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 31 October 2011:

In regard to the Carbon Price Implementation Team (the team) established on 4 July 2011:

(1) What is the mission and what are the duties of the team.

(2) Who authorised the establishment of the team.

(3) What are the duties of each staff member in the team.

(4) Do any members of the team have direct contact with the department.

(5) Do any members of the team have direct contact with journalists.

(6) What media monitoring services are provided to the team.

(7) What is the cost of media monitoring for the team.

(8) When is the team expected to conclude its work.

(9) Have any members of the team made contact with any senator and/or member or their staff to discuss issues around the implementation of a Carbon Price; if so, can details be provided including the name of the senator or member, date and the context of the contact.

(10) Have any members of the team had meetings with the Australian Greens, senators, members or their staff; if so, can details be provided including the name of the senator or member, date and the context of the meeting.

(11) Have any of the Australian Greens, senators, members or their staff sought advice, talking points or information from the team; if so, can details of the request be provided, including if the request was met and what information was provided.

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:

The Government has established a Carbon Price Implementation Team to provide information in support of the implementation of the carbon price.

In January 1999, the then Liberal Treasurer Peter Costello established a Tax Reform Legislative Unit to coordinate issues for Ministerial offices over the GST. The Carbon Price Implementation Team is similar to this unit.

The core functions of the team have been to support government Members and Senators in providing factual and accurate information to their constituents and correcting misinformation that is on the public record, and coordinating events relating to the Government's Clean Energy Future package among Ministerial offices.