Fiscal risks — expenses
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Exceptional Circumstances assistance for drought-affected farmers
Exceptional Circumstances assistance is available, subject to eligibility criteria, to drought-affected farmers and agriculture-dependent small businesses by way of interest rate subsidies and/or income support. The forward estimates assume that there will be neither new drought declarations nor extensions of existing declarations. A continuation of adverse seasonal conditions or a return to severe drought conditions could result in higher than expected expenses for these forms of assistance. It is not possible to quantify the cost arising from such potential developments as this depends on the intensity, duration and scale of future drought conditions.
Health and Ageing
Immunisation funding mechanism
Future technologies will result in new vaccines changing the profile of usage (for example, multivalent vaccines which combine several vaccines into one) and, as a consequence, could result in higher costs. It is not possible to quantify the potential fiscal risk arising from these factors.
Medicare Benefits Schedule and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
From time to time items are added to, or removed from, the Medicare Benefits Schedule and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Major technological advances in medicines or medical procedures, shifts in Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme usage patterns, or doctors' prescribing and charging practices may result in unexpected increases in expenses that exceed the provision in the forward estimates. It is not possible to quantify the potential fiscal risk arising from these factors.
Transport and Regional Services
Airservices Australia
On 31 August 2004, the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, pursuant to section 16 of the Airservices Act 1995 (the Act), gave a direction to Airservices Australia to provide an operating control tower and approach radar control services in certain volumes of airspace. Section 16(4) of the Act provides that Airservices Australia may seek reimbursement from the Australian Government for any financial detriment it suffers as a result of complying with a direction. At this time, the quantum or nature of any financial detriment is uncertain, as is the nature of any consequent fiscal risk to the budget.