Defence: Resources provided to the Minister

Senator Ronaldson asked the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 14 September 2009:

With reference to resources provided to the Minister and/or Parliamentary Secretary by their home department that are above and beyond their entitlements as senators and members:

1. For the 2008-09 financial year: (a) can a list be provided of each brand and model of colour printer that was provided for the office of the Minister and/or Parliamentary Secretary; and (b) what was the total cost of: (i) printer cartridges and/or toner, and (ii) servicing these printers.
2. For the 2008-09 financial year, what was the total value of photocopy paper received in the office of the Minister and/or Parliamentary Secretary.
3. For the 2008-09 financial year, what was the value of other office consumables received in the office of the Minister and/or Parliamentary Secretary.
4. For the 2008-09 financial year, can a list be provided of all departmental publications, excluding ordinary or mail-merged letters, which contained the name and/or photograph of the Minister and/or Parliamentary Secretary, including: (a) the cost of producing each of these publications; and (b) how many copies were distributed and to what category of persons they were distributed to.
5. Does the Minister and/or Parliamentary Secretary have a departmentally-funded and maintained website/webpage; if so: (a) what was the cost of developing the website of the Minister and/or Parliamentary Secretary; (b) was the site refreshed during the 2008-09 financial year and if so, what was the cost for refreshing the site; and (c) what resources does the department provided to maintain, update and upload the content for the site.
6. Does the department distribute the media releases for the Minister and/or Parliamentary Secretary; if so: (a) how and to whom; and (b) for the 2008-09 financial year, what was the cost for this distribution.

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

1.  
   1. Please see the table below.

      Location	Brand and Model	No. of printers
      Minister for Defence - Drummoyne	Nil	Nil
      Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science - Cardiff	Lexmark C935	One
      Primary Residence of the Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science - Newcastle	Epson TX300f	One
      Commonwealth Parliamentary Office - Sydney	Lexmark C935	One
      Parliament House Ministerial Offices	Konica Minolta C353 MFD Xerox C450 MFD Konica Minolta C352 MFD	One One One
      Former Minister for Defence - Cessnock	Lexmark C782	Two

   2. (i) and (ii) The table below provides details of the total cost of printer cartridges and/or toner.  The servicing of the printers listed in the table above is done under warranty.  There are no associated servicing costs.
      
      

      Office	2008-09 Total Expenditure
      Minister for Defence	Nil
      Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science	$619.00
      Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support	$1,517.10
      Former Minister for Defence	$11,343.31
      Former Minister for Defence Science and Personnel	$5,800.29
      Former Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement	$3,515.00
      Total	$22,794.70

2. Due to the manner in which Defence’s financial systems recorded paper expenditure for the Ministerial offices during 2008-09, an accurate figure for this part of the question cannot easily be provided. To research and calculate an answer would require an unreasonable diversion of resources. However, as of August 2009, these systems have been updated and are now able to provide an itemised account of Ministerial paper expenditure.
3. Please see the table below.

   Office	2008-09 Total Expenditure
   Minister for Defence	$3,655.30
   Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science	$816.65*
   Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support	$762.60#
   Former Minister for Defence	$4,871.25
   Former Minister for Defence Science and Personnel	$4,915.71
   Former Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement	$663.73
   Total	$15,685.24

   * This figure represents half of the costs for office consumables as per the 50 per cent cost sharing arrangements with the Department of Climate Change.
   # This figure represents half of the costs for office consumables as per the 50 per cent cost sharing arrangements with the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
4. Please see the table below.

