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Australian Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation - Monitor

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Scrutiny of Commonwealth expenditure [2021] AUSStaCSDLM 5 (22 January 2021)


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 table below outline the expenditure specified in legislative instruments registered between 30 September and 13 October 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 (Education, Skills and Employment Measures No. 5) Regulations 2020 [F2020L01280]
Grants to support a company established to strengthen the national education evidence base for school and early childhood education
$25 million over three years from 2020-21 (Commonwealth government contribution)
Funding will be provided for the ongoing operations of a company established to strengthen the national education evidence base for school and early childhood education.
The company’s functions will include:
• collaborating with government, the school and early childhood education sector, the vocational education and training sector, the higher education and research sector and philanthropic organisations;
• developing and implementing a national agenda for research relating to school and early childhood education;
• mobilising high quality teaching and learning resources for school and early childhood education; and
• supporting teaching and learning in school and early childhood education.
Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee
Industry Research and Development (Exploring for the Future Program) Instrument 2020 [F2020L01299]
Exploring for the Future Program
$124.5 million over four years from 2020-21
Funding will be provided to Geoscience Australia to produce a nationally significant minerals, energy and groundwater resources prospectus, including by:
• acquiring and analysing geoscience data, including by using geophysical, geochemical, stratigraphic and other tools and techniques;
• developing and delivering geoscience data products, including through an online portal; and
• conducting comprehensive analysis of geoscience issues in prospective geological regions with clear development potential.
Senate Economics Legislation Committee

[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.


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