North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Conference: Bucharest

Mr Baldwin asked the Minister for Defence, in writing, on 24 November 2008:

In respect of his attendance at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s conference in Bucharest, Romania, on 2-4 April 2008: (a) what was his itinerary, including associated events held before and after the conference; (b) who accompanied him on the trip and in what capacity; (c) what meetings and events did he attend during the conference; and (d) who was in attendance at these meetings and events, including those who accompanied him.

Mr Fitzgibbon - The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

1. 1 April 2008 – Departed Sydney for London.
   2 April 2008 – Departed London for Bucharest, via Munich.
   4 April 2008 – Departed Bucharest for Melbourne, via Munich and London.
   6 April 2008 – Departed Melbourne for Canberra.
2. Ministerial staff:  Mr Daniel Cotterill (then Chief of Staff to the Minister for Defence).
   
   Departmental staff:  ACM Angus Houston (Chief of the Defence Force); Mr Nick Warner (Secretary of Defence); COL Fergus McLachlan (then Chief of Staff to the Chief of the Defence Force); CAPT Ben Alward (Aide-de-Camp to the Minister for Defence); Ms Julie Roberts (Executive Assistant to Secretary of Defence); and CPL Daniel Kenneday (Signaller).
   
   Overseas representation:  AIRCDRE Steve Martin (Head of Australian Defence Staff - London); LTCOL Chris Andersen (Assistant Defence Adviser and Chief of Staff - London) and CMDR Clive Dunchue RAN (Defence Attaché NATO/EU).
3. and (d) Refer to the table below.
   
   

   Meeting / Event	Attendees
   NATO/non-NATO ISAF Contributing Nations Meeting	The Hon Kevin Rudd MP (Prime Minister of Australia) The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP (Minister for Defence) Mr David Epstein (Chief of Staff and Principal Adviser to the Prime Minister) Mr Duncan Lewis (Deputy Secretary, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet) Mr Gary Quinlan (Senior Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister) ACM Angus Houston (Chief of the Defence Force) Mr Nick Warner (Secretary of Defence) Seated in the listening room: Mr Hugh Borrowman (First Assistant Secretary, International Division, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet) Mr Daniel Cotterill (then Chief of Staff to the Minister for Defence) Mr Lachlan Harris (Senior Media Adviser, Office of the Prime Minister) COL Fergus McLachlan (then Chief of Staff to the Chief of the Defence Force)
   Regional Command South Defence Ministers Meeting	The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP ACM Angus Houston Mr Nick Warner Mr Daniel Cotterill Mr Peter Sawczak (Counsellor - Brussels)
   Bilateral: UK Secretary of State for Defence, Rt Hon Des Browne	The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP Mr Daniel Cotterill ACM Angus Houston Mr Nick Warner AIRCDRE Steve Martin (Head of Australian Defence Staff – London) CMDR Clive Dunchue RAN (Defence Attaché NATO/EU)
   Bilateral: Afghanistan Defence Minister, Abdul Wardak	The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP Mr Daniel Cotterill ACM Angus Houston Mr Nick Warner AIRCDRE Steve Martin CMDR Clive Dunchue RAN
   Bilateral: Canadian Minister of Defence, Peter MacKay	The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP Mr Daniel Cotterill ACM Angus Houston Mr Nick Warner AIRCDRE Steve Martin CMDR Clive Dunchue RAN
   Bilateral: French Minister for Defence, Hervè Morin	The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP Mr Daniel Cotterill ACM Angus Houston Mr Nick Warner AIRCDRE Steve Martin CMDR Clive Dunchue RAN
   Bilateral: German Minister of Defence, Franz Jung	The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP Mr Daniel Cotterill ACM Angus Houston Mr Nick Warner AIRCDRE Steve Martin CMDR Clive Dunchue RAN
   US Secretary of Defense, Dr Robert Gates(Spoke in margins of meeting/pull asides)	The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP Mr Daniel Cotterill ACM Angus Houston Mr Nick Warner AIRCDRE Steve Martin CMDR Clive Dunchue RAN
   Netherlands Minister for Defence, Eimert van Middelkoop(Spoke in margins of meeting/pull asides)	The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP Mr Daniel Cotterill ACM Angus Houston Mr Nick Warner AIRCDRE Steve Martin CMDR Clive Dunchue RAN
   Danish Minister of Defence, Søren Gade(Spoke in margins of meeting/pull asides)	The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP Mr Daniel Cotterill ACM Angus Houston Mr Nick Warner AIRCDRE Steve Martin CMDR Clive Dunchue RAN
   Reception hosted by the Prime Minister of Romania, Mr Calin Popescu-Tariceanu	The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP ACM Angus Houston Mr Nick Warner AIRCDRE Steve Martin CMDR Clive Dunchue
   Cultural Event hosted by HE Mr Traian Basescu, President of Romania	The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP ACM Angus Houston Mr Nick Warner AIRCDRE Steve Martin COL Fergus McLachlan
   Dinner hosted by HE Mr Traian Basescu, President of Romania	The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP

   
   

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