Federal budgets are always riddled with secret sums — funding initiatives the government has committed to but won’t spill the details about.
The reasons are manifold: sometimes it’s because the government believes revealing the sums would damage its negotiating positions with third parties, or that it may hurt its chances of winning legal battles. At times it’s for diplomatic reasons; others it’s for the sake of national security.
Either way, it’s your tax money, and you’re not allowed to know how much of it is being spent.
Cheaper medicines
Treasurer Jim Chalmers made a big deal in his budget speech of plans to freeze the maximum cost of prescriptions under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. But while Chalmers claimed bragging rights, he has also kept some of the costs secret. “The financial implications for some elements of this measure are not for publication, as disclosure of funding would reveal individual arrangements between third parties and the Commonwealth that are confidential and commercially privileged, which must not be disclosed under deeds of agreements,” the budget papers say.
International lawsuits
The budget outlines that several government departments will receive extra money to help Australia fight international legal actions, including the Attorney-General’s Department, the Foreign Affairs Department and the Energy Department. The value, however, is undisclosed because doing so could impair the Commonwealth’s position in the lawsuits.
Strategic fleet delivery
One of Labor’s election commitments was to establish a strategic fleet of merchant vessels. This year’s budget includes $21.7 million over five years for a pilot program, $4.7 million over three years to review two relevant laws, and $2.7 million over two years so that the Fair Work Ombudsman can make sure seafarers on foreign vessels are being paid properly.
But there’s a secret component to the project: the government plans to establish a pilot program with three privately owned vessels that would be available to use when needed. “Funding [is] to be held in the Contingency Reserve until commercial negotiations have been completed and is not for publication as it would impair the Commonwealth’s position in negotiating contracts with industry,” the budget papers say.
Submarine building
As part of the AUKUS project, Australia plans to build a nuclear-powered submarine construction yard in South Australia. To make that happen, the Australian Naval Infrastructure Pty Ltd (ANI) will need more money. The Defence and Finance departments will inject equity into the ANI, but the sum is unknown because disclosing it would make it harder for ANI to negotiate contracts.
National security boost
Australia’s spy agencies are receiving more funding — unsurprisingly, the exact amounts for individual outfits are secret due to “national security sensitivities”. We do find out a few details: $66.3 million over four years and then $17 million per year ongoing will be invested to “strengthen Australia’s ability to disrupt foreign interference and espionage threats”. There’s also $1 million in funding over three years to establish a pilot program to help the mining sector to prevent foreign interference.
Federal police training
The budget includes funds for police engagement and training, as well as the modification of the Centre for National Resilience Brisbane, with the finances partly taken from the Defence budget and the Australian Federal Police budget. How much will it cost? That’s secret, because disclosing it would damage the federal government’s negotiation position with industry.
Quantum computing
We know the Commonwealth will provide $466.4 million to the company PsiQuantum to develop quantum computing. The budget also says the public service will share $27.7 million in funds over 11 years to manage the investment in the company. However, the financial implications of the financing package are being kept secret “due to commercial sensitivities”.
Scrapping an oil platform
A floating oil platform known as Northern Endeavour is to be decommissioned, but the financial implications can’t be revealed because of commercial sensitivities related to contract negotiations.
Murray-Darling Basin Plan delivery
The budget includes at least $48.6 million for various aspects of the continued implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. But there are elements of the funding being kept secret — including how much voluntary water purchases and state funding will cost — due to “commercial sensitivities and ongoing state and territory negotiations”.
