The Act provides extra Commonwealth funding and authority to spend for government activity described as the "Fuel Security Response." It sets out which departments and kinds of spending the money can be used for, and how certain payments to states, territories and local governments are to be managed. (Key provisions: Schedule 2; Part 3; s 14.)
Mechanically, the Act:
Lists appropriation items (Schedule 2) that allocate money to several portfolios and departments for outcomes tied to the Fuel Security Response (see Schedule 2 tables).
Gives the Finance Minister a limited power to amend Schedule 2 to add urgent, unforeseen fuel‑security expenditure in the current financial year, capped at $1,200 million (s 12). The Minister’s determinations under that power are a type of legislative instrument but are expressly excluded from ordinary disallowance and sunsetting procedures (s 12(5)).
Declares the portfolio budget and additional estimates statements relevant for interpreting what work the money can be used for (s 4).
Treats notional payments between Commonwealth non‑corporate entities as if they were real for appropriation accounting purposes (s 5).
Allows amounts to be credited to special accounts when the special account purpose overlaps with an appropriation item (s 13).
Requires payments to States/ACT/NT/local governments listed in Schedule 1 to be made on terms and conditions determined in writing by the ministers named in that Schedule; those determinations are not legislative instruments and therefore are not subject to parliamentary disallowance (s 14).
The Appropriation (Fuel Security Response) Act (No. 2) 2025-2026 appropriates additional money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for expenditure responding to circumstances relating to the Fuel Security Response. Section 15 provides that the Consolidated Revenue Fund is appropriated as necessary for the purposes of the Act, including its operation as affected by the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. The Act declares portfolio statements to be relevant documents under section 15AB of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, allowing those statements to be used in interpreting provisions. It treats notional transactions between non-corporate entities as real transactions under section 5. Schedule 2 lists services for which money is appropriated across portfolios including Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Foreign Affairs and Trade, Industry, Science and Resources, Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, and Treasury, though the additional amounts shown in bold figures total nil. The Act introduces no new administered outcomes, equity injections or administered assets and liabilities items beyond the framework for the advance. Section 16 repeals the entire Act at the start of 1 July 2028. Section 13 allows amounts to be debited against an appropriation item and credited to a special account where a purpose of the special account matches an item purpose. Section 14 imposes conditions on payments made under State, ACT, NT and local government items listed in Schedule 1, requiring compliance with terms determined by the specified Minister and alignment with amounts and timing set by the Minister in column 4 of that schedule. The two outcomes covered in Schedule 1 relate to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, covering improved infrastructure across Australia and strengthening sustainability, capacity and diversity of urban and regional areas including northern Australia.
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Appropriates the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the Act’s purposes and provides a sunset (the Act repeals itself 1 July 2028) (ss 15–16).
Who is affected
The Commonwealth (taxpayers ultimately fund the Consolidated Revenue Fund).
Commonwealth departments and corporate/non‑corporate entities named in Schedule 2 (they receive administered payments, equity injections, or assets & liabilities items).
State, territory and local governments that may receive payments under items in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2.
Ministers (the Finance Minister and the ministers named in Schedule 1) who decide the timing, amounts and conditions of a range of payments.
Why it matters (official purpose claim, and what to watch for)
Officially, the Act exists to make money available quickly and flexibly to respond to circumstances relating to fuel security. That is explicit in the Act’s title and in s 12(3), which limits the Finance Minister’s additional spending power to expenditure “for the purposes of responding to circumstances relating to fuel security.”
Practical implications and implementation trade‑offs:
Who pays: the money comes from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (s 15). That means fiscal cost to the Commonwealth budget and, in the aggregate, to taxpayers.
Who decides: the Finance Minister can add up to $1.2 billion in current‑year spending for urgent fuel‑security needs (s 12). Specified portfolio ministers decide terms and timing of payments to subnational governments (s 14; Schedule 1).
Parliamentary oversight and timing: the Finance Minister’s determinations under s 12 are a legislative instrument but are exempted from disallowance and sunsetting (s 12(5)), and ministerial determinations about State payments are not legislative instruments (s 14(4)). That reduces formal parliamentary review of those future spending decisions relative to ordinary instruments.
