Government cannot simply spend public money at will
The Constitution requires money to be drawn from the Commonwealth Treasury under an appropriation made by law. Parliament therefore plays a central role in authorising government expenditure even though the executive prepares the Budget and administers programs.
An appropriation is legal authority to spend for specified purposes. It is not the same thing as a press release announcing a funding commitment.
Appropriation bills and the Budget
The annual Budget is accompanied by appropriation legislation that seeks authority for major categories of government spending. Other legislation can create standing or special appropriations that continue beyond the annual bills.
A Budget measure can therefore involve several layers: a policy announcement, appropriation authority, program legislation and administrative implementation. Reporting only one layer can give an incomplete picture.
What supply means
Supply is the parliamentary authority that allows government to fund ordinary operations. In Westminster systems, a government's ability to secure supply is closely connected with its ability to govern.
A major loss of supply can have constitutional significance. That is why the phrase 'confidence and supply' appears frequently in discussions of minority government.
The Senate and money bills
The Constitution limits the Senate's role in initiating and amending certain appropriation and taxation bills, while still giving the Senate significant power to reject or request changes in relevant circumstances. These financial provisions are a major feature of Australia's bicameral design.
Descriptions of the Senate as either completely powerless or completely equal on money bills are therefore too simplistic. The exact constitutional category of the bill matters.
How to test a funding claim
Ask whether the figure appears in Budget papers, an appropriation, a specific program law or an administrative announcement. Check whether the amount is annual or spread over multiple years and whether it is new money or a reallocation of existing funding.
Treasury, Finance, Parliament and the Federal Register of Legislation provide stronger evidence than a campaign graphic when the question is whether money has actually been authorised.
Primary sources and further reading
We use authoritative Australian institutions as the starting point for this explainer. Follow these links for the underlying rules, official guidance and current details.