Appropriation Act (No. 3) 1994-95

What This Law Does

The Appropriation Act (No. 3) 1994-95 is a financial law that unlocks an additional $675,722,000 (roughly $676 million) from the Commonwealth's central bank account — called the Consolidated Revenue Fund (the pool of money collected by the government through taxes and other revenue) — so the federal government can pay for its operations and programs during the financial year ending 30 June 1995.

Think of it like a mid-year budget top-up. The government had already passed a main spending law (Appropriation Act No. 1 1994-95), but it needed more money to cover costs that weren't fully anticipated at the start of the year.

Who Does It Affect?

This law affects every major Commonwealth department and agency — from Defence ($214.9 million extra) and Veterans' Affairs ($100.6 million extra) to Social Security ($37.7 million) and tiny departments like Tourism ($420,000). In total, 20 departments received additional funding.

Taxpayers and anyone who relies on federal government services — from veterans to childcare recipients, from small businesses to courts — are indirectly affected.

Key Mechanics (In Plain English)

• Net appropriations (section 6): Some agencies can "top up" their funding by crediting money they receive (e.g., from selling goods or services) back into their own budget line, rather than returning it to consolidated revenue. This is flagged throughout the Schedule.