(1)   Can details be provided, as of 24 November 2008, of the total number of all staff in: (a) the Minister’s office whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy; and (b) the department whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy.

(2)   Can details be provided of the aggregate salary and superannuation costs during the 2008 calendar year for all staff in: (a) the Minister’s office whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy; and (b) the department whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy.

(3)   Can details be provided of the aggregate travel costs during the 2008 calendar year for all staff in: (a) the Minister’s office whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy; and (b) the department whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy.

(4)   Can details be provided of the aggregate mobile phone costs during the 2008 calendar year for all staff in: (a) the Minister’s office whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy; and (b) the department whose job description involves: (i) media relations, (ii) media advice, (iii) public relations, (iv) public affairs, (v) communications, and (vi) communications strategy.

(5)   Can a breakdown be provided of every review, inquiry and committee which is being conducted in the department that has been announced since 1 December 2007.

(6) (a)   How many of the department’s reviews, inquiries and committees are in progress or incomplete as of 24 November 2008; and (b) what are their reporting dates.

(7)   In regard to each of the department’s review, inquiry and committee (completed and incomplete as of 24 November 2008) that has or is being conducted during the 2008 calendar year: (a) what is the number of departmental staff allocated to each; (b) what is the aggregate number of departmental staff allocated to all; (c) were external consultants engaged to assist in any; if so, which consultants and how much has each consultancy cost (please itemise for each); and (d) what have been the travel costs associated with those staff involved in each (please itemise for each).

(8)   For the 2008 calendar year, what is the total cost of each departmental review, inquiry and committee, including staff wages, consultancy costs, travel and any other associated expenditure (please itemise for each).

(1)  

(a)   At 24 November 2008, there were 2 full-time equivalent staff employed in my office undertaking media and communications work.

(b)   As at 24 November 2008 the department had 49.1 full time equivalent staff whose job description involved media relations, media advice, public relations, public affairs, communications, and communications strategy.

(2)  

(a)   The salary range only is provided so as not to identify personal information of individual employees.

Classification	Salary Range	Allowance	Period
Senior media adviser	$85,500 to $116,400	$17,719 MSA*	From 11 February 2008 onwards
Adviser	$74,516 to $109,967	$17,874 PSA**	From 24 July 2008 onwards

*              Ministerial Staff Allowance

**           Parliamentary Staff Allowance

Depending on their individual circumstances, employees may be eligible to be a member of the CSS, PSS or PSSap. Alternatively, employees under the Commonwealth Members of Parliament Staff Collective Agreement 2006-2009 may have an employer superannuation contribution of 15.4 per cent paid to an eligible superannuation fund of their choice, while employees above the level of adviser may have an employer superannuation contribution of nine percent paid to an eligible superannuation fund of their choice. Individual details are not supplied due to privacy reasons.

(2) (b)   The estimated salary and superannuation costs of staff whose job description involved media relations, media advice, public relations, public affairs, communications, and communications strategy during the 2008 calendar year, based on the department’s response to part 1 of this question, is $4,742,590.

(3)   (a)  

Classification	Travel Costs ***
Senior Media Adviser	$55,630.61
Adviser	$5,608.85
Aggregate Travel Costs:	$61,239.46

***Travel costs are up to and including 24 November 2008.

(b)   The precise detail requested in the question is not readily available and it would be an unreasonable diversion of departmental resources to ascertain this information.

• the Review of Quarantine and Biosecurity Arrangements (Beale Review) (announced February 2008)
• the National Drought Policy Review (announced April 2008)
• the 2008 Dairy Quota Review (announced April 2008)
• the 1994 National Recreational Fishing Policy Review (announced May 2008)
• a review of the feasibility of alternatives to the cancellation provisions under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 (election commitment)
• an internal government review of biofuels policy (announced May 2008)
• the Wheat Industry Expert Group (announced February 2008).

No major reviews, committees, taskforces or inquiries have been started or formed since 24 November 2008.

(6)           The reporting deadlines for those reviews, inquiries and committees that are in progress or incomplete as at 24 November 2008 are outlined below.

National Drought Policy Review

• The assessment of the impact of climate change on the nature and frequency of exceptional climate events by the Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO is complete and was publicly released on 6 July 2008.
• The assessment of the social dimensions of the impacts of drought on farm families and rural communities by an expert social panel is complete and was publicly released on 23 October 2008.
• The Productivity Commission’s draft report inquiring into government drought support was publicly released on 30 October 2008. The commission’s final report was provided to the government on 27 February 2009.

I will draw on the findings of these assessments and consultations with key stakeholders, including state and territory agriculture ministers, to develop an improved drought policy. An improved policy will be finalised and announced once this has occurred.