Flexibility vs clarity: the Act gives administrative flexibility (allowing later ministerial determinations and use of portfolio statements for interpretation, s 4), which speeds deployment but shifts some detail and discretion to the executive and departments.
Compliance and conditionality: payments to states/territories/local government must be made on ministerially determined terms and conditions (s 14). Recipients will face administrative conditions that could change by ministerial determination before or after commencement (s 14(3)).
Concrete behaviour changes the Act enables
Departments can record and treat internal, notional transfers between Commonwealth entities as appropriation debits (s 5), which affects departmental accounting and internal resource flows.
The Finance Minister can rapidly create or adjust appropriation items related to fuel security within the $1.2 billion cap without the usual disallowance or sunset checks (s 12). This lowers the time and procedural barriers to extra spending in the current year.
States, territories and councils that accept Commonwealth payments under this Act will be bound by written ministerial conditions rather than by legislative instrument procedures (s 14).
Implementation risk, incentive and cost observations
Concentrated benefits: the primary, concentrated financial gains flow to recipient departments, corporate entities and subnational governments named in the schedules (Schedule 2; Schedule 1).
Diffuse costs: the Commonwealth budget and taxpayers bear the cost via the Consolidated Revenue Fund appropriation (s 15).
Decision‑maker discretion: substantial discretion is vested in ministers (Finance Minister and portfolio ministers). That concentrates decision power in the executive, especially for urgent current‑year spending (s 12) and conditions on intergovernmental payments (s 14).
Oversight trade‑off: the statutory exclusion of disallowance and sunsetting for s 12 determinations reduces parliamentary process but increases speed and executive control; similarly, not treating payment conditions as legislative instruments limits parliamentary review (s 14(4)).
Administrative burden: recipients may face variable conditions and timing determined by ministers; departments must manage and account for a mix of administered items, assets & liabilities, equity injections and non‑operating items (Schedule 2), which increases administrative complexity.
Key provisions cited: s 4 (portfolio statements), s 5 (notional transactions), s 12 (Finance Minister advance power; cap $1,200m; disallowance/sunset exclusion), s 13 (special accounts), s 14 (conditions for State/territory/local payments), ss 15–16 (appropriation of CRF and repeal date).
Main concepts
The central concept is an appropriation for urgent expenditure tied to fuel security response, implemented through an advance to the Finance Minister under Part 3. Section 12 defines the circumstances in which the Finance Minister may determine additional provision in Schedule 2, limited to cases of erroneous omission or understatement or expenditure that was unforeseen until after the last practicable day for inclusion in the Bill. Any determination must relate exclusively to expenditure for responding to circumstances relating to fuel security. The total of all such determinations cannot exceed 1,200 million dollars. A determination under subsection 12(2) is a legislative instrument exempt from disallowance under section 42 and from sunsetting under Part 4 of Chapter 3 of the Legislation Act 2003. Key definitions in section 3 include administered assets and liabilities item, administered item, corporate entity, corporate entity item, current year (the financial year ending 30 June 2026), expenditure (payments for expenses, acquiring assets, making loans or paying liabilities), Finance Minister, item, non-corporate entity, other departmental item, portfolio statements (comprising both Portfolio Budget Statements and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements), special account, and State, ACT, NT and local government item. The Act distinguishes between payments to or for the States, ACT, NT and local government under section 7, administered items under section 8, administered assets and liabilities items under section 9, other departmental items under section 10, and corporate entity items under section 11. Section 4 confirms that portfolio statements may be considered in interpretation. Section 9 permits an administered assets and liabilities item to be applied toward any outcome specified for the entity in either this Act or the Appropriation (Fuel Security Response) Act (No. 1) 2025-2026. Notional transactions between non-corporate entities receive the same treatment as actual transactions for appropriation purposes.
