Scrutiny of Commonwealth expenditure [2020] AUSStaCSDLM 108 (2 September 2020)

• Chapter 3
• Scrutiny of Commonwealth expenditure

Chapter 3

Scrutiny of Commonwealth expenditure

3.1 The Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997 (FF(SP) Act) and the Industry Research and Development Act 1986 (IRD Act) authorise the Commonwealth to spend public money on grants and programs specified in instruments made under those Acts. Consequently, the specification of expenditure in an instrument made under these Acts effectively authorises the Commonwealth to spend public moneys on the relevant grant or program. The scrutiny of such instruments is a key aspect of parliamentary scrutiny and control of Commonwealth expenditure.^[1]

3.2 To facilitate such scrutiny, this chapter draws the Senate's attention to the nature and extent of Commonwealth expenditure that is authorised by the FF(SP) Act and the IRD Act and specified in delegated legislation made under those Acts.^[2]

3.3 The tables below outline the expenditure specified in legislative instruments registered between 19 June 2020 and 22 July 2020.

3.4 The committee has resolved to write to the relevant legislation committees to alert those committees to the expenditure listed below that falls within their area of portfolio responsibility. The committee does so under standing order 23(4) which requires the committee to scrutinise each instrument to determine whether the Senate's attention should be drawn to it on the ground that it raises significant issues, or otherwise gives rise to issues that are likely to be of interest to the Senate.

Instrument	Grant/Program	Amount	Description	Portfolio committee
Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Agriculture, Water and the Environment Measures No. 4) Regulations 2020 [F2020L00816]	National Environmental Science Program	$149 million over seven years from 2020-21	Funding will be provided for Phase 2 of the National Environmental Science Program to support applied environmental science through four multi-disciplinary research hubs.	Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee
Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Home Affairs Measures No. 3) Regulations 2020 [F2020L00781]	Multicultural Community Amenities Grants in the Northern Territory	Up to $2 million in 2020-21	Funding will be provided to multicultural community organisations to undertake activities in the Northern Territory to support social and economic participation.	Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee
	Disaster Risk Reduction Package	$26.1 million over five years from 2019-20	Funding will be provided for national initiatives that reduce the risk, and limit the impact, of disasters associated with natural hazards on Australian communities and economies.	Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee
Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Industry, Science, Energy and Resources Measures No. 1) Regulations 2020 [F2020L00817]	National Radioactive Waste Management Facility New Community Benefit Program	$4 million over two years from 2020-21	Funding will be provided to support the participation of the communities of Lyndhurst, Napandee and Wallerberdina in the selection process for the potential establishment and operation of the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility.	Senate Economics Legislation Committee
Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Measures No. 5) Regulations 2020 [F2020L00818]	Telecommunications Emergency Resilience Package	$37.1 million over two years from 2020-21	Funding will be provided for initiatives to improve telecommunications capacity and resilience during bushfires and other natural disasters.	Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee
Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Social Services Measures No. 2) Regulations 2020 [F2020L00792]	Grants to University of Technology Sydney for Anti‑Slavery Australia—Complex Violence Intervention (Forced Marriage) Project	$400,000 in 2020-21	Funding will be provided to Anti-Slavery Australia to support the development of an online forum, community engagement strategy, national champions program and training for community workers.	Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee
	National Centre for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse	$22.5 million over five years from 2020-21	Funding will be provided for the establishment and ongoing costs of the National Centre for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse to raise community awareness and reduce stigma about child sexual abuse, increase practitioners' knowledge and competence in responding to victims and survivors, and develop better service models and interventions.	Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee
Industry Research and Development (Bankable Feasibility Study on High-Efficiency Low-Emissions Coal Plant in Collinsville Program) Instrument 2020 [F2020L00772]	Bankable Feasibility Study on High-Efficiency Low-Emissions Coal Plant in Collinsville Program	Up to $4 million	Funding will be provided to Shine Energy Pty Ltd to support a feasibility study into the viability of a new high‑efficiency, low‑emissions coal‑fired power plant in Collinsville, Queensland.	Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee
Industry Research and Development (Environmental Education Centres Program) Instrument 2020 [F2020L00771]	Environmental Education Centres Program	$50 million	Funding will be provided to: • Murdoch University to establish the Harry Butler Environmental Education Centre to develop and promote understanding of the positive relationship between economic development and environmental sustainability; and • the University of Melbourne to establish the National Centre for Coasts, Environment and Climate to foster research and education focused on the coastal environment, climate change, science, history and culture, the arts and community engagement.	Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee
Industry Research and Development (Pre-feasibility Study on a Proposed Pumped Hydro-electric Power Plant in Central Queensland Program) Instrument 2020 [F2020L00774]	Pre-feasibility Study on a Proposed Pumped Hydro-electric Power Plant in Central Queensland Program	$2 million	Funding will be provided to Blue Hydro Project Pty Ltd to undertake a pre‑feasibility study into the viability of a new pumped hydro‑electric power plant in central Queensland.	Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee

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[1] For further information see the committee's guideline on Scrutiny of Commonwealth expenditure and Chapter 7 of the report of the committee's inquiry, Parliamentary scrutiny of delegated legislation.

[2] Details of all instruments which specify Commonwealth expenditure are published on the committee's website: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Scrutiny_of_Delegated_Legislation/Scrutiny_of_Commonwealth_expenditure.