Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

1. The Australian Government provided funds under the Kokoda Initiative to the Kokoda Track Authority, a Special Purposes Authority of the Kokoda and Koiari Local-level Governments, for infrastructure and track maintenance. The Kokoda Track Authority determined that it did not have the human resources to undertake track maintenance itself, and entered into a partnership with Conservation Volunteers Australia. The partnership costs were $99,974 AUD.

Outcomes were:

2. Using the definition of a consultant under the department’s procurement guidelines, the following Australian consultants have been engaged by the department as part of the Kokoda Initiative between 2009 and 2012 to assist the Kokoda Track Authority:

3.   a.   The Kokoda Initiative had the following total budget:

b. The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has engaged the following consultants in the financial years 2008-2009 to 2011-2012 to work on projects under the Kokoda Initiative:

4. Mr Rod Hillman was the Joint CEO of the Kokoda Track Authority, not the TPA. Yes, the Australian Government, under the Kokoda Initiative, engaged EcoSustainability to develop a Tourism Framework for the Kokoda Region.

a. $41,611.03 AUD.

b. Tourism Framework for the Kokoda Region.

5. Under the Kokoda Initiative the Australian Government has engaged the Kokoda Track Foundation and the Kokoda Track Authority has engaged Conservation Volunteers Australia to undertake projects between 2009 and 2012.

a. The Australian Government provided funding to the Kokoda track Authority which used its procurement process to engage Conservation Volunteers Australia. The Kokoda Track Foundation was engaged in 2009 through a formal Request For Quote process run by the former Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.

b. Conservation Volunteers Australia: $99,974 AUD; and the Kokoda Track Foundation: $36,905 AUD.

c.

-Local people at each of 6 villages were paid to assist the Conservation Volunteers Australia and undergo training. They are now qualified track builders that the Kokoda Track Authority can draw on for future track maintenance work.

-Relationships improved between villages and Kokoda Track Authority.

-Dangerous and degraded parts of the track identified in the Track Analysis document were repaired and made safe, which skilled villagers were able to continue to maintain.

6. The Australian Government provided funding under the Kokoda Initiative to the Kokoda Track Authority in 2009 to engage Conservation Volunteers Australia to undertake Track Maintenance work. Twelve volunteers were located in 6 villages along the track. Information on any other projects undertaken by Conservation Volunteers Australia on the Kokoda Track would be held by the Kokoda Track Authority.

a. Airfares and charters: $16, 203.08 AUD; and accommodation and food: $29,088.48 AUD.

b. Tools: $3,169.75 AUD.

7. Yes.

8. In relation to the Conservation Volunteers Australia work for 2009 Track Maintenance, objectives were to: