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Tuesday, 9 August 2005
Page: 167


Mr Bowen asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, in writing, on 10 May 2005:

(1)   Does any agency for which the Minister is responsible pay for massages for its staff; if so, what sum did each agency spend on this purpose in 2004.

(2)   What was the cost per massage

(3)   How many staff made use of this service.


Mr Truss (Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) —The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer to the honourable member’s question:

(1)   As part of a World Safety Day promotion last year, the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) of the Department of the Environment and Heritage engaged the services of a qualified person to give staff a 5 minute neck and shoulder massage at their work stations. Authorisation was also given to allow a terminally ill AAD staff member to have access to massage instead of the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). The total expenditure for massages in 2004 was $627.

(2)   The cost per neck and shoulder massage was approximately $8 (total cost $231). The cost per massage for the terminally ill staff member was $132 (total cost $396).

(3)   Approximately 31 - records of the number of people who received the 5 minute neck and shoulder massages were not kept.