   Title of Publication	Cost	Distribution (No. of copies and addressee )
   Defence Family Matters, Spring/Summer Edition 2008	Approximately $66,900.	Approximately 28,500 copies were distributed to ADF members' with an additional 5,000 copies to bulk recipients such as parliamentarians, Defence Community Organisation offices, High Commissions, Defence Support and Family Organisations, and Defence Families Australia.
   Defence Family Matters, Autumn Edition 2009	Approximately $64,600.	Approximately 28,500 copies were distributed to ADF members' with an additional 5,000 copies to bulk recipients such as parliamentarians, Defence Community Organisation offices, High Commissions, Defence Support and Family Organisations, and Defence Families Australia
   A History of Australian Strategic Policy since 1945	Approximately $49,670.	Of the 1,000 copies printed, approximately 760 have been distributed to libraries, universities, think-tanks and related institutions, former Senior Defence officials and current defence employees, foreign embassies in Canberra and Australian missions overseas, other Australian Government agencies, members of Parliament, and media representatives. This publication was also made publicly available on the internet.
   Defence White Paper 2009 – Defending Australia In The Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030	Approximately $41,266.	12,500 copies distributed to The Minister for Defence, Minister Assisting and Parliamentary Secretary and their staffs, other Ministers of the Government and their staffs, Parliamentarians, other government departments, Australian missions overseas, diplomatic appointees and staff in Australia, other nations, industry representatives, educational institutions, libraries, Defence analysts and commentators, media representatives, interested members of the public, and defence members. Additional copies remain in the Department of Defence for future use. These publications were also made publicly available on the internet.
   ‘Key Questions For Defence In The 21st Century’: A Defence Policy Discussion Paper (Green Paper)	Approximately $9,912.	3,000 copies sent to the same recipients listed for the Defence White Paper 2009 - Defending Australia In The Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030.
   Looking Over The Horizon: Australians Consider Defence (Report of Findings of the Community Consultation Program)	Approximately $2,954.	650 copies sent to the same recipients listed for the Defence White Paper 2009 - Defending Australia In The Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030.
   A Defence Force for the 21st Century: Your Guide To The 2009 Defence White Paper	Approximately $2,434.	1,000 copies sent to the same recipients listed for the Defence White Paper 2009 - Defending Australia In The Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030.
   The Response to the Report of the Defence Procurement and Sustainment Review	Approximately $2,902.	1,000 copies sent to the same recipients listed for the Defence White Paper 2009 - Defending Australia In The Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030.
   Going to the Next Level: The Report of the Defence Procurement and Sustainment Review (the Mortimer Review).	Approximately $9,354.	3,000 copies were distributed widely. This included, but was not limited to, distribution inside Defence, to other Government agencies, to members of Parliament and their offices and to individuals or organisations that had provided a submission to the Review. The report was also made available online via the Defence internet and intranet sites.
   Defence Capability Plan 2009	Approximately $159,500.	8,000 copies plus 4,000 CDs and website design. Distribution was primarily to defence related industry.  The report was also made available online via the Defence internet and intranet sites.
   ‘Inside the Defence Materiel Organisation’	Approximately $7,271.	4,000 copies. Distribution was primarily to defence related industry.
   Defence Housing Australia (DHA)	Approximately $25,381.	Of the 1,000 copies printed, 150 were provided to parliamentary representatives as part of the required tabling process. Approximately 100 were sent to senior Defence officials and other key stakeholders to DHA. The remaining copies were distributed within the organisation and made available by request to members of the Australian public.
   Defence Annual Report 2007-08 Volume 1 – Department of Defence	Approximately $32,598.	2,500 copies. Distribution included Parliament, public upon request, and general internal Defence distribution. It was also made available online.
   Defence Annual Report 2007-08 Volume 2 –Defence Materiel Organisation	Approximately $20,871.	2,500 copies. Distribution included Parliament, public upon request, and general internal Defence distribution. It was also made available online.
   Defence Fast Facts 2009	Approximately $11,370.	7,000 copies. Distribution included Senators and MPs, general public and others who engage with Defence and its representatives, such as Defence Industry, Departmental training organisations, and general internal Defence distribution. It was also made available online.
   Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements 2008-09	Approximately $9,369.	2,000 copies. Distribution included Parliament, public upon request, and general internal Defence distribution. It was also made available online.
   Portfolio Budget Statements 2009-10	Approximately $11,390.	2,500 copies. Distribution included Parliament, public upon request, and general internal Defence distribution. It was also made available online.

5. Yes.
   1. b. and c. The Department of Defence hosts internet sites for the Minister for Defence, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, and Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support in accordance with guidelines for Ministerial and Departmental Websites issued by the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO). The Department and associated Ministerial internet sites were refreshed during 2008-09 and are regularly updated. Costs for management, refresh and upkeep of these specific sites can not accurately be apportioned as funds are allocated and expended against the entirety of the Defence presence on the World Wide Web.
6. Yes.
   1. Media releases and media alerts are issued to National, International and/or Regional media as required via Australian Associated Press MediaNet, publishing to the Defence and Ministerial Internet sites and dispatch to Defence Webmail subscribers.
   2. $107,728

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