Senate Notice Paper Question No 950
Schedule Number: 300102		 Publication Date: 16 March 2009
Hansard: Pages 1667-71

Defence: Media Monitoring

 Senator: Ronaldson

Senator Ronaldson asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 24 November 2008:

  1. Can details be provided, as of 24 November 2008, of the total number of all staff in: (a) the Minister’s office whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy; and (b) the department whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy.
  2. Can details be provided of the aggregate salary and superannuation costs during the 2008 calendar year for all staff in: (a) the Minister’s office whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy; and (b) the department whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy.
  3. Can details be provided of the aggregate travel costs during the 2008 calendar year for all staff in: (a) the Minister’s office whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy; and (b) the department whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy.
  4. Can details be provided of the aggregate mobile phone costs during the 2008 calendar year for all staff in: (a) the Minister’s office whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy; and (b) the department whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs,(v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy.
  5. Can a breakdown be provided of every review, inquiry and committee which is being conducted in the department that has been announced since 1 December 2007.
  6. (a) How many of the department’s reviews, inquiries and committees are in  progress or incomplete as of 24 November 2008; and (b) what are their reporting dates.
  7. In regard to each of the department’s review, inquiry and committee (completed and incomplete as of 24 November 2008) that has or is being conducted during the 2008 calendar year: (a) what is the number of departmental staff allocated to each; (b) what is the aggregate number of departmental staff allocated to all; (c) were external consultants engaged to assist in any; if so, which consultants and how much has each consultancy cost (please itemise for each); and (d) what have been the travel costs associated with those staff involved in each (please itemise for each).
  8. For the 2008 calendar year, what is the total cost of each departmental review, inquiry and committee, including staff wages, consultancy costs, travel and any other associated expenditure (please itemise for each).

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

  1.  
    1. One staff member, employed under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984.  This staff member is the only one whose job is solely devoted to the categories listed in parts (i) – (vi).
    2.  
      1. – iv. Please refer to my response to Senate Question on Notice No. 804.
      2. – vi. The following people are involved in internal communications and communications strategy:
                8 x Executive Level 1
                12 x APS Level 6
                4 x APS Level 5
                1x APS Level 4
                4 x Contractors
                1 x Wing Commander
                                     
  2.  
    1.  
      1. – vi. The salary range only, is provided below, so as not to identify personal information of individual employees.

        Classification Salary Range Allowance
        Senior Media Adviser $85,500 to $116,400 $17,719 MSA*
            *       Ministerial Staff Allowance

        Depending on their individual circumstances, senior staff may be eligible to be a member of the CSS, PSS or PSSap or may have employer superannuation contributions of nine per cent paid to an eligible superannuation fund of their choice.  Individual details are not supplied due to privacy reasons.
    2. 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.
  3.  
    1.  
      1. – vi.       Refer to table below
        Classification Travel Costs*
        Senior Media Adviser $27,683.30
            *       Travel costs are up to and including 24 November 2008.  No costs are included for any travel after 24 November 2008.
               
    2. I am not prepared to authorise the time and resources required to manually collect and assemble the highly detailed information sought in this part of the honourable senator’s question.
  4.  
    1. $15,810.75.  This figure shows the mobile phone costs from 1 January 2008 to 30 November 2008.
    2. I am not prepared to authorise the time and resources required to manually collect and assemble the highly detailed information sought in this part of the honourable senator’s question.
  5. , 6. (a) and (b)     For information on reviews, see response to Senate Question on Notice No 820.

    The inquiries, commissioned by the Chief of the Defence Force, currently under way in Defence and their expected report dates are:
    The inquiries below have reported:

  6. (a), (b), (c), (d) and (8)      The number of departmental staff allocated to each review or inquiry, their wages and travel costs, consultants and consultancy costs and other expenditure associated with each review and inquiry, up to the end of November 2008, is provided in the table below.

