Minister for Defence and Parliamentary Secretary: Travel

Senator Johnston asked the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 13 August 2009:

For the period 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2009, for each Minister/Parliamentary Secretary:

1. What was the cost of travel and expenses for Community Cabinet meetings.
2. How many of their staff and departmental officers travelled with the Minister/Parliamentary Secretary for these meetings.
3. What was the total cost of this travel.

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

1. Former Minister for Defence:  $ 2,520.20. 
   Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support: $932.60.
   
   The Department of Finance and Deregulation advise the above figures include airfares and Travelling Allowance (including Motor Vehicle Allowance) claims, but do not include travel by taxis, due to difficulties with the electronic information provided by Cabcharge, or travel on Special Purpose Aircraft.
   
   There was no expenditure for the Minister for Defence, the Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, the former Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, and the former Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, as they did not attend Community Cabinet meetings during the period 1 January to 30 June 2009.
2. The Department of Finance and Deregulation advise that four ministerial staff and one departmental officer accompanied the former Minister for Defence to two Community Cabinet meetings. 
   
   The Department of Finance and Deregulation advise that two ministerial staff from the office of the former Minister for Defence and two ministerial staff from the office of the former Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement each attended a Community Cabinet meeting without the former Minister or the former Parliamentary Secretary.
   
   The Department of Finance and Deregulation advise that one ministerial staff accompanied the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support to a Community Cabinet meeting.
3. The Department of Finance and Deregulation advise that the total cost of travel for ministerial staff was $10,089.32.  The cost of travel for the departmental officer was $ 2,064.65.

close