John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I would say in commencement of my answer to your supplementary question, Senator Fielding, that I would not necessarily draw a comparison between that report—and the period of time it dealt with—and the Britt Lapthorne case. It is true that the Lowy Institute undertook an independent assessment of the adequacy of Australia’s instruments of international policy. There is no doubt that the report you refer to deals with a decline in resourcing of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It covers the period from1996. It does indicate that DFAT’s overall staff levels are about 20 per cent lower today than they were in— (Time expired)