Senate Notice Paper Question No 449
Schedule Number: 300026 		Publication Date: 22 September 2008
Hansard: Page 5291

Defence: Media Management Contract

Senator: Minchin

Senator Minchin asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 30 May 2008:

With reference to

  1. Since 1 July 2006:
    1. has the department or any agency in the Minister’s portfolio engaged:
      1. CMAX Communications,
      2. Maximum Communications,
      3. Mr Christian Taubenschlag,
      4. Ms Tara Taubenschlag, or
      5. any company operated by Mr Christian Taubenschlag or Ms Tara Taubenschlag; and
    2. if so, in each case:
      1. when was the engagement,
      2. what was the nature of the engagement,
      3. what was the value of the engagement,
      4. what was the term of the engagement,
      5. was the engagement entered into after a competitive process; if not, why not, and
      6. did the Minister or any of his/her staff have a role in recommending this engagement.

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

a. i. Yes
  ii. No
  iii. Mr Taubenschlag was the ‘specified person’ identified by CMAX to undertake the work under the CMAX contract.  Since 1 July 2006, there have been no separate contracts between Defence and Mr Christian Taubenschlag.
  iv. No
  v. CMAX is the only company operated by Mr Taubenschlag that has been engaged by Defence.
b. CMAX Communications:
  i. Since 1 July 2006, DMO has had two contracts with CMAX.  The first ended on 31 August 2006.  The second commenced on 1 September 2006, with final services being delivered in October 2007.
  ii. CMAX provided strategic communications advice to CEO DMO, the Amphibious Deployment and Sustainment Program, and the Air Warfare Destroyer Program.
  iii. From 1 July 2006 to 31 August 2006, payments of approximately $41,000 were made against the existing contract.  Payments against the second contract totalled approximately $216,000.  These figures include both fees and reimbursement of travel cost.
  iv. 16 months.
  v. The first contract was sole-sourced.  This contract was sole-sourced because of urgent time factors and the advantage CMAX had through its detailed knowledge of the communications requirements for these programs.  The second contract was awarded after a competitive process.
  vi. No.

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