{"id":"C2026A00024","name":"Appropriation (Fuel Security Response) Act (No. 2) 2025-2026","slug":"appropriation-fuel-security-response-act-no-2-2025-2026","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"24 of 2026","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":436465,"registerId":"C2026A00024-fast-fetch-1775953656141","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Appropriation (Fuel Security Response) Act (No. 2) 2025-2026","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.png)\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nAppropriation (Fuel Security Response) Act (No. 2) 2025‑2026\n\nNo. 24, 2026\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nAn Act to appropriate additional money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for certain expenditure for the purposes of responding to circumstances relating to the Fuel Security Response, and for related purposes\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1 Short title\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Definitions\n\n4 Portfolio statements\n\n5 Notional transactions between entities that are part of the Commonwealth\n\nPart 2—Appropriation items\n\n6 Summary of appropriations\n\n7 State, ACT, NT and local government items\n\n8 Administered items\n\n9 Administered assets and liabilities items\n\n10 Other departmental items\n\n11 Corporate entity items\n\nPart 3—Advance to the Finance Minister\n\n12 Advance to the Finance Minister\n\nPart 4—Miscellaneous\n\n13 Crediting amounts to special accounts\n\n14 Conditions etc. applying to State, ACT, NT and local government items\n\n15 Appropriation of the Consolidated Revenue Fund\n\n16 Repeal of this Act\n\nSchedule 1—Payments to or for the States, ACT, NT and local government\n\nSchedule 2—Services for which money is appropriated\n\n \n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.png)\n\n \n\n \n\nAppropriation (Fuel Security Response) Act (No. 2) 2025-2026\n\nNo. 24, 2026\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nAn Act to appropriate additional money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for certain expenditure for the purposes of responding to circumstances relating to the Fuel Security Response, and for related purposes\n\n[Assented to 1 April 2026]\n\nThe Parliament of Australia enacts:\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n \n\n1  Short title\n\n  This Act is the Appropriation (Fuel Security Response) Act (No. 2) 2025‑2026.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this Act The day this Act receives the Royal Assent. 1 April 2026\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this Act.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Act. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this Act.\n\n3  Definitions\n\n  In this Act:\n\nadministered assets and liabilities item means an amount set out in Schedule 2 in relation to a non‑corporate entity opposite the heading “Administered Assets and Liabilities”.\n\nadministered item means an amount set out in Schedule 2 opposite an outcome for a non‑corporate entity under the heading “New Administered Outcomes”.\n\ncorporate entity means:\n\n (a) a corporate Commonwealth entity within the meaning of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013; or\n\n (b) a Commonwealth company within the meaning of that Act.\n\ncorporate entity item means the amount set out in Schedule 2 in relation to a corporate entity under the heading “Non‑operating”.\n\ncurrent year means the financial year ending on 30 June 2026.\n\nexpenditure means payments for expenses, acquiring assets, making loans or paying liabilities.\n\nFinance Minister means the Minister administering this Act.\n\nitem means any of the following:\n\n (a) a State, ACT, NT and local government item;\n\n (b) an administered item;\n\n (c) an administered assets and liabilities item;\n\n (d) an other departmental item;\n\n (e) a corporate entity item.\n\nnon‑corporate entity means:\n\n (a) a non‑corporate Commonwealth entity within the meaning of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013; or\n\n (b) the High Court.\n\nother departmental item means an amount set out in Schedule 2 in relation to a non‑corporate entity opposite the heading “Equity Injections”.\n\nPortfolio Additional Estimates Statements means the Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements that were tabled in the Senate or the House of Representatives in relation to the Bill for the Appropriation Act (No. 3) 2025‑2026 and the Bill for the Appropriation Act (No. 4) 2025‑2026.\n\nPortfolio Budget Statements means the Portfolio Budget Statements that were tabled in the Senate or the House of Representatives in relation to the Bill for the Appropriation Act (No. 1) 2025‑2026 and the Bill for the Appropriation Act (No. 2) 2025‑2026.\n\nportfolio statements means:\n\n (a) the Portfolio Budget Statements; and\n\n (b) the Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements.\n\nspecial account has the same meaning as in the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.