Who it affects
The Act directly affects non-corporate Commonwealth entities and corporate Commonwealth entities listed in Schedule 2 by establishing the legal authority for expenditure under the defined items. The Finance Minister holds the power to make determinations under section 12, thereby affecting the availability of funds across the listed portfolios. Entities within the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts are affected through the outcomes specified in Schedule 1 for payments to or for the States, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and local government authorities. Ministers specified in columns 3 and 4 of Schedule 1 determine conditions and payment amounts and timings for those outcomes. Non-corporate entities may receive equity injections or administered assets and liabilities funding once a determination is made. Corporate entities receive amounts paid to them for their purposes under section 11. The High Court is included within the definition of non-corporate entity. State, territory and local government authorities receive payments only where an outcome in Schedule 1 applies and the Minister has made the required determinations. Portfolio agencies responsible for preparing or relying on Portfolio Budget Statements and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements must treat those documents as relevant to interpretation of the appropriation. The Act affects the Consolidated Revenue Fund by authorising withdrawals for the stated purposes. Because the additional appropriations in Schedule 2 are shown as nil, immediate operational impact on specific agencies depends on future determinations by the Finance Minister. The repeal provision in section 16 affects all entities by terminating the appropriation authority on 1 July 2028.
What people will want to know
The Act authorises the Finance Minister to provide up to 1,200 million dollars in additional funding through determinations that amend Schedule 2, but only for expenditure responding to fuel security circumstances. No specific amounts are appropriated in the bold figures of Schedule 2 at the time of enactment, meaning any actual spending requires a determination under section 12. Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government must follow terms and conditions set by the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and must align with amounts and timings determined by the same Minister. The Act does not create new taxes, fees or charges. It does not alter existing eligibility criteria for grants or programs beyond the requirement that expenditure relate to fuel security response. The advance mechanism can address omissions or unforeseen needs arising after the Bill was introduced. Determinations are legislative instruments but cannot be disallowed by Parliament and do not sunset. The Act will be repealed on 1 July 2028, after which no further expenditure can be authorised under it. Portfolio statements tabled in relation to the Appropriation Acts (No. 3) and (No. 4) 2025-2026 and the Appropriation Acts (No. 1) and (No. 2) 2025-2026 may be used to interpret which activities fall within particular outcomes. Notional payments between Commonwealth entities are treated as real for accounting and appropriation purposes. No penalties or offences are created by the Act. Entities must still comply with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 when spending appropriated funds.
Status and what happens next
The Bill received royal assent on 1 April 2026 and is now Act No. 24 of 2026. It commenced on the day it received assent. The Act has finally passed both Houses, with the House of Representatives completing all stages on 30 March 2026 and the Senate completing its stages on 1 April 2026. No proposed amendments from the Senate were agreed to in the final version. The electronic version of the Act is available on the Federal Register of Legislation. Because the Act is now in force, the Finance Minister may make determinations under section 12 at any time during the current financial year ending 30 June 2026, provided the expenditure meets the fuel security criteria. Any such determination will amend Schedule 2 and authorise the relevant appropriation items. The Act will remain in operation until its automatic repeal on 1 July 2028. Entities may begin planning expenditure once a determination is made, subject to the usual requirements of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. No further parliamentary action is required for the advance mechanism to operate, although the Finance Minister must be satisfied that the need for expenditure was unforeseen or omitted in error. Portfolio agencies will continue to report against outcomes using the portfolio statements declared relevant by section 4.
