Senate Notice Paper Question No 2552
Schedule Number: 300307
 Publication Date: 24 February 2010
Hansard: Pages 1128-9

Minister for Defence and Parliamentary Secretary: Overseas Travel

 Senator: Johnston

Senator Johnston asked the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 11 January 2010:

For the period 1 July to 30 September 2009, did the Minister/Parliamentary Secretary travel overseas on official business; if so: (a) to what destination, (b) for what duration, and (c) for what purpose; and (d) what was the total cost of: (i) travel, (ii) accommodation, and (iii) any other expenses.

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

  1.  
    1. to (c)           Yes, the Minister for Defence, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, and the Parliament Secretary for Defence Support travelled overseas on official business.  All travel dates provided include the date of departure from Australia and the date of return to Australia. Please refer to the attached table for more details.
    2. (i) to (iii)    All costs of official overseas travel by Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, accompanying spouses (where relevant) and accompanying staff employed under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 are paid for by the Department of Finance and Deregulation (Finance). Finance has provided costs for visits that have been reconciled.  Dates, destinations, the purpose and costs of all official overseas travel are tabled in the Parliament every six months in a report titled Parliamentarians’ Travel Paid By The Department of Finance and Deregulation. These reports are now also published to the Finance web site.  Some Ministerial expenses are a direct portfolio cost to Defence and where reconciled those costs are reflected under item 1(b)(iii).

      Where Ministers undertook travel via special purpose aircraft (SPA) the Schedule of Special Purpose flights for 1 July to 31 December 2009 will be scheduled in June 2010.  This schedule is tabled every six months.
Minister / Parliamentary Secretary (1)
(a) (b) (c)		  (d)
Minister for Defence Solomon Islands on 16 Jul 2009 via special purpose aircraft.   The Minister visited Solomon Islands to meet with Government officials, Australian troops deployed with Operation ANODE, RAMSI principals and Pacific Patrol Boat Program staff.  No costs were incurred for this visit. (i)  Nil
(ii) Nil
(iii) Nil

Minister / Parliamentary Secretary (1)
(a) (b) (c)		  (d)
Minister for Defence Singapore from 26 to 28 July 2009.  The Minister attended the 6th Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Meeting and met with Government officials.  Also in attendance were Ministers Smith and Crean.  (i)  $6085.94
(ii) Nil (hosted)
(iii) $342.07

Minister / Parliamentary Secretary (1)
(a) (b) (c)		  (d)
Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science United States from 27 September to 8 October to meet foreign government and defence industry officials, and major Australian defence procurement projects overseas.  (i)  $12087.40
(ii) $2063.37
(iii) $5639.23

Minister / Parliamentary Secretary (1)
(a) (b) (c)		  (d)
Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support Vietnam from 28 to 31 August for the repatriation ceremony for Flying Officer Herbert and Pilot Officer Carver.   Dr Kelly also met with the Chairman of the Veterans’ Association of Vietnam in Hanoi. Travel was via special purpose aircraft. (i)  Nil
(ii) $286.00
(iii) Nil

close