Family Court and Federal Circuit Court
Family Court and Federal Circuit Court
Section 1: Agency overview and resources
1.1 Strategic direction
The strategic direction statement for the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court can be found in the 2013–14 Portfolio Budget Statements. There has been no change to the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court’s strategic direction as a result of Additional Estimates.
1.2 Agency resource statement
The agency resource statement details the resourcing for the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court at Additional Estimates. Table 1.1 outlines the total resourcing available from all sources for the 2013–14 budget year, including variations through Appropriation Bill No.3.
Table 1.1: Agency resource statement—additional estimates for 2013–14 as at Additional Estimates February 2014
Estimate / Proposed / estimate at / Total
as at / Additional / Additional / available
Budget / + / Estimates / = / Estimates / appropriation
2013–14 / 2013–14 / 2013–14 / 2012–13
$’000 / $’000 / $’000 / $’000
ORDINARY ANNUAL SERVICES1
Departmental appropriation
Prior year departmental
appropriation2 / 6,941 / – / 6,941 / 16,775
Departmental appropriation3 / 156,575 / 25,2034 / 181,778 / 155,638
s 31 relevant agency receipts5 / 2,000 / (300) / 1,700 / 4,862
Total / 165,516 / 24,903 / 190,419 / 177,275
Administered expenses
Outcome 1 / 874 / – / 874 / 878
Total / 874 / – / 874 / 878
Total ordinary annual services / 166,390 / 24,903 / 191,293 / 178,153
Total available annual
appropriations / 166,390 / 24,903 / 191,293 / 178,153
SPECIAL ACCOUNTS
Opening balance6 / – / – / – / –
Appropriation receipts / – / – / – / –
Total special accounts / – / – / – / –
Total net resourcing for agency / 166,390 / 24,903 / 191,293 / 178,153
All figures are GST exclusive.
1. Appropriation Act (No. 1) 2013–14 and Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2013–14.
2. Estimated adjusted balance carried forward from previous year for annual appropriations. Appropriations receivable balances from the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia have been reappropriated at Additional Estimates (see note 4).
3. Includes an amount of $8.358m in 2013–14 for the departmental capital budget (see Table 3.2.5 for further details). For accounting purposes this amount has been designated as ‘contributions by owners’.
4. Includes an amount of $20.476m ($19.429m for operating expenses and $1.047m for the departmental capital budget), which comprises the accrued appropriations receivable from the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia reappropriated in 2013–14 as part of the courts’ merger into a single FMA Act agency (undertaken at 2013–14 Budget). Also includes $1.308m for judicial pay rise supplementation appropriated in 2013–14 and recognised in 2012–13.
5. Section 31 relevant agency receipts—estimate.
6. Estimated opening balance for special accounts (less ‘Special Public Money’ held in an account such as a Services for Other Entities and Trust Moneys Special Account). For further information on special accounts see Table 3.1.1.
1.3 Agency measures table
Table 1.2 summarises new government measures taken since the 2013–14 Budget.
Table 1.2: Agency 2013–14 measures since Budget
2013–14 / 2014–15 / 2015–16 / 2016–17Programme / $’000 / $’000 / $’000 / $’000
Expense measures
Public service efficiencies1 / 1.1
Departmental expenses / (39) / (197) / (435) / (604)
Reforms to APS management and
efficient procurement of agency
software / 1.1
Departmental expenses / (207) / (365) / (603) / (604)
Temporary increase in the efficiency
dividend2 / 1.1
Departmental expenses / – / (1,607) / (3,599) / (5,567)
Reform of Australia’s Protection
Status Determination System3 / 1.1
Departmental expenses / – / – / – / –
Total expense measures / (246) / (2,169) / (4,637) / (6,775)
Prepared on a Government Finance Statistics (fiscal) basis.
1. Measure announced in the 2013–14 Budget but not previously reported in a portfolio statement.
2. Values shown comprise appropriation revenue adjustments of $10.255m and departmental capital budget adjustments of $0.518m across the forward years. These amounts have been consolidated into a single line item for internal consistency and to improve readability.
3. This measure was originally announced in the 2013 Economic Statement and has been fully reversed by a cessation measure announced in the 2013–14 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook. The dashes reflect that the measure has no fiscal impact as it has ceased.