Powers, duties and rights created
Section 12 confers on the Finance Minister the power to determine that Schedule 2 is amended to provide for urgent expenditure up to a cumulative total of 1,200 million dollars, where the Minister is satisfied the need arises from an erroneous omission or understatement or from expenditure that was unforeseen. Subsection 12(3) limits the purpose of any determination to responding to circumstances relating to fuel security. Subsection 12(5) provides that a determination is a legislative instrument but removes the application of disallowance and sunsetting provisions. Section 7 creates the authority for non-corporate entities to apply State, ACT, NT and local government items toward payments to or for the States, ACT, NT and local government for the relevant outcome. Section 8 authorises application of administered items toward achieving the specified outcome. Section 9 authorises application of administered assets and liabilities items toward any outcome listed for the entity in this Act or the companion Appropriation (Fuel Security Response) Act (No. 1) 2025-2026. Section 10 authorises other departmental items for departmental expenditure of the entity. Section 11 requires that a corporate entity item be paid in full to the corporate entity where an Act requires payment of appropriated amounts. Section 13 creates the power to debit an appropriation item and credit a special account where purposes overlap. Section 14 imposes duties on the Minister specified in Schedule 1 to determine terms, conditions, amounts and timings for payments to States, ACT, NT and local government, and requires those payments to be made in accordance with the determinations. Section 14(4) confirms that such determinations are not legislative instruments. Section 15 creates the appropriation of the Consolidated Revenue Fund. Section 5 creates the treatment of notional transactions as real transactions. No new rights for individuals or private entities are created; the Act focuses on authorising Commonwealth expenditure.
Money, penalties and enforcement
The Act appropriates the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purposes stated in the items in Schedule 2 and for the advance mechanism in section 12. The maximum amount that may be determined under the advance is 1,200 million dollars in total. No specific monetary amounts appear in the additional appropriation columns of Schedule 2, which are shown as nil. Schedule 1 identifies two outcomes administered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts for which payments to or for the States, ACT, NT and local government may be made, but does not specify dollar figures. No penalties, offences or enforcement mechanisms are created by the Act. Compliance with the appropriation limits and conditions rests on the Finance Minister's satisfaction under section 12(1) and on the duties of Ministers under section 14. Expenditure must still satisfy the requirements of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013, including proper use of public resources. Amounts credited to special accounts under section 13 remain subject to the purposes of those special accounts. The Act contains no provisions for recovery of amounts or for civil or criminal sanctions. Repeal on 1 July 2028 terminates any remaining appropriation authority.
Pressure points and controversies
The Act creates a policy trade-off between rapid access to funding for fuel security needs and parliamentary oversight, because determinations under section 12 are legislative instruments exempt from disallowance and sunsetting. This structure allows the Finance Minister to respond quickly to unforeseen circumstances but removes the usual opportunity for Parliament to disallow the allocation of up to 1,200 million dollars. A further trade-off exists between the breadth of the fuel security purpose in subsection 12(3) and the requirement that expenditure be unforeseen or omitted in error, which may lead to differing interpretations of what qualifies. The use of portfolio statements as relevant documents under section 4 provides interpretive guidance but also means that future readers must consult documents tabled in relation to other appropriation Bills. The automatic repeal on 1 July 2028 creates a time-limited authority that may require replacement legislation if fuel security expenditure needs continue beyond that date. The absence of specific dollar amounts in Schedule 2 at enactment means the actual distribution of funds across portfolios will be determined administratively rather than through the usual parliamentary appropriation process. The conditions regime in section 14 for payments to States, ACT, NT and local government preserves ministerial control over terms but does not create enforceable rights for recipient governments beyond those already existing under annual appropriation Acts.
What changes if it passes
Because the Act has received royal assent, the Consolidated Revenue Fund is now appropriated for the purposes set out in the Act, including any future determinations made by the Finance Minister under section 12. Schedule 2 may be amended by such determinations to insert amounts up to the 1,200 million dollar cap for fuel security response expenditure. Non-corporate and corporate entities gain the legal authority to spend funds once a determination is made and the usual Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 requirements are satisfied. Payments to or for the States, ACT, NT and local government under the two outcomes in Schedule 1 may be made once the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has determined the applicable terms, conditions, amounts and timings. Portfolio statements may now be cited in interpreting the scope of outcomes. Notional transactions between Commonwealth entities are confirmed to have the same appropriation effect as actual transactions. The Act will cease to have effect on 1 July 2028, after which any unspent authority lapses. No other legislation is amended by this Act. Entities may proceed with planning and, where a determination is made, with actual expenditure for fuel security purposes without further parliamentary appropriation action.
