Senate Notice Paper Question Nos 1916 & 1945
Schedule Number: 300186 & 300187		 Publication Date: 27 October 2009
Hansard: Pages 7338-42

Defence Staffing, Hospitality and Services

 Senator: Barnett

Senator Barnett asked the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 2 July 2009:

  1. With reference to ministerial staff and departmental liaison officers for each Minister and Parliamentary Secretary, since November 2007: (a) how many positions exist; (b) how many staff are employed; (c) how many vacancies exist; (d) what are the levels of these positions; and (e) what is the total cost of staff employed in these respective offices on an annual basis.
  2. Can a breakdown be provided of how many laptops, mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) the department provides to the office of each Minister and Parliamentary Secretary.
  3. Are any departmental officers on secondment to the office of the Minister and/or Parliamentary Secretary; if so: (a) how many; and (b) to whom.
  4. How much did the department spend on hospitality for the: (i) 2008 calendar year, and (ii) 2008‑09 financial year; and (b) can details be provided of each hospitality event, including the: (i) date, (ii)  location, (iii) purpose, and (iv) cost.
  5. For the office of each Minister and Parliamentary Secretary: (a) what was the total amount spent on hospitality for the: (i)  2008 calendar year, and (ii) 2008‑09 financial year; and (b) can details be provided of each hospitality event, including the: (i) date, (ii) location, (iii) purpose, and (iv) cost.
  6. For the 2008‑09 financial year, how much has the department spent on: (a) the hire of plants, either real or artificial; (b) the maintenance of these plants; (c) water coolers; and (d) television subscriptions.
  7. How many government credit cards does the department currently have on issue.
  8. How many credit cards have been reported lost; and (b) in relation to the credit cards that have been reported lost: (i) how many have been cancelled, (ii) how many remain active, and (iii) what is the potential credit liability from the lost cards that remain active.

Senator Faulkner - The answer to the honourable senator’s question is as follows:

  1.  
    1. and b.    The table below provides details on the allocation of Ministerial staff by office as at 2 July 2009, this information was provided to Defence by the Department of Finance and Deregulation:
      Office Number of
      Positions      		 Number of Staff Employed
      Against the Positions
      Minister for Defence 12 6
      Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science 7 4
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support 3 2

      The tables below list the allocation of Departmental Liaison Officer (DLO) positions by office and the number of Departmental staff employed against these positions for the specified dates:    

      Office - November 2007 – February 2009 DLO positions per office
      and number of staff employed against the positions
      Minister for Defence 2
      Minister for Defence Science and Personnel 1
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement 1
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support 1

      Office – February – June 2009 DLO positions per office
      and number of staff employed against the positions
      Minister for Defence 2
      Minister for Defence Science and Personnel 1
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support 1

      Office – June – July 2009 DLO positions per office
      and number of staff employed against the positions
      Minister for Defence 2
      Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science 1
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support 1
    2. and d.     The following table provides details on the number of Ministerial staff vacancies by office as at 2 July 2009, this information was provided to Defence by the Department of Finance and Deregulation:
      Office Number of
      Vacant
      Positions      		 Level of Positions within the office*
      Minister for Defence 6 Principal Adviser x 1
      Senior Adviser 1 (Cabinet) x 1
      Senior Media Adviser x 1
      Adviser x 4
      Assistant Adviser x 3
      Executive Assistant/Office Manager x 1
      Secretary/Administrative Assistant x 1
      Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science 3 Senior Adviser Chief of Staff (Non Cabinet) x 1
      Media Adviser x 1
      Adviser x 2
      Assistant Adviser x 1
      Executive Assistant/Office Manager x 1
      Secretary/Administrative Assistant x 1
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support 1 Adviser x 1
      Assistant Adviser x 1
      Executive Assistant/Office Manager x 1

      * The above information does not include electorate staff.

