Mr Martin Ferguson asked the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, upon notice, on 2 March 1998:

Has the Commonwealth funded the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture; if so, (a) under what category was the funding provided, (b) what tendering process was followed, (c) how many organisations applied for funding, (d) did the Foundation receive additional funding for the purchase of major capital items such as vehicles; if so, under which funding round, (e) for what period has the funding been allocated under the service agreement between him and the Foundation, (f) what were the Foundation's client outcomes in 1996-97, (g) were the outcomes considered in the tendering process and (h) does the Foundation receive recurrent funding; if so, for how many positions.

Mr Ruddock (Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) —The following is a supplementary answer to the answer previously supplied to the honourable member (Hansard 1 April 1998, page 2332):

(a) In addition to funds provided under the Community Settlement Services Scheme (worker based) category, payment was made to the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture Inc (VFST) through the Asylum Seeker Assistance (ASA) Scheme. The ASA Scheme is administered by the Australian Red Cross Society (ARCS) under an Agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia. Monies were forwarded to the VFST by ARCS during 1997-98 under two separate Agreements:

. from July 1997- April 1998 under the Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the ARCS in relation to the provision of a Grant for the ASA Scheme for 1995-96, which was extended until 30 April 1998; and,

. from May—June 1998 under the recently signed Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the ARCS in relation to the administration of the ASA Scheme for 1997-99.

(b) No tendering process was followed. The VFST is a sub-contractor under the ASA Agree ment between the Commonwealth of Australia and the ARCS.

(c) Not applicable.

(d) No.

(e) The funding has been allocated for the period 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1999 under the two separate ASA Agreements as detailed at (a) above.

(f) The VFST was not funded in 1996-97 under the ASA Agreement. Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs funding of the VFST during that period is detailed in the response provided in Hansard 1 April 1998 page 2332.

(g) Not applicable.

(h) See answer to (e). Payment is based on the number of clients referred by the Australian Red Cross.