Social post angles
Parliament passes 1.2 billion dollar fuel security advance mechanism: the Act gives the Finance Minister power to allocate up to 1,200 million dollars for unforeseen fuel security needs without further parliamentary vote. Fuel security appropriation Act receives assent in record time: both Houses completed all stages within two days and the Governor-General assented on 1 April 2026, creating immediate spending authority. Advance to Finance Minister limited to fuel security only: subsection 12(3) restricts every determination to expenditure responding to fuel security circumstances, preventing broader use of the 1,200 million dollar cap. Appropriation Act set to self-repeal in 2028: section 16 automatically repeals the entire Act on 1 July 2028, requiring any ongoing fuel security funding to be re-authorised in future legislation. Portfolio statements declared relevant for interpretation: section 4 allows Budget and Additional Estimates Statements to guide what activities count toward the listed outcomes. Payments to States and local government tied to infrastructure outcomes: Schedule 1 links any State or local government payments to two specific outcomes administered by the Infrastructure Department. No new penalties or taxes in fuel security appropriation: the Act creates spending authority only and contains no enforcement provisions or revenue measures. Corporate and non-corporate entities gain spending pathways once determination made: sections 10 and 11 authorise departmental and corporate entity expenditure after the Finance Minister acts under the advance power.
An 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
Contents
Part 1,Preliminary 2
1 Short title 2
2 Commencement 2
3 Definitions 2
4 Portfolio statements 4
5 Notional transactions between entities that are part of the Commonwealth 4
Part 2,Appropriation items 5
6 Summary of appropriations 5
7 State, ACT, NT and local government items 5
8 Administered items 5
9 Administered assets and liabilities items 6
10 Other departmental items 6
11 Corporate entity items 6
Part 3,Advance to the Finance Minister 7
12 Advance to the Finance Minister 7
Part 4,Miscellaneous 8
13 Crediting amounts to special accounts 8
14 Conditions etc. applying to State, ACT, NT and local government items 8
15 Appropriation of the Consolidated Revenue Fund 9
16 Repeal of this Act 9
Schedule 1,Payments to or for the States, ACT, NT and local government 10
Schedule 2,Services for which money is appropriated 11
An 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
[Assented to 1 April 2026]
The Parliament of Australia enacts:
Part 1,Preliminary
1 Short title
This Act is the Appropriation (Fuel Security Response) Act (No. 2) 2025‑2026.
2 Commencement
(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.
Commencement information
Column 1
Column 2
Column 3
Provisions
Commencement
Date/Details
The whole of this Act
The day this Act receives the Royal Assent.
1 April 2026
Note: 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.
(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.
3 Definitions
In this Act:
administered 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”.
administered item means an amount set out in Schedule 2 opposite an outcome for a non‑corporate entity under the heading “New Administered Outcomes”.
corporate entity means:
(a) a corporate Commonwealth entity within the meaning of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013; or
(b) a Commonwealth company within the meaning of that Act.
corporate entity item means the amount set out in Schedule 2 in relation to a corporate entity under the heading “Non‑operating”.
current year means the financial year ending on 30 June 2026.
expenditure means payments for expenses, acquiring assets, making loans or paying liabilities.
Finance Minister means the Minister administering this Act.
item means any of the following:
(a) a State, ACT, NT and local government item;
(b) an administered item;
(c) an administered assets and liabilities item;
(d) an other departmental item;
(e) a corporate entity item.
non‑corporate entity means:
(a) a non‑corporate Commonwealth entity within the meaning of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013; or
(b) the High Court.
other departmental item means an amount set out in Schedule 2 in relation to a non‑corporate entity opposite the heading “Equity Injections”.
Portfolio 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.
Portfolio 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.
portfolio statements means:
(a) the Portfolio Budget Statements; and
(b) the Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements.
special account has the same meaning as in the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
State, 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”.
4 Portfolio statements
The portfolio statements are declared to be relevant documents for the purposes of section 15AB of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.
Note: 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.
5 Notional transactions between entities that are part of the Commonwealth
For the purposes of this Act, notional transactions between non‑corporate entities are to be treated as if they were real transactions.
