Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment 2022

# Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment 2022 ## What it does This bill changes how the government funds two organisations that protect Australia's livestock and plants. Specifically, it allows the government to use money meant for Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia to pay back debts these organisations owe to the government when they've spent money responding to animal or plant disease emergencies. ## Why it matters When disease outbreaks happen (like foot-and-mouth disease in livestock), these organisations spend money fast to contain them. This bill makes sure the government can recover those costs by redirecting their funding, rather than asking for separate money or leaving debts unpaid. ## Key details - **Emergency response deeds**: The bill creates a new legal framework so organisations responding to biosecurity emergencies can formally agree with the government on who pays for what, and the government can then redirect funding to recover these costs. - **Payment priority**: Money that would normally go to these organisations can now be redirected as a third-priority use—after other essential spending—to pay back Commonwealth debts under these emergency agreements. - **Starts immediately**: The changes take effect the day after the bill receives royal assent, so they apply to emergency responses happening now and in the future.

🔒 Voting closed — this bill has been decided by parliament