David Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, upon notice, 1 November 2012:

For each department and agency under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 and eachCommonwealth authority under the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 within the Minister's portfolio:

(1) How many Australian Public Service full time equivalent staff are engaged by each department, agency and authority in relation to the: (a) creation; (b) administration or management; and (c) enforcement of new or existing Acts of Parliament, legislative instruments and quasi-regulation.

(2) What and how many: (a) compliance requirements; (b) industry guidelines; (c) best practice procedures; (d) codes of conduct; and (e) any other industrial manuals/documents, have been created since December 2007.

(3) Was an Annual Regulatory Plan completed for each of the 2009 10, 2010 11, 2011 12, and 2012-13 financial years, and will a plan be completed for the 2013 14 financial year.

(4) For the 2009 10, 2010 11, 2011 12, and 2012-13 financial years: (a) how many pieces of regulation, including Acts of Parliament, legislative instruments and quasi-regulation, were included in each Annual Regulatory Plan; and (b) were the same, more or fewer pieces of regulation passed as anticipated in each Annual Regulatory Plan: (i) if more, which pieces of regulation were passed in addition to the plan, and (i) if fewer, which pieces of regulation were not passed and why were they not passed.

(5) Does each department, agency and authority assess the total costs associated with its regulatory measures; if so: (a) what is the total: (i) direct, and (ii) indirect, regulatory cost burden that each department, agency and authority imposes on the non-government sector; and (b) how much regulatory cost has each department, agency and authority: (i) imposed, and (ii) removed, from the non-government sector since August 2010.

(6) Does each department, agency and authority impose a cost-recovery scheme on the non-government sector; if so: (a) what are the cost recovery programs; (b) what fees are currently being imposed; and (c) in each case, by how much have these fees increased since August 2010.

Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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

(1) & (2) Given the very broad nature of the question, attempting to answer this question would cause an unreasonable diversion of resources.

(3), (4) & (5) Annual Regulatory Plans are managed within the Department of Finance and Deregulation. Please see the response provided by the Minister for Finance and Deregulation to Senate question on notice 2469.

(6) This question does not apply to the Department of Veterans' Affairs. While the Department undertakes cost recovery where it identifies an overpayment, it does not have a cost recovery scheme in the context of this question.

The Australian War Memorial applies a cost recovery regime on activities that include Tours, Public & Education Programs, selected Function costs, staff consultancy, Collection loans and photo reproduction sales, where appropriate. Fees imposed are calculated by applying a cost recovery model that closely follows the Australian Government Cost Recovery Guidelines. Much of the cost recovery activity relates to invoicing for employee/agency salary & wages costs, with increase in fees reflecting increases in employee costs.