    Review/Inquiry Staff(1) Wages(2)
    (approx)
    $    		 Travel
    $    		 Consultancy Consultancy
    $    		 Other
    $    		 Total
    $
    WHITE PAPER ASSOCIATED REVIEWS  
    White Paper Companion Review Team 10 933,560 Nil Capgemini 68,889 Nil 2,272,449
    McKinsey 1,270,000
    Defence Capability Plan Review 2 50,530 Nil KPMG 190,267 Nil 240,797
    Preparedness, Personnel and Operating Costs Review 19 558,000 3,500 KPMG 134,560 Nil 1,176,060
    Deloittes 480,000
    Logistics Review 5 344,997 42,363 Edwards Management & Consulting 26,835 1,636 3,485,347
    Booz & Co 261,009
    John Gattorna  21,717
    John McNamara  6,077
    KPMG 2,586,363
    GAINS Resources Asia-Pacific 194,350
    Estate Review 8 461,974 31,233 McGrath Nicol 591,051 Nil 1,481,637
    Noetic 61,161
    GHD 105,801
    KPMG 193,117
    PS Management Consultants - through Parsons Brinkerhoff 37,300
    Workforce Review 7 298,045 1,758 Monash University 68,599 1,936 428,341
    Jacobs Australia 58,003
    Industry Capacity Review 2 146,092 4,761 Sean Costello Consultancy 50,204 2,026 243,083
    QinetiQ 40,000
    Information and Communications Technology Review 3 142,434 Nil Nil Nil Nil 142,434
    Science and Technology Review 7 465,234 12,800 Schofield Science and Technology Pty Ltd  67,507 7,300 559,029
    Daintree Systems Pty Ltd  6,188
    Force Structure Review 14 1,231,568 Nil Nil Nil Nil 1,231,568
    Review on the Intelligence Capability 3 43,070 Nil Mr Martin Brady AO 49,500 Nil   92,570
    OTHER REVIEWS
    Review of Mental Health Care in the ADF 4 10,834 14,313 Dunt Health Evaluation Services 69,850 7,376 102,373
    Independent Review of Military Justice Reform 3 204,200 23,216 AIRMSHL Les Fisher & Sir Laurence Street 388,495 37,518 653,429
    Defence Procurement and Sustainment Review 9 200,000 6,700 David Mortimer 92,500 34,800  334,000
    Review of ADF Cadets Scheme 3 73,588 10,633 LTGEN Frank Hickling AO, CSC (Ret), COL Lesley Woodroffe (Ret) and Mr Terrence Winner 164,054 29,631 352,217
    PCA 22,727
    Blaze 41,860
    CanPrint 9,724
    Review of Australia’s Air Combat Capability 6 98,786 2,598 Nil Nil Nil  101,384
    Defence Budget Audit  5 230,685 1,000 George Pappas 267,000 Nil 4,258,685
    McKinsey & Co 3,760,000
    INQUIRIES(3)(4)
    Inquiry into the death of CPL Goss         9 10,937 458 Nil Nil Nil 11,396
    Inquiry into HMAS Sydney II 22 1,989,539 132,908 Nil Nil Nil 2,122,447
    Inquiry into the death of SQNLDR Hughes 11 16,403 4,477 Nil Nil Nil 20,880
    Inquiry into the death of LCPL Marks in Afghanistan 8 70,709 155 Nil Nil Nil 70,864
    Inquiry into the death of SIG McCarthy in Afghanistan 7 63,214 1,178 Nil Nil Nil 64,392
    Inquiry into the death of PTE Baker in Dili 9 324,604 335,603 Nil Nil Nil 660,207
    Inquiry into the death of MAJ McKerron 8 84,294 53,763 Nil Nil Nil 138,057
    Swan Island Commission of Inquiry 13 382,324 309,234 Nil Nil Nil 691,558
    1. The number of Departmental staff refers to the physical number of people allocated and not the FTE allocation or full-time equivalent. 
    2. Staff wages are approximate with Departmental staff often working part-time or for a short term basis. 
    3. Presidents appointed to inquiries are included with departmental staff.
    4. Costing information for the inquiry into the death of LT Fussell is currently unavailable.

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