Senate debates

Wednesday, 10 October 2012

Questions on Notice

Defence: Travel (Question Nos 2072 to 2074)

Photo of David JohnstonDavid Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing Minister for Defence, Minister representing the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel and Minister representing the Minister for Defence Materiel, upon notice, on 20 August 2012:

For the period 1 January to 30 June 2012:

(1) (a) Did the Minister/Parliamentary Secretary travel overseas on official business; if so: (i) to what destination, (ii) for what duration, and (iii) for what purpose; and (b) what was the total cost of: (i) travel, (ii) accommodation, and (iii) any other expenses?

(2) (a) Which departmental and uniformed personnel accompanied the Minister/Parliamentary Secretary on each trip; and (b) for those personnel, what was the total cost of: (i) travel, (ii) accommodation, and (iii) any other expenses?

(3) (a) Apart from ministerial staff and uniformed and civilian departmental personnel, who else accompanied the Minister/Parliamentary Secretary on each trip; and (b) for each of these people, what was the total cost of: (i) travel, (ii) accommodation, and (iii) any other expenses?

Photo of Bob CarrBob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | | Hansard source

The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1), (2) and (3) Overseas travel expenditure for period 1 January to 30 May 2012 was provided in response to Question on Notice 79 from 28/29 May 2012 Budget Estimates Hearing.

Annex 1 provides details of additional costs (GST exclusive) that have been expensed for period 1 June to 30 June 2012 by the Department for officials' overseas travel undertaken in support of the Minister and Parliamentary Secretaries. This information is correct as at 30 August 2012.

The cost of all other travel undertaken by the Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries and Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 employees to the Ministers are paid for by the Department of Finance and Deregulation (DoFD). These costs are tabled in the Parliament every six months in a report titled 'Parliamentarian Travel'. This report contains the information requested, including dates, destination and purpose of travel. It is also published on the DoFD website.

Annex 1