1.4 Additional estimates and variations
The following tables detail the changes to the resourcing for the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court at Additional Estimates, by outcome. Table 1.3 details the additional estimates and variations resulting from new measures since the 2013–14 Budget in Appropriation Bill No.3. Table 1.4 details additional estimates or variations through other factors, such as parameter adjustments.
Table 1.3: Additional estimates and variations to outcomes from measures since 2013–14 Budget
Programme / 2013–14 / 2014–15 / 2015–16 / 2016–17impacted / $’000 / $’000 / $’000 / $’000
OUTCOME 1
Decrease in estimates (departmental)
Public service efficiencies / 1.1 / (39) / (197) / (435) / (604)
Reforms to APS management and
efficient procurement of agency
software / 1.1 / (207) / (365) / (603) / (604)
Temporary increase in the efficiency
dividend / 1.1 / – / (1,607) / (3,599) / (5,567)
Reform of Australia’s Protection
Status Determination System / 1.1 / – / – / – / –
Net impact on estimates
for Outcome 1 (departmental) / (246) / (2,169) / (4,637) / (6,775)
Table 1.4: Additional estimates and variations to outcomes from other variations
Programme / 2013–14 / 2014–15 / 2015–16 / 2016–17impacted / $’000 / $’000 / $’000 / $’000
OUTCOME 1
Increase in estimates (departmental)
Supplementation for judicial and related
offices salary increases / 1.1 / 4,273 / 4,570 / 4,525 / 4,480
Recognition of appropriation balances
transferred from Family Court of Australia and Federal Circuit Court
of Australia / 1.1 / 19,429 / – / – / –
Recognition of appropriation balances
transferred from Family Court of Australia and Federal Circuit Court of Australia—departmental capital budget / 1.1 / 1,047 / – / – / –
Movement of capital from forward years to current year—departmental capital budget / 1.1 / 700 / – / – / –
Decrease in estimates (departmental)
Movement of capital from forward years to current year—departmental capital budget / 1.1 / – / – / (350) / (350)
Changes in wage and price indices1 / 1.1 / – / (325) / (534) / (652)
Net impact on estimates
for Outcome 1 (departmental) / 25,449 / 4,245 / 3,641 / 3,478
1. Values shown comprise appropriation revenue adjustments of $1.408m and departmental capital budget adjustments of $0.103m across the forward years. These amounts have been consolidated into a single line item for internal consistency and to improve readability.
1.5 Breakdown of additional estimates by appropriation bill
Table 1.5 details the additional estimates sought for the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court through Appropriation Bill No.3. The Family Court and Federal Circuit Court has no additional estimates through Appropriation Bill No.4.
Table 1.5: Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2013–14
2012–13 / 2013–14 / 2013–14 / Additional / ReducedAvailable1 / Budget / Revised / Estimates / Estimates
$’000 / $’000 / $’000 / $’000 / $’000
DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMMES
Outcome 1
Provide access to justice for litigants in family and federal law matters within the jurisdiction of the courts through the provision of judicial and support services / 155,6382 / 156,575 / 181,778 / 25,4493 / (246)
Total departmental / 155,638 / 156,575 / 181,778 / 25,449 / (246)
1. 2012–13 available appropriation is included to allow a comparison of this year’s appropriation with what was made available for use in the previous year.
2. Includes $100.522m from the Family Court of Australia and $55.116m from the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, noting that from 1 July 2013 a single FMA Act agency exists.
3. Includes an amount of $19.429m, which comprises the accrued appropriations receivable from the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia reappropriated in 2013–14 as part of the courts’ merger into a single FMA Act agency (undertaken at 2013–14 Budget).
Section 2: Revisions to outcomes and planned performance
2.1 Outcome and performance information
There are no changes to the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court’s outcome and performance information as reported in the 2013–14 Portfolio Budget Statements.
Outcome 1
Outcome 1 strategy
There are no changes to the strategy for Outcome 1 as reported in the 2013–14 Portfolio Budget Statements.
Table 2.1: Budgeted expenses and resources for Outcome 1
Outcome 1: Provide access to justice for litigants in family and federal law matters within the jurisdiction of the courts through the provision of judicial and support services / 2013–142012–13 / Revised
Actual / estimated
expenses / expenses
$’000 / $’000
Programme 1.1: Family Court and Federal Circuit Court
Administered expenses
Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act No. 1 & Bill No. 3) / 198 / 874
Departmental expenses
Departmental appropriation1 / 150,701 / 154,383
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the budget year2 / 47,366 / 47,548
Total expenses for Outcome 1 / 198,265 / 202,805
2012–13 / 2013–14
Average staffing level (number) / 782 / 789
1. Departmental appropriation combines ‘Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act No. 1 & Bill No. 3)’ and ‘Revenue from independent sources (s 31)’.
