Has the department, or any agency of the department, provided an annual return of income and expenditure for the 1997-98 and 1998-99 financial years pursuant to section 311A of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918; if so, can a copy of those statements be provided; if not, what, in detail, are the reasons for not providing those statements.

Yes. Financial information required under section 311A of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 can be found in the Annual Reports for the Department of Transport and Regional Services and its agencies which have all been tabled in Parliament.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) advises that it has not provided an annual return pursuant to section 311A of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 for the 1998-99 financial years because it is not a Commonwealth Department, or an agency within the meaning of the Public Service Act 1999, as required by that section. AMSA was an agency of the Workplace Relations and Small Business portfolio in 1997-98.

Airservices Australia also advises that it has not provided an annual return pursuant to section 311A of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 for the 1997-98 and 1998-99 financial years because it is not a Commonwealth Department, or an agency within the meaning of the Public Service Act 1999, as required by that section.