(1)  

(a)   Can separate figures be provided, for Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and Defence staff, which detail the number of personnel that have been posted overseas for: (i) less than 6 months, and (ii) more than 6 months; and (b) which locations have these staff been posted to and for what purposes.

(2)  

(a)   For each location referred to: (i) what is the estimated cost, for each of the financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08, for supporting each of these postings, including service charges from other agencies and costs of locally engaged staff, and (ii) how many staff are locally engaged; and what security procedures apply to their selection.

(3)  

(a)   Can separate figures be provided, for ADF personnel and administrative staff, by rank and location, that detail the number of personnel currently seconded or attached to forces of other nations; and (b) of these personnel, how many are deployed as part of military activity outside the homeland of these forces.

(4)   How many personnel of other nations are currently seconded to the ADF, by nationality.

The information sought in the honourable senator’s questions is not readily available. To collect and assemble such information solely for the purpose of answering the question would be a major task and I am not prepared to authorise the expenditure and effort that would be required.