\n\nState, ACT, NT and local government item means an amount set out in Schedule 2 opposite an outcome for a non‑corporate entity under the heading “Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government”.\n\n4  Portfolio statements\n\n  The portfolio statements are declared to be relevant documents for the purposes of section 15AB of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.\n\nNote: See paragraph 15AB(2)(g) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 which provides that the material that may be considered in the interpretation of a provision of an Act includes any document that is declared by the Act to be a relevant document.\n\n5  Notional transactions between entities that are part of the Commonwealth\n\n  For the purposes of this Act, notional transactions between non‑corporate entities are to be treated as if they were real transactions.\n\nNote: This section applies, for example, to a “payment” between non‑corporate entities that are both part of the Commonwealth. One of the effects of this section is that the payment will be debited from an appropriation for the paying non‑corporate entity, even though no payment is actually made from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. This is consistent with section 76 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.\n\nPart 2—Appropriation items\n\n \n\n6  Summary of appropriations\n\n  The total of the items specified in Schedule 2 is nil.\n\nNote 1: Items in Schedule 2 can be adjusted under Part 3 of this Act.\n\nNote 2: Sections 74 to 75 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 also provide for the adjustment of amounts appropriated by this Act.\n\n7  State, ACT, NT and local government items\n\n (1) The amount specified in a State, ACT, NT and local government item for an outcome for a non‑corporate entity may be applied for the purpose of making payments to or for the States, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and local government authorities for the purpose of contributing to achieving that outcome.\n\n (2) If the portfolio statements indicate that activities of a particular kind were intended to be treated as activities in respect of a particular outcome, then expenditure for the purpose of carrying out those activities is taken to be expenditure for the purpose of contributing to achieving the outcome.\n\n8  Administered items\n\n (1) The amount specified in an administered item for an outcome for a non‑corporate entity may be applied for expenditure for the purpose of contributing to achieving that outcome.\n\n (2) If the portfolio statements indicate that activities of a particular kind were intended to be treated as activities in respect of a particular outcome, then expenditure for the purpose of carrying out those activities is taken to be expenditure for the purpose of contributing to achieving the outcome.\n\n9  Administered assets and liabilities items\n\n (1) The amount specified in an administered assets and liabilities item for a non‑corporate entity may be applied for expenditure for the purpose of contributing to achieving any outcome specified for the entity:\n\n (a) in Schedule 2 to this Act; or\n\n (b) in Schedule 1 to the Appropriation (Fuel Security Response) Act (No. 1) 2025‑2026.\n\n (2) If the portfolio statements indicate that activities of a particular kind were intended to be treated as activities in respect of a particular outcome, then expenditure for the purpose of carrying out those activities is taken to be expenditure for the purpose of contributing to achieving the outcome.\n\n10  Other departmental items\n\n  The amount specified in an other departmental item for a non‑corporate entity may be applied for the departmental expenditure of the entity.\n\n11  Corporate entity items\n\n (1) The amount specified in a corporate entity item for a corporate entity may be paid to the entity to be applied for the purposes of the entity.\n\n (2) If:\n\n (a) an Act provides that a corporate entity must be paid amounts that are appropriated by the Parliament for the purposes of the entity; and\n\n (b) Schedule 2 contains a corporate entity item for that entity;\n\nthen the entity must be paid the full amount specified in the item.\n\nPart 3—Advance to the Finance Minister\n\n \n\n12  Advance to the Finance Minister\n\n (1) This section applies if the Finance Minister is satisfied that there is an urgent need for expenditure, in the current year, that is not provided for, or is insufficiently provided for, in Schedule 2:\n\n (a) because of an erroneous omission or understatement; or\n\n (b) because the expenditure was unforeseen until after the last day on which it was practicable to provide for it in the Bill for this Act before that Bill was introduced into the House of Representatives.\n\n (2) This Act has effect as if Schedule 2 were amended, in accordance with a determination of the Finance Minister, to make provision for so much (if any) of the expenditure as the Finance Minister determines.