2016

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FOR THE
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

APPROPRIATION (OFFICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY) BILL
2016-2017

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Presented by
Mr Andrew Barr MLA
Treasurer

APPROPRIATION (OFFICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY) BILL 2016-2017

The Appropriation (Office of the Legislative Assembly) Bill 2016-2017 is the mechanism for the appropriation of monies for the 2016-17 financial year for the Office of the Legislative Assembly and officers of the Assembly (the Auditor-General and the Electoral Commissioner).

Under Section 58 of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988, public money may not be issued or spent except as authorised by law.  Under Section 6 of the Financial Management Act 1996 (FMA), no payment of public money may be made unless it is in accordance with an appropriation.  Section 8 of the FMA provides that there must be a separate Appropriation Act for an appropriation for the Office of Legislative Assembly.  The Bill satisfies the provisions of each of these Acts.

The Bill provides for appropriations for the Auditor-General, the Electoral Commissioner and the Office of the Legislative Assembly in relation to:
(a) controlled recurrent payments;
(b) capital injections; and
(c) payments to be made on behalf of the Territory.

Before providing details of the BilI itself, I would like to provide Members of the Assembly with further details in relation to the appropriation being proposed for the Auditor-General in Clause 6.

Section 20 of the FMA requires that a statement of reasons be tabled immediately after the introduction of the Appropriation (Office of Legislative Assembly) Bill 2016‑2017, should the Government depart from the Speaker’s “recommended appropriation”. 

I will be tabling a separate statement of reasons in relation to the Auditor-General as the Government has not agreed to the amount of appropriation that the Speaker recommended. 

Details of the Bill are set out below:

APPROPRIATION (OFFICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY) BILL 2016-2017

Clause 1 cites the short title of the Act as being the Appropriation (Office of the Legislative Assembly) Act 2016-2017 as it relates to the 2016-17 financial year.

Clause 2 provides that the Act commences on 1 July 2016.

Clause 3 refers to the legislative basis for making appropriations.

Clause 4 deals with definitions for the purposes of the Bill.

Clause 5 deals with interpretation for the purposes of the Bill.

Clause 6 provides for the appropriation for controlled recurrent payments of           
$2 857 000 to the Auditor-General in the 2016-17 financial year. 

Clause 7 provides for the appropriation of $7 908 000 for controlled recurrent payments and capital injection to the Electoral Commissioner in the                                     2016-17 financial year.

Clause 8 provides for the appropriation of $18 875 000 for controlled recurrent payments, capital injection and payments on behalf of the Territory to the Office of the Legislative Assembly in the 2016-17 financial year.