Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Fair Competition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Special Minister of State, upon notice, on 25 August 2011:

With reference to the answer to question on notice no. F118 taken on notice during the 2011-12 Budget estimates hearing of the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee:

(1)   Given that the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) outlined that in 2009-10, it had incurred external legal costs of $205 266 in relation to industrial elections and that four matters involved the Federal Court of Australia (two involving the Health Services Union (No. 1 Branch), one involving the Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Association and one involving the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association):

  (a) what external legal costs were incurred by the AEC for each of these actions; and

  (b) what were the total costs, including in-kind and internal costs for which no payment was made, by the AEC for each of these actions.

(2) Given that the AEC outlined that, up until 15 June 2011, it had incurred external legal costs of $565 949.99 in 2010-11 in relation to industrial elections and that three matters involved the Federal Court of Australia (Purvinas and the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers' Association; Nimmo and the Australian Education Union; and Kelly and the New South Wales Local Government, Clerical, Administrative, Energy, Airlines and Utilities Branch of the Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services Union (No. 2)):

  (a) what external legal costs were incurred by the AEC for each of these actions; and

  (b) what were the total costs, including in-kind and internal costs for which no payment was made, by the AEC for each of these actions.

(3) Has the AEC incurred any other legal expenses, for example, through either seeking legal advice or with respect to any legal action or administrative activities, relating to registered industrial organisations in each of the following financial years: 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11; if so, can the AEC provide:

  (a) an amount for the expense incurred by the AEC with respect to each individual registered industrial organisation; and

  (b) an amount for the total expense incurred by the AEC for each financial year listed.

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

The Special Minister of State has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) (a) Health Services Union (No.1 Branch)—$11 226.60; Health Services Union (No.1 Branch)—$4 250; Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Association—$113 138.27; Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association—$797.50; and

  (b) as the AEC does not maintain an internal billing system, this figure is not possible to calculate.

(2) (a) Purvinas and the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers' Association—$46 526.50; Nimmo and the Australian Education Union—$35 784.78; and Kelly and the New South Wales Local Government, Clerical, Administrative, Energy, Airlines and Utilities Branch of the Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services Union (No. 2)—$94 910.60; and

  (b) as the AEC does not maintain an internal billing system, this figure is not possible to calculate.

(3) Yes.

  (a) The AEC incurred the following external legal expenses for the specified years and organisations. 2007-08: Australian Retailers Association; $1 247.40: AMWU Food and Confectionary Division; $2 032.80: CEPU; $9 669.00: AMWU; $4 943.40. 2008-09: National Union of Workers; $7 909.44. 2009-10: AMWU; $2 416.70; and

  (b) the AEC incurred the following total external legal expenses in relation to all matters for the specified years. 2007-08; $1 092 304: 2008-09; $589 367: 2009-10; $205 266. 2010-11: $497 823.