Note: 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.
Part 2,Appropriation items
6 Summary of appropriations
The total of the items specified in Schedule 2 is nil.
Note 1: Items in Schedule 2 can be adjusted under Part 3 of this Act.
Note 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.
7 State, ACT, NT and local government items
(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.
(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.
8 Administered items
(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.
(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.
9 Administered assets and liabilities items
(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:
(a) in Schedule 2 to this Act; or
(b) in Schedule 1 to the Appropriation (Fuel Security Response) Act (No. 1) 2025‑2026.
(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.
10 Other departmental items
The amount specified in an other departmental item for a non‑corporate entity may be applied for the departmental expenditure of the entity.
11 Corporate entity items
(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.
(2) If:
(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
(b) Schedule 2 contains a corporate entity item for that entity;
then the entity must be paid the full amount specified in the item.
Part 3,Advance to the Finance Minister
12 Advance to the Finance Minister
(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:
(a) because of an erroneous omission or understatement; or
(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.
(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.
(3) A determination made under subsection (2) must relate to expenditure for the purposes of responding to circumstances relating to fuel security.
(4) The total of the amounts determined under subsection (2) cannot be more than $1,200 million.
(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.
Part 4,Miscellaneous
13 Crediting amounts to special accounts
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.
14 Conditions etc. applying to State, ACT, NT and local government items
(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.
(2) The payment:
(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:
(i) in relation to the outcome; and
(ii) to or for a State, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory or a local government authority; and
(iii) out of money appropriated by an annual Appropriation Act; and
(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.
(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.
(4) Determinations mentioned in paragraph (2)(a) and determinations made under paragraph (2)(b) are not legislative instruments.
(5) This section does not limit the Commonwealth’s power to:
(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
(b) determine the amounts and times of those payments.
15 Appropriation of the Consolidated Revenue Fund
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.
16 Repeal of this Act
This Act is repealed at the start of 1 July 2028.
Schedule 1,Payments to or for the States, ACT, NT and local government
Note: See section 14.
Column 1
Column 2
Column 3
Column 4
Minister
Minister
determining
determining
Entity
Outcome
conditions
payments
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
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
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
Schedule 2,Services for which money is appropriated
Note: See sections 6 and 15.
Abstract
Portfolio
Total
$'000
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Industry, Science and Resources
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts
Treasury
Total
APPROPRIATIONS
SUMMARY
Summary of Appropriations (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Portfolio
Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government
New Administered Outcomes
Non- operating
Total
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
352,334
352,334
Climate Change, Energy, the
‑
‑
‑
‑
Environment and Water
‑
‑
1,316,396
1,316,396
Foreign Affairs and Trade
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
162,029
162,029
Industry, Science and Resources
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
59,083
59,083
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
‑
‑
‑
‑
Development, Communications,
1,091,397
‑
2,982,539
4,073,936
Sport and the Arts
Treasury
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
724,717
724,717
Total:
‑
‑
‑
‑
1,091,397
‑
5,597,098
6,688,495
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY PORTFOLIO
SUMMARY
Summary of Appropriations (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Entity
Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government
New Administered Outcomes
Non- operating
Total
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries
‑
‑
‑
‑
and Forestry
‑
‑
352,334
352,334
Total: Agriculture, Fisheries and
‑
‑
‑
‑
Forestry
‑
‑
352,334
352,334
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY PORTFOLIO
Additional Appropriation (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Actual Available Appropriation (light figures),2024‑2025
Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government
New Administered Outcomes
Total
$'000
$'000
$'000
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES
AND FORESTRY
Non‑operating
Equity Injections
‑
24,544
46,366
Administered Assets and Liabilities
‑
327,790
237,214
Total: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and
‑
‑
‑
Forestry
CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER PORTFOLIO
