(1) Can the Minister confirm: (a) that in January 2000, an 80-year old man with a fractured hip, was evacuated from Cocos Island using an Indonesian aircraft at a cost of $US80,000; and (b) that this cost was borne by Australian taxpayers.

(2) (a) What arrangements were in place for medical evacuations from Cocos Island in January 2000; (b) which state or Commonwealth department was responsible for providing the service; (c) which operator was contracted to provide the service; and (d) did this operator employ Australian medical and nursing personnel.

(3) (a) What arrangements are currently in place for medical evacuations from Cocos Island; (b) which state or Commonwealth department is responsible for providing the service; (c) which operator is contracted to provide the service; and (d) does this operator employ Australian medical and nursing personnel.

In response to Senator Crossin's question:

(1) (a) Yes, although the aircraft was based in Singapore and the cost was $85,000 Australian.

(b) Yes.

(2) (a) and (c) Arrangements in place during January 2000 were with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) to find a suitable aircraft for medical evacuations. Pearl Aviation were the main provider of planes, but their aircraft could not collect the patient for three days after the accident. Alternative arrangements were made through RFDS with AEA, a Singapore-based health provider, to operate the medical evacuation.

(b) The Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services was responsible for providing medical services to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

(d) Medical and nursing staff were from Singapore in the case of this evacuation.

(3) (a) and (c) The current arrangement is for RFDS to find a suitable aircraft for medical evacuations.

(b) The Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services is responsible for providing medical services to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

(d) It is common for Australian medical and nursing staff to be used in medical evacuations, subject to the operational circumstances of individual evacuations.