – should address the Department’s immediate requirements.
Elevated levels of committee activity, should they continue, may necessitate
the revisiting of the matter in the context of future Budgets.
Determination
The Committee determines that the
total appropriation to be approved by the Parliament in the Appropriations
(Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No 1) 2015-16 is $21.503m and reports to the
Senate accordingly.
Senator
the Hon Stephen Parry
Chairman
May 2015
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