Briefs Prepared By Budget Policy And Data Division For February 2026 Additional Estimates

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This brief details the Government's allocation of $6.6 billion over four years to 2028-29 for urgent and unavoidable spending in the 2025-26 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, bringing cumulative unavoidable spending to $57.8 billion since the 2022 Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Outlook. The funding addresses essential service continuations ($2.1 billion), including health, aged care, disability, and veteran support programs; new and amended pharmaceutical listings ($1.8 billion) covering treatments for melanoma, rare diseases, and other conditions; infrastructure cost pressures supporting productivity; science agency sustainability; and civil maritime security and border protection capabilities. Specific allocations include $969 million for health and disability programs, $77 million for veteran support, and $63 million for community sector organisations facing wage pressures, demonstrating Finance's classification of these commitments as unavoidable policy responses to existing obligations and service pressures rather than discretionary spending.