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Monday, 31 October 2011
Page: 12282

Resources, Energy and Tourism: Tourism Division

(Question No. 473)

Mr Baldwin asked the Minister for Resources and Energy, in writing, on 16 August 2011:

In respect of Program 4 of his department in 2010-11:

(1) What sum of program expenditure was spent on (a) advertising, (b) hospitality or entertainment, (c) information and communication technologies, (d) consultants, (e) staff training and education, (f) external accounting services, (g) external auditing services, and (h) external legal services.

(2) What are the details of all grants paid, including the (a) recipient, (b) date announced, (c) date that the first payment was dispatched, and (d) date that the last grant payment was due.

(3) What was the total travel expenditure for staff employed under this program.

(4) What was the travel expenditure for (a) first class, (b) business class, (c) premium economy class, (d) economy class, and (e) in total, for (i) domestic, and (ii) international, travel.

Mr Martin Ferguson: The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1) A breakdown of direct expenditure by Tourism Division in 2010-11 is provided below.

Note 1: Figures exclude GST.

Note 2: Figures exclude general corporate overhead costs (e.g. in relation to ICT) which are funded centrally through the Department's Corporate Division.

Note 3: Figures include expenditure for initiatives that are jointly funded by the Commonwealth and States/Territories using funds allocated for implementation of the National Long-Term Tourism Strategy.

(a) Advertising - $28,386.

(b) Hospitality or entertainment - $4,640.

(c) Information and communications technologies - $184,978 (most of this expenditure is for costs relating to the development of the National Tourism Accreditation Framework database).

(d) Consultants - $6,040,761 (most of this expenditure is for costs relating to the Tourism Research Australia work program).

(e) Staff training and education - $43,582.

(f) External accounting services - nil expenditure.

(g) External auditing services - nil expenditure.

(h) External legal services - $41,903.

(2) Details of grants payments made by Tourism Division during 2010-11 are provided below.

TQUAL Grants

During 2010-11, Tourism Division made milestone payments for the TQUAL Grants projects announced by the Minister on 15 December 2009. Payments made during 2010-11 totalled $2.911 million (excluding GST). Details of these projects, including grants recipients, are available at http://www.ret.gov.au/tourism/tourism_programs/tq/tgrants/Pages/default.aspx. Payments for these projects were made over the period from January 2010 to June 2011; final payments were completed in June 2011.

Regional Tourism Project - Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Visitor Centre Upgrade

During 2010-11, Tourism Division made the final milestone payment for the Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Visitor Centre Upgrade project, which was announced by the Government during the 2007 election. The total value of this grant was $1.5 million; the final payment made during 2010-11 was $0.3 million. The grant recipient was Parks Victoria. The funding agreement for this project was signed in December 2008 and payments for this project were made over the period from February 2009 to December 2010.

Economic Impact Assessment of the Cruise Shipping Industry in Australia

During 2010-11, Tourism Division provided a grant of $14,850 (including GST) to Cruise Downunder Incorporated as a contribution towards a survey of cruise ship passengers. The funding agreement was signed in March 2011; payment was made in April 2011. This grant was jointly funded by the Commonwealth and States/Territories using funds allocated for implementation of the National Long-Term Tourism Strategy.

(3) Total travel related expenditure for Tourism Division staff in 2010-11 was $288,304.

(4) (i) Total domestic travel expenditure by Tourism Division in 2010-11 was $203,082 - including expenditure of $124,749 on airfares. A detailed breakdown of domestic airfare expenditure by class of travel is not readily available. Domestic air travel undertaken by Tourism Division staff is generally economy class, wherever possible utilising the lowest fare available on the day the travel is booked which suits the practical business needs of the traveller. While SES officers have an entitlement to business class domestic travel, the established practice in Tourism Division is for SES to travel economy class on short flights (e.g. for travel to Sydney and Melbourne).

(ii) Total international travel expenditure by Tourism Division in 2010-11 was $85,222 - including expenditure of $65,503 on airfares. A detailed breakdown of international airfare expenditure by class of travel is not readily available. Employees required to travel on official business overseas are entitled to business class travel on international flights.