(1)   When will the current contract for the provision of tertiary legal education services for military legal officers expire.

(2)   Has the request for tender process for a provider of tertiary legal education services for military legal officers commenced; if so, when.

(3)   When is the tender process expected to conclude.

(4)   Can the Minister confirm that a new contract for the provision of tertiary legal education services for military legal officers will be in place before the expiration of the current contract.

(1)   The previous contract for the provision of tertiary legal education services for Australian Defence Force (ADF) Legal Officers between the Commonwealth and the University of Melbourne expired on 31 December 2005.

(2)   The request for tender for the provision of legal education services was issued on 30 April 2005 with an original deadline for tender submission of 30 May 2005. Following receipt of written requests for deadline extension from two prospective tenderers (one of which was the then contract holder - The University of Melbourne), the deadline was extended to 1 August 2005.

(3)   The tender process has concluded.

(4)   A contract for the provision of tertiary legal education services for ADF Legal Officers between the Commonwealth and The Australian National University was executed on 13 January 2006. The short break in contract continuity over the Christmas period has not affected the provision of tertiary legal services to ADF officers. The Australian National University is scheduled to offer the first of the core military legal education subjects in May 2006. In accordance with the transition arrangements negotiated by Defence, some students will continue to undertake the study of elective subjects at the University of Melbourne throughout 2006.