An appropriation bill or supply bill is a
legislative motion which authorizes the
government to spend money. In most democracies, approval of the legislature is necessary for the government to spend money. In a parliamentary system, the defeat of an appropriation bill in a parliamentary vote generally necessitates either a resignation of a government or the calling of a
general election. The most famous defeat of a supply bill in Australian history happened in
1975, where the Senate refused to approve a package of appropriation and loan bills, prompting then-
Governor General Sir
John Kerr to dismiss then-Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and call a
Double Dissolution, appointing Malcolm Fraser as
caretaker Prime Minister until the next election (where the Fraser government was elected).
See more at Wikipedia.org...