Supply Act (No. 2) 1968-69

What This Law Does

This is a Supply Act — a short-term government funding law that allows the Commonwealth (federal) government to keep spending money while waiting for the full annual budget to be passed by Parliament.

Think of it like a financial bridging loan for the government. Before the full Appropriation Acts (the laws that formally approve the entire year's budget) are enacted, the government still has bills to pay — public servants need salaries, departments need to keep the lights on, services need to continue. A Supply Act authorises this interim spending so the government doesn't grind to a halt.

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What Specifically This Law Does

• It authorises the Treasurer (the minister responsible for the nation's finances) to draw $250,268,000 (roughly $250 million) from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (the main government bank account, fed by taxes and other revenue) for government operations during the financial year ending 30 June 1969.
• The money is allocated across two broad categories:
  • Part 1 – Regular Departments and Services (~$138.9 million), covering 18 departments and agencies including:
    • Department of the Interior: $27 million
    • Department of Works: $26.3 million
    • Department of Housing: $20.4 million