Portfolio — 13 May 2026

Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino dominated the House's legislative business across 12–13 May, presenting the full 2026–27 Budget documentation and moving second readings on six appropriation and legislative bills — a workload density that signals his central operational role in the Budget week program.

The most consequential parliamentary action was Mulino's second reading of Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2026–27, which seeks $33.7 billion for non-ordinary services [TA-260512-house-0ce3e8e26172:s066]. The bill's largest single allocation is $15.3 billion to Defence under the 2026 National Defence Strategy, with a further $6.4 billion to Finance for Australian Naval Infrastructure and Snowy Hydro.

Treasury receives over $4.2 billion for concessional housing loans, including under the Housing Australia Future Fund. An Advance to the Finance Minister of $3.6 billion is included — $3 billion earmarked for a fuel-security response — subject to transparency safeguards and shadow-minister consultation for allocations above $1 billion [TA-260512-house-0ce3e8e26172:s066].

Separately, Mulino moved the 2025–26 supplementary estimates bills (Nos. 5 and 6), covering $2.7 billion and $1.1 billion respectively, with Defence again the dominant recipient: $1.8 billion brought forward under the 2024 National Defence Strategy in Bill No. 5 [TA-260512-house-0ce3e8e26172:s068], and $900 million in Bill No. 6 alongside $204 million for the Australian Rail Track Corporation's Inland Rail project [TA-260512-house-0ce3e8e26172:s069].

The parliamentary departments appropriation ($345.4 million, of which $274 million goes to the Department of Parliamentary Services) completed the suite [TA-260512-house-0ce3e8e26172:s067].

Mulino's public communications the same day focused on the Budget's headline tax and housing measures. He said the negative-gearing changes are grandfathered so existing property owners are unaffected, and cited Treasury modelling that 75,000 investor-owned homes could transition to owner-occupiers [TA-260513-treasu-542a4c954c89]. He described a package of over $40 billion in housing initiatives — including $2 billion for infrastructure and the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund — projected to add 65,000 new homes.

This messaging connects directly to the $4.2 billion appropriated in Bill No. 2 for Housing Australia Future Fund concessional loans, tying the communications line to the parliamentary instrument. On the NDIS, Mulino said the government will tighten reassessment controls and target savings by reducing reassessment frequency while keeping core supports funded [TA-260513-treasu-542a4c954c89].

He also highlighted the $250 Working Australian Tax Offset, which he said in the House would benefit more than 13 million workers [TA-260512-house-0ce3e8e26172:s066].

Beyond the appropriations, Mulino moved the second reading of the Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026, framing it as targeting a $10.2 billion annual reduction in regulatory burden and the creation of a single national market [TA-260513-house-ee1b85aea947:s007]. The bill's scope is wide: intellectual property updates, a six-month grace period for plant breeder rights renewals, streamlined anti-dumping appeal processes, simplified workplace gender-equality reporting [TA-260513-house-ee1b85aea947:s007], and an extension of the government's 'tell us once' principle for social security nominees and pensioners.

Mulino acknowledged Finance Minister Senator Katy Gallagher's contribution to the bill, indicating cross-portfolio development. He also concluded the third reading of the Treasury Laws Amendment (The Survivors Law) Bill 2026 [TA-260513-house-ee1b85aea947:s066], which allows victims of child sexual abuse to access a perpetrator's superannuation to satisfy unpaid compensation orders.

Mulino noted bipartisan support for the bill and committed to a post-implementation review, while the government declined to support a proposed substantive amendment. Coordination with both the Social Services Minister and the Attorney-General was flagged in Mulino's closing remarks.

Across both streams, the day's activity reflects a portfolio operating at full legislative tempo in Budget week: large-scale appropriations moved through the House, a productivity-reform omnibus advanced, and a high-profile justice measure cleared its final House stage — all consistent with the government's stated Budget themes of cost-of-living relief, housing supply, and economic reform.