Andrew Robb (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I will just pursue some of those points that the parliamentary secretary sought to respond to. In particular, one of the critical elements in this budget was the question of people resources. We did know from the announcement in January that some $57 million would be cut from the department. There were immediate announcements of staff cuts—I think some 19 positions across the world, including the one serving the UN. It was surprising, given the subsequent announcement of the pursuit of a Security Council seat, to remove specific resources from that area.

I draw your attention to table 2.11 of the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio document. It goes on in some detail to explain over subsequent pages the activities under outcome 1: strengthened engagement with United Nations including by building support for Australia’s election to the UN Security Council in 2013-14; advance coordination on key regional issues through the trilateral strategic dialogue; build support for Australian inclusion in any regional security mechanisms arising from this six-party talks; develop further strong relations with Japan et cetera; and strengthen relations in South Asia, particularly high-level political engagement. They are all strategic key initiatives designed to give a large measure of effect to being a creative middle-power activist. Yet when you go to the budget papers it says that average staffing of outcome 1, this very important area, is currently 2,338 and the estimate for 2008-09 is 2,033, a reduction of 305 staff. The department is deeply concerned about the 19 key staff they had to remove in January. In the budget papers, 305 staff are anticipated to be removed in this key area of activity.

See this speech in context