      There are no departmental liaison officer vacancies.  The levels of the departmental liaison officer positions are as follows:

      Office Positions
      Minister for Defence Executive Level Two officer x 1; and
      Executive Level One officer x 1.
      Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science Executive Level One officer x 1
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support Executive Level One officer x 1
    3. Information relating to the costs of Ministerial staff can be found in the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 Annual Report 2007-08 which was tabled on 23 December 2008 and is available on the Department of Finance and Deregulation website at http://www.finance.gov.au.

      It would be inappropriate for the Department to provide specific details relating to the actual salary and other remuneration entitlements of certain Departmental staff employed in the Ministers’ offices.  However, the estimated annual cost for the departmental liaison officers in each office is as follows:

      Office – November 2007 – June 2008 Classification Cost per Level per
      annum ($m)
      Minister for Defence EL2
      EL1      		 0.157
      0.129
      Minister for Defence Science and Personnel EL1 0.129
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement EL1 0.129
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support EL1 0.129
       
      Estimated Total Costs 0.673

      Office –  July 2008 – February 2009 Classification Cost per Level per
      annum ($m)
      Minister for Defence EL2
      EL1      		 0.161
      0.135
      Minister for Defence Science and Personnel EL1 0.135
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement EL1 0.135
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support EL1 0.135
       
      Estimated Total Costs 0.701

      Office – February – June 2009 Classification Cost per Level per
      annum ($m)
      Minister for Defence EL2
      EL1      		 0.161
      0.135
      Minister for Defence Science and Personnel EL1 0.135
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support EL1 0.135
       
      Estimated Total Costs 0.566

      Office – June – July 2009 Classification Cost per Level per
      annum ($m)
      Minister for Defence EL2
      EL1      		 0.161
      0.135
      Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science EL1 0.135
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support EL1 0.135
       
      Estimated Total Costs 0.566
      These figures are costed at the top of the range for each classification and include superannuation contributions, departmental liaison officer allowance, leave and long service leave calculations.
  2. Please see the table below.
    Office Equipment
    Minister for Defence 5 laptop computers. 
    4 mobile phones. 
    13 Blackberrys.
    Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science 2 laptop computers. 
    2 mobile phones. 
    10 Blackberrys.
    Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support 2 laptop computers. 
    2 mobile phones. 
    4 Blackberrys.
  3. (a) and (b) Please see the table below.
    Office Departmental Officers on
    secondment (pending
    permanent filling of
    positions)    		 Military Escort Officers
    Minister for Defence 5 1
    Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science 2 1
    Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support Nil Nil

    These figures do not include the four departmental liaison officers that are currently employed in these offices. 
  4. and 5. Please refer to Senate Question on Notice No. 1790 and 1819.
  5.  
    1. and b. Please see the table below.
        Defence* DMO
      Plants $125,000 (GST incl.) $45,762.93 (GST incl.)
      * Defence does not readily report to this level of detail, however, a high level review of known vendors and cost codes has provided an approximate amount.
    2. and d.    
      Defence – water cooler costs are in the order of approximately $145,000 (GST incl.).
      Defence – television subscription costs are in the order of approximately $280,000 (GST incl.).

      Please note that Defence’s and the DMO’s financial systems differ in the way they record transactions and expenses. Defence’s finance systems could only provide a high level review of water cooler and TV subscription expenses and as a result only approximate figures could be given. The DMO’s financial systems do not readily report this level of detail and they are unable to produce approximate figures. This is further complicated by the fact that the DMO has accommodation service agreements with each base where it has a presence. Therefore, there is no cost allocation against these criteria within DMO financial systems. For the DMO to produce figures relating to these expenses would be an unreasonable diversion of resources.
  6. 67,053.  This comprises of:

    Type of card Defence DMO
    Defence Travel Card 53,912 7,094
    Defence Purchasing Card 5,501 546
    Total 59,413 7,640
  7.  
    1. A total figure can not be provided as the systems in place are unable to distinguish between lost and stolen cards.  In all circumstances where a card has been reported lost or stolen, the card is deactivated and a new card issued. All cards that have been reported lost or stolen are cancelled immediately.
    2.  
      1. All cards that have been reported lost or stolen are cancelled immediately.
      2. None.
      3. Nil, as no cards remain active after they have been reported lost or stolen.

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