\n\n (3) A determination made under subsection (2) must relate to expenditure for the purposes of responding to circumstances relating to fuel security.\n\n (4) The total of the amounts determined under subsection (2) cannot be more than $1,200 million.\n\n (5) A determination made under subsection (2) is a legislative instrument, but neither section 42 (disallowance) nor Part 4 of Chapter 3 (sunsetting) of the Legislation Act 2003 applies to the determination.\n\nPart 4—Miscellaneous\n\n \n\n13  Crediting amounts to special accounts\n\n  If any of the purposes of a special account is a purpose that is covered by an item (whether or not the item expressly refers to the special account), then amounts may be debited against the appropriation for that item and credited to that special account.\n\n14  Conditions etc. applying to State, ACT, NT and local government items\n\n (1) This section applies to any payment made out of money appropriated by a State, ACT, NT and local government item for an outcome specified in column 2 of the table in Schedule 1.\n\n (2) The payment:\n\n (a) must be made on the terms and conditions (if any) from time to time determined, in the way described in subsection (3), as applying to payments made:\n\n (i) in relation to the outcome; and\n\n (ii) to or for a State, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory or a local government authority; and\n\n (iii) out of money appropriated by an annual Appropriation Act; and\n\n (b) must be made in accordance with any determination in writing made by the Minister specified, in column 4 of the table in Schedule 1, for the outcome as to amounts and times of payments.\n\n (3) The way of determining the terms and conditions applying to payments described in paragraph (2)(a) is for the Minister specified, in column 3 of the table in Schedule 1, for the outcome to make the determination in writing before or after the commencement of this Act.\n\n (4) Determinations mentioned in paragraph (2)(a) and determinations made under paragraph (2)(b) are not legislative instruments.\n\n (5) This section does not limit the Commonwealth’s power to:\n\n (a) apply terms and conditions to payments made out of money that is not appropriated by a State, ACT, NT and local government item; or\n\n (b) determine the amounts and times of those payments.\n\n15  Appropriation of the Consolidated Revenue Fund\n\n  The Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated as necessary for the purposes of this Act, including the operation of this Act as affected by the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.\n\n16  Repeal of this Act\n\n  This Act is repealed at the start of 1 July 2028.\n\nSchedule 1—Payments to or for the States, ACT, NT and local government\n\nNote: See section 14.\n\n \n\n| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n|  |  |  |  |\n|  |  | Minister | Minister |\n|  |  | determining | determining |\n| Entity | Outcome | conditions | payments |\n|  |  |  |  |\n| Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts | Improved infrastructure across Australia through investment in and coordination of transport and other infrastructure | Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government | Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government |\n| Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts | Strengthening the sustainability, capacity and diversity of Australia's urban and regional areas including northern Australia, including through facilitating local partnerships between all levels of government and local communities; through investment in infrastructure and measures that stimulate economic growth; and providing grants and financial assistance | Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government<br> | Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government<br> |\n\n\n \n\nSchedule 2—Services for which money is appropriated\n\nNote: See sections 6 and 15.\n\n \n\n| Abstract |  |\n| --- | --- |\n| Portfolio | Total |\n|  | $'000 |\n|  |  |\n| Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry | - |\n| Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water | - |\n| Foreign Affairs and Trade | - |\n| Industry, Science and Resources | - |\n| Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts | - |\n| Treasury | - |\n|  |  |\n| Total | - |\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n|  |\n| --- |\n|  |\n|  |\n|  |\n|  |\n|  |\n|  |\n| APPROPRIATIONS |\n|  |\n|  |\n|  |\n|  |\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- SUMMARYSummary of Appropriations (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026\n- Portfolio Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Non- operating Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000\n- Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- ‑ ‑ 352,334 352,334\n- Climate Change, Energy, the ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Environment and Water ‑ ‑ 1,316,396 1,316,396\n- Foreign Affairs and Trade ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- ‑ ‑ 162,029 162,029\n- Industry, Science and Resources ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- ‑ ‑ 59,083 59,083\n- Infrastructure, Transport, Regional ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Development, Communications, 1,091,397 ‑ 2,982,539 4,073,936\n- Sport and the Arts\n- Treasury ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- ‑ ‑ 724,717 724,717\n- Total: ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- 1,091,397 ‑ 5,597,098 6,688,495\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY PORTFOLIOSUMMARY Summary of Appropriations (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026\n- Entity Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Non- operating Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000\n- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- and Forestry ‑ ‑ 352,334 352,334\n- Total: Agriculture, Fisheries and ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Forestry ‑ ‑ 352,334 352,334\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY PORTFOLIOAdditional Appropriation (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026 Actual Available Appropriation (light figures)—2024‑2025\n- Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000\n- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES\n- AND FORESTRY\n- Non‑operating\n- Equity Injections ‑\n- 24,544\n- 46,366\n- Administered Assets and Liabilities ‑\n- 327,790\n- 237,214\n- Total: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Forestry\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER PORTFOLIOSUMMARY Summary of Appropriations (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026\n- Entity Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Non- operating Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000\n- Department of Climate Change, ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Energy, the Environment and Water ‑ ‑ 1,316,396 1,316,396\n- Total: Climate Change, Energy, the ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Environment and Water ‑ ‑ 1,316,396 1,316,396\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER PORTFOLIOAdditional Appropriation (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026 Actual Available Appropriation (light figures)—2024‑2025\n- Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000\n- DEPARTMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE,\n- ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER\n- Non‑operating\n- Equity Injections ‑\n- 16,089\n- 4,156\n- Administered Assets and Liabilities ‑\n- 1,300,307\n- 6,248,113\n- Total: Department of Climate Change, Energy, ‑ ‑ ‑\n- the Environment and Water\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE PORTFOLIOSUMMARY Summary of Appropriations (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026\n- Entity Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Non- operating Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000\n- Department of Foreign Affairs and ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Trade ‑ ‑ 162,029 162,029\n- Total: Foreign Affairs and Trade ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- ‑ ‑ 162,029 162,029\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE PORTFOLIOAdditional Appropriation (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026 Actual Available Appropriation (light figures)—2024‑2025\n- Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000\n- DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND\n- TRADE\n- Non‑operating\n- Equity Injections ‑\n- 125,529\n- 60,561\n- Administered Assets and Liabilities ‑\n- 36,500\n- 286,932\n- Total: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade ‑ ‑ ‑\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES PORTFOLIOSUMMARY Summary of Appropriations (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026\n- Entity Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Non- operating Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000\n- Department of Industry, Science and ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Resources ‑ ‑ 59,083 59,083\n- Total: Industry, Science and ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Resources ‑ ‑ 59,083 59,083\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES PORTFOLIOAdditional Appropriation (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026 Actual Available Appropriation (light figures)—2024‑2025\n- Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000\n- DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND\n- RESOURCES\n- Non‑operating\n- Equity Injections ‑\n- 58,046\n- 57,902\n- Administered Assets and Liabilities ‑\n- 1,037\n- ‑\n- Total: Department of Industry, Science and ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Resources\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, SPORT AND THE ARTS PORTFOLIOSUMMARY Summary of Appropriations (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026\n- Entity Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Non- operating Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000\n- Department of Infrastructure, ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Transport, Regional Development, 1,091,397 ‑ 2,982,539 4,073,936\n- Communications, Sport and the Arts\n- Total: Infrastructure, Transport, ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Regional Development, 1,091,397 ‑ 2,982,539 4,073,936\n- Communications, Sport and\n- the Arts\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, SPORT AND THE ARTS PORTFOLIOAdditional Appropriation (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026 Actual Available Appropriation (light figures)—2024‑2025\n- Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000\n- DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE,\n- TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT,\n- COMMUNICATIONS, SPORT AND THE ARTS\n- Operating\n- Outcome 1 ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Improved infrastructure across Australia through 821,397 ‑ 821,397\n- investment in and coordination of transport and 649,516 ‑ 649,516\n- other infrastructure\n- Outcome 3 ‑\n- Strengthening the sustainability, capacity and ‑ ‑ ‑\n- diversity of Australia's urban and regional areas 270,000 ‑ 270,000\n- including northern Australia, including through 269,721 ‑ 269,721\n- facilitating local partnerships between all levels\n- of government and local communities; through\n- investment in infrastructure and measures that\n- stimulate economic growth; and providing grants\n- and financial assistance\n- Total: Operating ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Non‑operating\n- Administered Assets and Liabilities ‑\n- 2,982,539\n- 3,242,291\n- Total: Non‑operating ‑\n- Total: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, ‑ ‑ ‑\n- Regional Development,\n- Communications, Sport and the Arts\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- TREASURY PORTFOLIOSUMMARY Summary of Appropriations (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026\n- Entity Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Non- operating Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000\n- Department of the Treasury ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- ‑ ‑ 724,717 724,717\n- Total: Treasury ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑\n- ‑ ‑ 724,717 724,717\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n- TREASURY PORTFOLIOAdditional Appropriation (bold figures)—2025‑2026 Budget Appropriation (italic figures)—2025‑2026 Actual Available Appropriation (light figures)—2024‑2025\n- Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government New Administered Outcomes Total\n- $'000 $'000 $'000\n- DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY\n- Non‑operating\n- Administered Assets and Liabilities ‑\n- 724,717\n- 981,827\n- Total: Department of the Treasury ‑ ‑ ‑\n\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n[Minister’s second reading speech made in—\n\nHouse of Representatives on 30 March 2026\n\nSenate on 1 April 2026]\n\n(54/26)\n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This Act remains narrowly focused on providing appropriation authority for expenditure connected to a Fuel Security Response. It does not broaden the legal purposes beyond fuel‑security‑related expenditure. The most notable expansion within the Act is an executive power (section 12) allowing the Finance Minister to add up to $1.2 billion in the current year for urgent, unforeseen or omitted fuel‑security spending; that is an internal expansion of discretion but is confined by the Act to fuel‑security purposes. There is no textual indication the Act has grown beyond its stated purpose of appropriating additional money to respond to fuel‑security circumstances."},"complexity_factors":["Moderate number of defined terms in section 3 (~15 key definitions: administered item, corporate entity, current year, expenditure, item types, portfolio statements, special account, etc.)","Multiple item types and funding pathways (State/ACT/NT/local government items; administered items; administered assets and liabilities; departmental equity injections; corporate entity items) in Part 2 and Schedule 2","Cross‑references to other Acts (Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013; Acts Interpretation Act 1901; Legislation Act 2003) that affect interpretation and accounting treatment (sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 12(5))","Ministerial discretion and several non‑standard instrument treatments: Finance Minister determinations under section 12 (legislative instrument but expressly exempt from disallowance and sunsetting), and ministerial determinations under section 14 that are not legislative instruments","Notional transaction rule (section 5) that changes ordinary cash/appropriation accounting between Commonwealth entities","Schedules with multiple tables and numeric entries that must be reconciled with the text (Schedule 1 and Schedule 2)","Conditional logic around adjustments: s6 note allows Part 3 adjustments; s12 prescribes both the circumstances that permit an advance and the $1.2 billion cap","Temporal limitation: repeal provision (section 16) creates a discrete operating window requiring coordination with multi‑year spending and reporting","Ambiguity risk in practical application: section 6 states the total of Schedule 2 items is nil while Schedule 2 contains numeric figures (requires careful reading of the enacted text and explanatory materials)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does, simply**\n\n- This Act provides the legal authority for the Commonwealth to spend additional money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to respond to matters connected to the government’s Fuel Security Response. (See the Act’s long title and section 15.)