{"id":"F2020L00402","name":"Advance to the Finance Minister Determination (No. 3 of 2019-2020)","slug":"advance-to-the-finance-minister-determination-no-3-of-2019-2020","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":100923,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2020L00402-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Advance to the Finance Minister Determin","sectionType":"section","heading":"Advance to the Finance Minister Determination (No. 3 of 2019‑2020)","content":"###### Advance to the Finance Minister Determination (No. 3 of 2019‑2020)\n\nI, Mathias Hubert Paul Cormann, Minister for Finance, being satisfied of the matters set out in subsection 12(1) of Appropriation (Coronavirus Economic Response Package) Act (No. 2) 2019‑2020 (the Act), make the following determination under subsection 12(2) of the Act:\n\nThat the Act have effect as if Schedule 2 of the Act were amended so that the item described in Column 1 of the Table, for the Entity listed in Column 2 of the Table, were increased by the amount listed in Column 3 of the Table.\n\nTable\n\n|      | Column 1                                 | Column 2             | Column 3     |\n| ---- | ---------------------------------------- | -------------------- | ------------ |\n| Item | Appropriation Item                       | Entity               | Amount       |\n| 1    | Administered assets and liabilities item | Department of Health | $800,000,000 |\n\nDated: 3 April 2020\n\nMATHIAS HUBERT PAUL CORMANN\n\nMinister for Finance","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"Column 3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Column 3","content":"###### Column 3","sortOrder":1}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This determination performs exactly the function intended by the parent Act — it uses the 'advance to the Finance Minister' mechanism to urgently allocate additional funds during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scope remains tightly focused on the specific appropriation increase."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (under 300 words)","Only 1 substantive provision (the table amendment)","No defined terms section","Minimal cross-referencing (only references to specific subsections of the parent Act)","Single purpose: one funding increase to one entity","No conditional logic or exceptions"],"plain_english_summary":"This is a **ministerial determination** (a formal decision made by a government minister) that **adds $800 million to the Department of Health's budget**.\n\n**What it does:**\n- The Finance Minister, Mathias Cormann, used his powers under the **Appropriation (Coronavirus Economic Response Package) Act** to increase funding for the Department of Health.\n- Specifically, this money goes to the **\"administered assets and liabilities\"** part of the Department's budget. This is a technical term for money used to acquire assets, pay liabilities, or make investments on behalf of the government — as opposed to day-to-day running costs.\n\n**Why it matters:**\n- This was made in **April 2020**, right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.\n- The $800 million was almost certainly for **pandemic-related health spending** — things like medical supplies, hospital equipment, or other urgent health infrastructure needed to respond to the crisis.\n- It shows how the government can **quickly move large amounts of money** during emergencies using \"advance to the Finance Minister\" powers, without needing to pass new laws through Parliament.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Directly: The Department of Health, which received the funds.\n- Indirectly: Australian taxpayers and anyone using the health system during the early pandemic response."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This determination changes the financial scope of the Act by increasing the specified Schedule 2 appropriation item for the Department of Health by $800,000,000 (Table, Column 1–3). The instrument effects that change by treating Schedule 2 as if amended under subsection 12(2) after the Minister states satisfaction of subsection 12(1). The text does not record further limits, offsets or conditions accompanying the increase."},"complexity_factors":["Single, discrete monetary adjustment ($800,000,000) specified in a single table row","Effect is procedural/accounting: treats Schedule 2 \"as if\" amended rather than creating new substantive rules","Relies on exercise of a single statutory power (subsection 12(2)) after ministerial satisfaction of subsection 12(1)","No conditions, offsets, or detailed implementation steps set out in the instrument","Requires departmental accounting and potential downstream allocation decisions by the Department of Health"],"plain_english_summary":"This determination records the Minister for Finance exercising a power under the Appropriation (Coronavirus Economic Response Package) Act (No. 2) to treat Schedule 2 as if amended and increase the Department of Health’s \"Administered assets and liabilities\" appropriation by $800,000,000. It is an accounting/appropriation change that expands the department’s available funds under the Act; the instrument does not specify funding sources, spending conditions, or recipients."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/advance-to-the-finance-minister-determination-no-3-of-2019-2020","history":"/api/acts/advance-to-the-finance-minister-determination-no-3-of-2019-2020/history","analysis":"/api/acts/advance-to-the-finance-minister-determination-no-3-of-2019-2020/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/advance-to-the-finance-minister-determination-no-3-of-2019-2020/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/advance-to-the-finance-minister-determination-no-3-of-2019-2020/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/advance-to-the-finance-minister-determination-no-3-of-2019-2020/documents"}}