Senate Notice Paper Question Nos 804 & 805
Schedule Number: 300069 & 300070 		Publication Date: 3 February 2009
Hansard: Pages 175-7

Defence: Public Relations Staff and Media Monitoring

 Senator: Johnston

Senator Johnston asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 13 November 2008:

For each agency within the responsibility of the Ministers:

  1. In the period 1 April to 30 September 2008, how much was spent on media monitoring.
  2. As at 30 September 2008:
    1. how many staff are employed in public relations and/or the media in the department or agency;
    2. what are the position levels of these staff;
    3. what are the salary grades of these staff; and
    4. how many of these staff are:
      1. permanent,
      2. temporary, and
      3. contractors.

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

  1. $299,351.
  2. (a), (b) and (d) The Defence Public Affairs Branch employs 64 civilian, two contractors and 52 military employees.
Responsibility Staffing

Executive

1 x permanent BRIG, 1 x permanent LTCOL
1 x permanent EL2, 1 x permanent EL1,
1 x permanent APS4

Defence Service Newspapers

1 x permanent WO2, 2 x permanent CPL,
1 x permanent LS, 1 x permanent AC
1 x permanent EL2, 5 x permanent EL1,
3 x permanent APS6, 2 x temporary APS6,
1 x temporary APS4-5, 1 x permanent APS4

Communication Advisers

1 x permanent EL2, 11 x permanent EL1

Media Engagement

1 x permanent EL2, 1 x permanent EL1,
2 x permanent APS6, 4 x permanent APS4/5

Defence Internet

1 x permanent EL1, 1 x permanent APS6,
2 x contractors

Video and Imagery Library

1 x permanent EL1, 1 x permanent APS4,
1 x permanent APS3-4

Military Public Affairs Preparedness, Plans and Training

1 x permanent MAJ, 1 x permanent WGCDR,
1 x permanent CAPT, 1 x permanent APS6

Research, Planning and Entertainment Media Liaison

1 x permanent EL2, 1 x permanent APS6

Regional Public Affairs

6 x permanent EL1, 1 x temporary EL1,
1 x permanent APS6, 3 x permanent APS2

Military Headquarters Support

1 x permanent LTCOL, 6 x permanent MAJ,
3 x permanent CAPT, 1 x permanent SQNLDR,
2 x permanent FLTLT, 1 x permanent LEUT

Joint Public Affairs Unit covering photographers and reporters

1 x permanent MAJ, 3 x permanent WO2,
6 x permanent CAPT, 5 x permanent SGT,
8 x permanent CPL, 1 x permanent LS,
1 x permanent FLTLT, 1 x permanent AB,
1 x permanent AC, 1 x permanent PO,
1 x temporary APS4

Administration Support

1 x permanent APS6, 1 x permanent APS5,
1 x permanent APS4, 1 x temporary APS4

Secondment/ Leave

2 x permanent EL2, 2 x permanent EL1

 

Key: BRIG: Brigadier, COL: Colonel, EL: Executive Level, APS: Australian Public Service, WO2: Warrant Officer Class 2, CPL: Corporal, LS: Leading Seaman, LTCOL: Lieutenant Colonel, MAJ: Major, WGCDR: Wing Commander, LEUT: Lieutenant (Navy), CAPT: Captain, FLTLT: Flight Lieutenant, LT: Lieutenant (Army), WO: Warrant Officer (Navy), SGT: Sergeant, AB: Able Seaman, AC: Aircraftman, PTE: Private, PO: Petty Officer.

Outside the Branch, there are a further 34 Defence employees who provide public affairs support as a part of their duties.

Service/Group Staffing

Vice Chief of the Defence Force

3 x permanent EL1

Army

1 x temporary EL1, 1 x permanent APS6

Navy

1 x permanent APS3, 1 x permanent APS4, 1 x permanent APS4/5, 1 x permanent APS5, 2 x permanent APS6, 1 x permanent EL1,
2 x permanent LCDR, 3 x permanent LEUT

Air Force

2 x permanent EL1, 2 x temporary FLTLT

People Strategies and Policy Group

1 x permanent EL1, 1 x permanent APS6

Chief Information Office

1 x permanent EL2

Defence Science and Technology Organisation

1 x permanent EL2, 4 x permanent EL1, 3 x permanent APS6

DMO

1 x permanent EL2, 1x permanent APS6

Key: LCDR: Lieutenant Commander,  LEUT: Lieutenant (Navy), SQNLDR: Squadron Leader, FLTLT: Flight Lieutenant, FLGOFF: Flying Officer.

Defence Housing Australia (DHA) has no specific staff members responsible for the stated functions. DHA has a Marketing Communication Team, comprising four staff members. The team is responsible for marketing communication campaigns to provide product and service information. There is relatively little day-to-day media interest in DHA's activities, so an incidental proportion of the team's time is involved in responding to media requests.

c. The salary rates for civilian members are located on the Defence Pay and Conditions Internet site at www.defence.gov.au/dpe/pac/salary_chart.pdf.
  The salary rates for military members are located on the Defence Pay Conditions Internet site at www.defence.gov.au/dpe/pac/Pay_Allow_May_08.pdf.

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