\n\n- It sets out the kinds of payments and recipients covered (payments to States/territories/local government, administered programs, departmental equity injections, corporate entity payments and administered assets/liabilities) and lists those items in Schedule 2 and the payments-to-states arrangements in Schedule 1. (See Parts 2 and Schedules 1–2.)\n\n- It gives the Finance Minister an urgent, limited power to add further amounts into the schedule if expenditure for the Fuel Security Response was omitted, understated or was unforeseeable at the time of the Bill. That power is capped at $1,200 million and must be used only for fuel-security–related expenditure. The Finance Minister’s determination has the legal effect of amending Schedule 2 and is a legislative instrument that is, however, not subject to parliamentary disallowance or the normal sunsetting procedure. (See section 12.)\n\n- The Act allows amounts to be moved (debited) against appropriations and credited to special accounts if the special account’s purposes cover the relevant item. (See section 13.)\n\n- Payments made to States/territories/local government under Schedule 1 must be made on the terms and conditions determined by the ministers named in Schedule 1 and in accordance with any written payment schedule the responsible minister sets. Those ministerial determinations are not legislative instruments and so are not subject to disallowance. (See section 14 and Schedule 1.)\n\n- For intra‑Commonwealth dealings between non‑corporate entities (for example, one department “paying” another), the Act treats those notional transactions as if they were real for appropriation accounting. (See section 5.)\n\n- The Act automatically ends (is repealed) on 1 July 2028. (See section 16.)\n\n\n**Who this affects**\n\n- The Commonwealth (Consolidated Revenue Fund) pays. (Section 15.)\n- Departments and other non‑corporate Commonwealth entities named in Schedule 2 and Schedule 1 (for example, Infrastructure, Treasury, Agriculture, Climate Change etc.) are the channels through which funds are deployed. (Parts 2, Schedules.)\n- Corporate Commonwealth entities and Commonwealth companies may receive equity or non‑operating payments where Schedule 2 lists a corporate entity item. (Section 11.)\n- States, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and local government authorities may be recipients of payments under Schedule 1 and are bound by terms and conditions the designated ministers set. (Section 7 and Schedule 1.)\n- The Finance Minister has discretion to allocate up to $1.2 billion extra in the current financial year for urgent fuel‑security needs, subject to the restriction that the expenditure relates to fuel security. (Section 12.)\n\n\n**Why it matters (mechanically, not politically)**\n\n- It creates the legal spending authority required for the Commonwealth to move money for a targeted response to fuel‑security circumstances. Without that appropriation authority, departments could not lawfully make those payments.\n\n- The Act centralises significant discretion with ministers: the Finance Minister for emergency additions to the schedule (section 12) and the schedule‑listed ministers (Schedule 1 and section 14) for the terms, amounts and timing of payments to sub‑national governments. Several forms of executive decision in the Act are expressly taken outside ordinary parliamentary oversight mechanisms (for example, the Finance Minister’s determinations under section 12 are not disallowable — section 12(5); ministerial determinations under section 14 are not legislative instruments — section 14(4)). That changes how transparent and contestable some spending decisions will be.\n\n- The Act permits routine accounting treatments that treat intra‑Commonwealth (notional) transactions as real for appropriation accounting, which affects how departments’ appropriations and internal transfers are recorded and monitored. (Section 5.)\n\n\n**Practical implementation points, incentives and trade‑offs**\n\n- Who pays: The taxpayer (Consolidated Revenue Fund) funds the spending (section 15). The immediate fiscal cost is the appropriation authority; actual outlays will depend on how much is drawn and the amounts the Finance Minister determines under section 12.