Scrutiny of Commonwealth expenditure [2021] AUSStaCSDLM 64 (14 April 2021)

• Chapter 3
• Scrutiny of Commonwealth expenditure

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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 22 December 2020 and 25 February 2021.

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 (Home Affairs Measures No. 1) Regulations 2021 [F2021L00129]	Coronavirus economic response—pandemic leave disaster payments	$34.3 million in 2020-21	To provide funding for a pandemic leave disaster payments program. Under the program, pandemic payments of $1,500 will be available to eligible individuals in all States and Territories who are unable to earn income while under a direction to self-isolate or quarantine as a result of COVID-19.	Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee Senate Select Committee on COVID-19
Industry Research and Development (Hotel Energy Uplift Program) Instrument 2021 [F2021L00095]	Hotel Energy Uplift Program	$12 million in 2020-2021	To provide funding for activities to support hotels to reduce their energy consumption, including through: • upgrading equipment; • upgrading building fabric; • undertaking energy management and carrying out energy management assessments such as energy systems assessments and feasibility studies; and • investing in energy monitoring and management systems.	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.