{"id":"BILL-TAS--1-2026-18-of-2026","name":"Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2026","slug":"appropriation-bill-no-1-2026","collection":"bill","jurisdiction":"tas","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":"2026-01-01","administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":461846,"registerId":"BILL-TAS--1-2026-18-of-2026:current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-01-01","status":"in_force","reasons":null,"registeredAt":"2026-05-21T08:47:58.122Z"},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"retrieval-0001","sectionType":"document_chunk","heading":"Document excerpt 1","content":"# Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2026\n\n[Bill 18]-VI\nTASMANIA\n__________\nAPPROPRIATION BILL (No. 1) 2026\n__________\nCONTENTS\n1. Short title\n2. Commencement\n3. Interpretation\n4. Issue, application and appropriation of $9 104 688 000\n5. Purposes of appropriation\n6. Expiry of Act\nSchedule 1 – Purposes of Appropriation 2026-27\n\n2\n\n[Bill 18] 3\nAPPROPRIATION BILL (No. 1) 2026\n(Brought in by the Treasurer, the Honourable Eric Abetz)\nA BILL FOR\nAn Act for the appropriation of $9 104 688 000 out of the\nPublic Account for the services of the Government for the\nfinancial year ending on 30 June 2027\nBe it enacted by Her Excellency the Governor of Tasmania, by\nand with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and\nHouse of Assembly, in Parliament assembled, as follows:\n1. Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Appropriation Act\n(No. 1) 2026.\n2. Commencement\nThis Act commences on 1 July 2026, but if it\ndoes not receive the Royal Assent by that date\nthis Act is taken to have commenced on\n1 July 2026.\n3. Interpretation\nFor the purposes of this Act –\nCapital Services means –\n(a) public works or property required\nfor public purposes; or\n\nAppropriation Act (No. 1) 2026\nAct No. of 2026\ns. 4\n4\n(b) a loan authorised by law;\nOperating Services means the ordinary annual\nservices of the Government.\n4. Issue, application and appropriation of\n$9 104 688 000\n(1) In respect of the financial year ending on\n30 June 2027, the Treasurer may –\n(a) issue the sum of $9 104 688 000 out of\nthe Public Account; and\n(b) apply that sum for the services of the\nGovernment.\n(2) The sum specified in subsection (1)(a) is\nappropriated.\n5. Purposes of appropriation\nThe sum specified in section 4(1)(a) is to be\napplied for the purposes specified in Schedule 1\nand detailed in the agency information in support\nof the estimates for the financial year ending on\n30 June 2027.\n6. Expiry of Act\nThis Act expires on 30 June 2028.\n\nAppropriation Act (No. 1) 2026\nAct No. of 2026\nsch. 1\n5\nSCHEDULE 1 – PURPOSES OF APPROPRIATION\n2026-27\nSection 5\n\nAppropriation Act (No. 1) 2026\nAct No. of 2026\nsch. 1\n6\n\nAppropriation Act (No. 1) 2026\nAct No. of 2026\nsch. 1\n7\n\nAppropriation Act (No. 1) 2026\nAct No. of 2026\nsch. 1\n8\n\nAppropriation Act (No. 1) 2026\nAct No. of 2026\nsch. 1\n9\n\nAppropriation Act (No. 1) 2026\nAct No. of 2026\nsch. 1\n10 Government Printer, Tasmania","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This Bill performs the routine function of appropriating a sum for the specified financial year; it does not expand the law beyond that core purpose. The mechanics—authorising a specified draw from the Public Account, directing application to purposes shown in Schedule 1, defining capital and operating services, and providing start/expiry dates—are standard for an annual appropriation. Any substantive change in scope (new programs or materially different allocations) would appear in Schedule 1 and the agency estimates rather than the Bill’s text; the Bill itself does not broaden its purpose beyond a single-year appropriation (see ss.4–5)."},"complexity_factors":["Single-sum appropriation rather than numerous line items in the Act itself (s.4)","Only two defined terms in the Interpretation section (Capital Services; Operating Services) (s.3)","Short text: 6 substantive sections (Short title, Commencement, Interpretation, Issue/application/appropriation, Purposes, Expiry)","Referral to external documents for detail (Schedule 1 and agency information/estimates) increases practical dependency on other materials (s.5)","Simple conditional commencement clause (deemed commencement if Royal Assent delayed) (s.2)","No nested exceptions or complex cross-references within the Bill"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does (short version)**\n\n- It authorises the Treasurer to withdraw and spend $9,104,688,000 from the Public Account for government services in the 2026–27 financial year (section 4).  \n- It specifies that the money must be applied for the purposes listed in Schedule 1 and as detailed in the agency information that supports the budget estimates (section 5).  \n- It starts on 1 July 2026 (and is treated as having started on that date even if Royal Assent is given later) and the Act expires on 30 June 2028 (sections 2 and 6).\n\n**Who this affects**\n\n- The Treasurer: has the legal authority to issue the funds from the Public Account (s.4).  \n- Government agencies/departments: are the intended recipients of the appropriated funds and must use the money for the purposes set out in Schedule 1 and the published agency estimates (s.5).  \n- Taxpayers / the Public Account: ultimately pay for these services because the appropriation draws on the Public Account (s.4).  \n\n**How it works mechanically**\n\n- The Act creates a single legal appropriation of $9,104,688,000 for the 2026–27 year (s.4(1)–(2)).  \n- The appropriation is to be allocated to the line items and programs listed in Schedule 1 and in the agency information supporting the budget estimates (s.5).  \n- The Act defines two relevant terms for interpreting the appropriation: “Capital Services” (public works/property or loans) and “Operating Services” (ordinary annual government services) (s.3).  \n- The Treasurer exercises the power to issue and apply the funds; the Act itself does not prescribe operational detail beyond requiring application to the stated purposes (s.4–5).\n\n**Why it matters**\n\n- Legal authority to spend: Without an appropriation like this, the Executive does not have the statutory authority to draw the specified funds for government services for the year. This Bill provides that authority (s.4).  \n- Budget signal and constraints: The single appropriation amount and the requirement to follow Schedule 1 and agency estimates determine how much funding is available to departments and what they are authorised to spend the money on (s.4–5).  \n\n**Official purpose claims and a practical test**\n\n- The Bill’s stated purpose is to enable government services for the 2026–27 financial year by appropriating a specified sum (see Preamble and s.4).  \n- Costs and who bears them: the appropriation is a charge on the Public Account — in practical terms the costs are met from government revenue (taxes, other receipts) and therefore by taxpayers or the government’s borrowing position (s.4).  \n- Incentives and opportunity cost: allocating this lump sum to specified purposes prevents those funds being used elsewhere. Departments that receive allocations have a concentrated benefit; the cost of those allocations is distributed across the public (s.5).  \n- Implementation/administration: the Act refers to agency information and estimates for detail (s.5). That means operational control over particular spending choices lies in administrative budgets and program documents outside the Act; the Act itself provides the legal authority only.  \n- Rent‑seeking / lobbying risk and substitution effects: the Act creates a finite pool of funds. Departments and interest groups may seek favourable placement within Schedule 1 or the agency estimates; those dynamics are normal in budget processes and follow from the finite appropriation (s.5).  \n\n**Practical notes and caveats**\n\n- Schedule 1 is the place where money is allocated to individual agencies and programs; the short text provided here does not show the Schedule details. To know exactly which agencies and programs get what amounts you must consult Schedule 1 and the agency estimates referenced in s.5.  \n- The Act does not itself create new policy programs except insofar as Schedule 1 and the agency estimates commit funds to particular initiatives. The Act’s legal effect is to authorise spending; program detail is in the supporting budget documents (s.5)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/appropriation-bill-no-1-2026","history":"/api/acts/appropriation-bill-no-1-2026/history","analysis":"/api/acts/appropriation-bill-no-1-2026/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/appropriation-bill-no-1-2026/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/appropriation-bill-no-1-2026/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/appropriation-bill-no-1-2026/documents"}}