Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, upon notice, on 26 May 2011:

With reference to the Australian delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Durban, South Africa, in December 2011:

(1) What is the estimated cost of:

(a) airfares;

(b) accommodation;

(c) travel allowance; and

(d) any other items.

(2) How many officers and ministers will attend.

(3) How many of the delegation will fly:

(a) first class;

(b) business class;

(c) premium economy; and

(d) economy or equivalent.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

With reference to the Australian delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Durban, South Africa, in December 2011:

(1) (a) The estimated cost of airfares is not known, as the delegation has not yet been determined.

(b) The estimated cost of accommodation is not known, as the delegation has not yet been determined.

Given the limited accommodation available in Durban, the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has entered into a contract to secure appropriate accommodation well in advance of the 17th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP17) for the period of the conference (28 November – 9 December 2011) and for associated pre-sessional preparatory meetings in the days leading up to the conference. A preliminary estimate of $245,104.60 is based on quotes provided by a COP17 accommodation service provider in January 2011.

This full amount has not been paid, and the estimated cost will be revised closer to the conference once it is clearer what the composition of the delegation will be.

(c) The estimated cost of travel allowance is not known, as the delegation has not yet been determined.

(d) The estimated cost of any other items is not known, as the delegation has not yet been determined.

(2) It is not yet known how many officers and ministers will attend, as the delegation has not yet been determined.

(3) Please refer to the response to part (1) (a) above.