2. Expenses not requiring appropriation in the budget year are made up of depreciation and amortisation expenses of $8.470m, liabilities assumed by related entities of $10.353m and resources received free of charge of $28.725m.
Programme 1.1 expenses
2012–13 / Revised / Forward / Forward / Forward
Actual / budget / year 1 / year 2 / year 3
$’000 / $’000 / $’000 / $’000 / $’000
Annual administered expenses
Administered item / 198 / 874 / 883 / 896 / 904
Annual departmental expenses
Family Court of Australia / 13,438 / 15,035 / 15,035 / 15,035 / 15,035
Federal Circuit Court of Australia / 24,510 / 26,944 / 26,944 / 26,944 / 26,944
Family Court and Federal Circuit Court
Administration / 112,753 / 112,404 / 108,642 / 106,715 / 105,236
Expenses not requiring appropriation in
the budget year1 / 47,366 / 47,548 / 48,072 / 48,413 / 48,435
Total programme expenses / 198,265 / 202,805 / 199,576 / 198,003 / 196,554
1. Expenses not requiring appropriation in the budget year are made up of depreciation and amortisation expenses, liabilities assumed by related entities and resources received free of charge.
Programme 1.1 component expenses
2013–14 / 2014–15 / 2015–16 / 2016–172012–13 / Revised / Forward / Forward / Forward
Actual / budget / year 1 / year 2 / year 3
$’000 / $’000 / $’000 / $’000 / $’000
Component 1.1.1
Annual departmental expenses
Family Court of Australia / 13,438 / 15,035 / 15,035 / 15,035 / 15,035
Total component expenses / 13,438 / 15,035 / 15,035 / 15,035 / 15,035
Component 1.1.2
Annual administered expenses
Administered item / 198 / 874 / 883 / 896 / 904
Annual departmental expenses
Federal Circuit Court of Australia / 24,510 / 26,944 / 26,944 / 26,944 / 26,944
Total component expenses / 24,708 / 27,818 / 27,827 / 27,840 / 27,848
Component 1.1.3
Annual departmental expenses
Family Court and Federal Circuit Court
Administration / 112,753 / 112,404 / 108,642 / 106,715 / 105,236
Total component expenses / 112,753 / 112,404 / 108,642 / 106,715 / 105,236
Expenses not requiring appropriation in
the budget year / 47,366 / 47,548 / 48,072 / 48,413 / 48,435
Total programme expenses / 198,265 / 202,805 / 199,576 / 198,003 / 196,554
Section 3: Explanatory tables and budgeted financial statements
3.1 Explanatory tables
Estimates of special account flows
Special accounts provide a means to set aside and record amounts used for specified purposes. Table 3.1.1 shows the expected additions (receipts) and reductions (payments) for each account used by the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court. The corresponding table in the 2013–14 Portfolio Budget Statements is Table 3.1.2.
Table 3.1.1: Estimates of special account flows and balances
Opening / Closingbalance / Receipts / Payments / Adjustments / balance
2013–14 / 2013–14 / 2013–14 / 2013–14 / 2013–14
2012–13 / 2012–13 / 2012–13 / 2012–13 / 2012–13
Outcome / $’000 / $’000 / $’000 / $’000 / $’000
Family Court of Australia Litigants’ Fund Special / 1 / – / – / – / – / –
Account—FMA Act s 20 (A)1 / 1 / 806 / 117 / 768 / – / 155
Federal Magistrates Court Litigants’ Fund Special / 1 / – / – / – / – / –
Account—FMA Act s 20 (A)2 / 1 / 254 / 517 / 617 / – / 154
Litigants’ Fund Special / 1 / 309 / 600 / 600 / – / 309
Account—FMA Act s 20 (A)3 / 1 / – / – / – / – / –
Total special accounts
2013–14 Budget estimate / 309 / 600 / 600 / – / 309
Total special accounts
2012–13 actual / 1,060 / 634 / 1,385 / – / 309
FMA Act = Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.