SUMMARY
Summary of Appropriations (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Entity
Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government
New Administered Outcomes
Non- operating
Total
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
Department of Climate Change,
‑
‑
‑
‑
Energy, the Environment and Water
‑
‑
1,316,396
1,316,396
Total: Climate Change, Energy, the
‑
‑
‑
‑
Environment and Water
‑
‑
1,316,396
1,316,396
CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER PORTFOLIO
Additional Appropriation (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Actual Available Appropriation (light figures),2024‑2025
Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government
New Administered Outcomes
Total
$'000
$'000
$'000
DEPARTMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE,
ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER
Non‑operating
Equity Injections
‑
16,089
4,156
Administered Assets and Liabilities
‑
1,300,307
6,248,113
Total: Department of Climate Change, Energy,
‑
‑
‑
the Environment and Water
FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE PORTFOLIO
SUMMARY
Summary of Appropriations (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Entity
Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government
New Administered Outcomes
Non- operating
Total
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
Department of Foreign Affairs and
‑
‑
‑
‑
Trade
‑
‑
162,029
162,029
Total: Foreign Affairs and Trade
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
162,029
162,029
FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE PORTFOLIO
Additional Appropriation (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Actual Available Appropriation (light figures),2024‑2025
Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government
New Administered Outcomes
Total
$'000
$'000
$'000
DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
TRADE
Non‑operating
Equity Injections
‑
125,529
60,561
Administered Assets and Liabilities
‑
36,500
286,932
Total: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
‑
‑
‑
INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES PORTFOLIO
SUMMARY
Summary of Appropriations (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Entity
Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government
New Administered Outcomes
Non- operating
Total
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
Department of Industry, Science and
‑
‑
‑
‑
Resources
‑
‑
59,083
59,083
Total: Industry, Science and
‑
‑
‑
‑
Resources
‑
‑
59,083
59,083
INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES PORTFOLIO
Additional Appropriation (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Actual Available Appropriation (light figures),2024‑2025
Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government
New Administered Outcomes
Total
$'000
$'000
$'000
DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND
RESOURCES
Non‑operating
Equity Injections
‑
58,046
57,902
Administered Assets and Liabilities
‑
1,037
‑
Total: Department of Industry, Science and
‑
‑
‑
Resources
INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, SPORT AND THE ARTS PORTFOLIO
SUMMARY
Summary of Appropriations (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Entity
Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government
New Administered Outcomes
Non- operating
Total
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
Department of Infrastructure,
‑
‑
‑
‑
Transport, Regional Development,
1,091,397
‑
2,982,539
4,073,936
Communications, Sport and the Arts
Total: Infrastructure, Transport,
‑
‑
‑
‑
Regional Development,
1,091,397
‑
2,982,539
4,073,936
Communications, Sport and
the Arts
INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, SPORT AND THE ARTS PORTFOLIO
Additional Appropriation (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Actual Available Appropriation (light figures),2024‑2025
Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government
New Administered Outcomes
Total
$'000
$'000
$'000
DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE,
TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
COMMUNICATIONS, SPORT AND THE ARTS
Operating
Outcome 1 ‑
‑
‑
‑
Improved infrastructure across Australia through
821,397
‑
821,397
investment in and coordination of transport and
649,516
‑
649,516
other infrastructure
Outcome 3 ‑
Strengthening the sustainability, capacity and
‑
‑
‑
diversity of Australia's urban and regional areas
270,000
‑
270,000
including northern Australia, including through
269,721
‑
269,721
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
Total: Operating
‑
‑
‑
Non‑operating
Administered Assets and Liabilities
‑
2,982,539
3,242,291
Total: Non‑operating
‑
Total: Department of Infrastructure, Transport,
‑
‑
‑
Regional Development,
Communications, Sport and the Arts
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
SUMMARY
Summary of Appropriations (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Entity
Payments to States, ACT, NT and local government
New Administered Outcomes
Non- operating
Total
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
Department of the Treasury
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
724,717
724,717
Total: Treasury
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
‑
724,717
724,717
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
Additional Appropriation (bold figures),2025‑2026
Budget Appropriation (italic figures),2025‑2026
Actual Available Appropriation (light figures),2024‑2025