\n\n- Who decides: The Finance Minister controls urgent additions up to $1.2 billion (section 12). Specific ministers named in Schedule 1 control conditions and timing for payments to States/territories/local governments (section 14 and Schedule 1). Corporate entities with statutory entitlement to parliamentary appropriations must be paid their full specified amount if a corporate item appears in Schedule 2 (section 11(2)).\n\n- Concentrated benefits and diffuse costs: The schedules identify particular departments, programs and geographic recipients. Those recipients would get concentrated financial benefits; the cost is borne by the general revenue base and therefore dispersed among taxpayers.\n\n- Incentives for private parties: The Act itself does not directly change private‑sector regulatory or market settings. But depending on how funds are used (grants to states, infrastructure projects, subsidies, equity injections, guarantees recorded as administered liabilities), it could change incentives for fuel suppliers, infrastructure investors and state governments — for example, by subsidising specific projects or altering risk allocation in fuel transport and storage. The Act does not itself prescribe those private‑sector arrangements; it provides the spending authority to enable them.\n\n- Compliance and administrative burden: Ministers may specify terms and conditions for payments under Schedule 1 (section 14). That creates administrative requirements on recipient states/local governments and on Commonwealth departments to monitor compliance with conditions. The Act’s authorisation for crediting to special accounts (section 13) may also change accounting and reporting flows.\n\n- Oversight and transparency trade‑offs: The Finance Minister’s determination power (section 12) is formally a legislative instrument but is exempted from disallowance and sunsetting (section 12(5)). Similarly, ministerial determinations on conditions/payments are not legislative instruments (section 14(4)). Those features reduce ordinary parliamentary oversight and review mechanisms for some follow‑on spending decisions, which is an implementation risk for accountability.\n\n\n**Key technical references in the Act (so you can check the mechanics quickly)**\n\n- Definitions and scope: section 3.  \n- Interpretive material: section 4 (declares portfolio statements relevant under the Acts Interpretation Act).  \n- Notional intra‑Commonwealth transactions: section 5.  \n- Authority over the listed appropriation items: Parts 2 and Schedule 2.  \n- Advance power for urgent fuel security spending: section 12 (cap $1,200 million; must relate to fuel security; determination is a legislative instrument but excluded from disallowance and sunsetting).  \n- Payment conditions to States/territories/local governments: section 14 and Schedule 1.  \n- Appropriation source and repeal date: section 15 (Consolidated Revenue Fund) and section 16 (repeal on 1 July 2028)."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose of funding fuel security responses. The scope is appropriately limited to appropriating funds across six portfolios with specific outcomes tied to infrastructure, energy security, and related measures. The $1.2 billion Advance to the Finance Minister is constrained to fuel security purposes only."},"complexity_factors":["Standard appropriation structure with 11 defined terms in the interpretation section, mostly referencing other legislation","Cross-references to the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and the Acts Interpretation Act 1901","Complex tabular schedules with three-tier formatting (bold for new appropriations, italic for budget estimates, light for previous year comparisons) that are difficult to parse","Nested conditions in section 14 regarding ministerial determinations for state and local government payments","Legislative instrument exclusions in section 12(5) and 14(4) that modify standard accountability mechanisms","Notional transaction treatment in section 5 requiring understanding of Commonwealth accounting practices"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act authorises federal spending to strengthen Australia’s fuel security—appropriating funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund and creating a $1.2 billion “Advance to the Finance Minister” for urgent, unbudgeted fuel responses. Funding is allocated across multiple portfolios and can flow to states, territories and local governments for infrastructure and projects. It matters because it provides a rapid financial safety net for fuel supply disruptions and self-repeals on 1 July 2028."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/appropriation-fuel-security-response-act-no-2-2025-2026","history":"/api/acts/appropriation-fuel-security-response-act-no-2-2025-2026/history","analysis":"/api/acts/appropriation-fuel-security-response-act-no-2-2025-2026/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/appropriation-fuel-security-response-act-no-2-2025-2026/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/appropriation-fuel-security-response-act-no-2-2025-2026/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/appropriation-fuel-security-response-act-no-2-2025-2026/documents"}}