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 2016-17
The Committee notes that the Senate Department’s 2016-17 appropriations have been calculated in accordance with current Commonwealth funding policy. Under this policy, the forward estimates reflect:
- a reduction in funding of $0.01m due to a government decision that Commonwealth employers would no longer meet administrative costs for members of the Public Sector Superannuation Accumulation Plan (PSSAP);
- an increase of $0.07m, ongoing, due to a government decision to standardise employer contribution rates for superannuation;
- a one-off capital supplementation of $0.2m for changes to AusTender reporting due to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement;
- an increase in capital funding of $0.8m over 2016-17 and 2017-18 to implement a system to receive and publish copies of tabled documents; and
- a one-off supplementation of $3.0m to realign the Department's resourcing requirements to meet ongoing sustained levels of Senate activity.
The proposed appropriation for 2016-17 has been calculated as follows:
Part 1 - Departmental Annual Appropriation
The prior year’s budget for departmental expenses
(as disclosed in the 2015-16 PBS) |
$21.503m |
| |
|
Agreed budget measures:
Drepartment of the Senate – additional funding
Drepartment of the Senate – additional funding
Whole of government saving – supperannuation
Whole of government saving – PSSAP administration fees
International Trade Agreements
– government procurement reforms
Reversal of $1.5m supplementation for 2015-16
FBT additional funding
Other adjustments (economic parameters |
+2.986m
+0.375m
+0.071m
-0.011m
+0.150m
-1.500m
+0.212m
-0.028m |
| Total departmental appropriation for 2016-17 |
$23.758m |
Part 2 – Accumulated Prior Year Appropriations, Operating Results and Capital Expenditure
| Balance of prior year appropriations (estimate as at Budget May 2016) |
$10.361m |
Part 3 - Special Appropriations (senators' remuneration and entitlements)
Made up of the following components (for this and next year):
| 2015-16: |
| Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990 |
$0.200m |
| Parliamentary Superannuation Act 2004 |
$2.075m |
| Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973 |
$19.790m |
| Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1901 |
$1.573m |
| Total Special Appropriations for 2016-17 |
$23.638m |
| |
|
| 2016-17: |
| Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990 |
$0.200m |
| Parliamentary Superannuation Act 2004 |
$2.157m |
| Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973 |
$20.186m |
| Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1901 |
$1.880m |
| Total Special Appropriations for 2016-17 |
$24.423m |
The total appropriation to be approved by the Parliament in the appropriation bill for 2016-17 will be $23.758m (compared to $21.503m in 2015-16).
Special appropriations of $24.423m will also be drawn down during the year (compared to an estimate of $23.638m in 2015-16).
Conclusions
The Committee welcomes the Department's one-off supplementation of $3.0m in 2016-17 which, although not ongoing as requested, will assist in realigning the Department's resourcing requirements to meet ongoing sustained levels of legislative and, particularly, committee activity.
The Committee also welcomes the capital funding measure of $0.4m in both 2016-17 and 2017-18 to implement a system to receive and publish digital copies of tabled documents.
Determination
The Committee determines that the total appropriation to be approved by the Parliament in the Appropriations (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2016-17 is $23.758m and reports to the Senate accordingly.
Senator the Hon Stephen Parry
Chairman
May 2016