1994 National Recreational Fishing Policy Review

This review is part of the development of a new Recreational Fishing Industry Development Strategy—a three-year initiative stemming from an election commitment to the fishing industry. An independent committee will advise me on recreational fishing related issues and undertake the review. The committee is chaired by Mr Chris Natt and comprises of nine other members with relevant recreational fishing sector experience. The committee held its first meeting on 25-26 February 2009.

Review of the feasibility of alternatives to the cancellation provisions under the Fisheries Management Act 1994

The review is being conducted by the department in consultation with stakeholder groups, including the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Attorney-General’s Department and representatives of the Commonwealth Fisheries Association, Department of Primary Industries Tasmania, Department of Fisheries Western Australia, and Recfish Australia. A draft report is expected to be released for public comment in the second half of 2009.

Internal government review of biofuels policy

The department and the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism are undertaking an internal government review of existing Australian biofuels programs and policies. The review report is currently being considered by government.

(7) (a)   The response to this question has been presented in two ways, first, as the total number of people and secondly, expressed in terms of the equivalence to a full time officer (FTE). As the reporting period for this question—1 December 2007 to 24 November 2008—is approximately one year, the FTE has been calculated based on 260 days (i.e. 52 working weeks). The calculation of FTE takes into account the length of the review/committee and the proportion of the officers’ time spent working on this task.

Review / Inquiry / Committee	No. dept staff	FTE
Beale Review	9	5.77
National drought policy review	23	^8.35
2008 Dairy Quota Review	2	1
1994 National Recreational Fishing Policy Review	-*	-*
Review of the feasibility of alternatives to the cancellation provisions under the Fisheries Management Act 1994	2	0.44
Internal government review of biofuels policy	2	#0.33
Wheat Industry Expert Group	3	-¥

^calculation based on months served rather than working days.

*as this review commenced after the reporting period for this question the allocation of departmental staff has not been determined at this time.

#this figure does not include staff from the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism involved in the review.

¥an estimation of the FTE has not been provided. A small number of officers were involved in these processes as part of their normal duties. The level of engagement of these officers varied depending on the complexity and nature of the work involved.

(b)   Based on the table above, the aggregate number of departmental staff specifically dedicated to these processes was approximately 15.89 FTE.

(c)   Where external consultants have been engaged to conduct the review or inquiry or as a member of a committee, the costs associated with this during the 2008 calendar year are outlined below.

Beale Review

The review of Australia’s quarantine and biosecurity arrangements was undertaken by an independent panel comprising Mr Roger Beale AO (chair), Dr Jeff Fairbrother AM, Mr Andrew Inglis AM and Mr David Trebeck.

The panellists’ sitting fees totalled $664 449. Under the Privacy Act 1988, the department is unable to release personal information without the express consent of the individual concerned—accordingly, individual remuneration details have not been provided.

Drought Policy Review

Note: Costs associated with the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into government drought support are not included in the above table as these costs are borne by the commission.

2008 Dairy Quota Review

The 2008 Dairy Quota Review was undertaken by an independent panel comprising Mr John McQueen (Chair), Mr David Harris and Dr Sandra Welsman. The panellists’ sitting fees totalled $106 180.

In addition, an administrative assistant was employed temporarily to assist with the review—total cost $20 313.

1994 National Recreational Fishing Policy Review

No external consultants have been engaged.

The committee was appointed on 5 February 2008 and comprises Mr Chris Natt (Chair), Ms Ann Garard, Mr Doug Joyner, Mr David Kramer, Mr Phil Laycock, Mr Len Olyott, Mr Michael Sawyer, Mr William Sawynok, Ms Lisa Sharp and Mr Ross Winstanley. The advisory committee will be paid Category 2 level daily fees as holders of part-time public office in accordance with Remuneration Tribunal Determination 2008/07 (chair daily rate of $495, member daily rate of $366) for attending to formal committee business.

(7) (d)   The travel costs for the department’s reviews, inquiries and committees being conducted during the 2008 calendar year are outlined in the table below. The travel costs are for both departmental staff and external consultants (where engaged) and include travel costs and allowances.

Review / Inquiry / Committee	Travel costs
Beale Review	$300,721
National drought policy review	$281,190
2008 Dairy Quota Review	$17,472
1994 National Recreational Fishing Policy Review	-*
Review of the feasibility of alternatives to the cancellation provisions under the Fisheries Management Act 1994	$1,800
Internal government review of biofuels policy	-^
Wheat Industry Expert Group	$33,947

*the Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee met for the first time in February 2009. No travel costs were incurred during the reporting period.

^any travel undertaken for the internal government review of biofuels policy was part of the normal duties of the officers involved and as such the travel costs have been absorbed within departmental appropriation.

(8)   The total cost of each departmental review, inquiring and committee (including staff wages, consultancy costs, travel and any other associated expenditure) for the 2008 calendar year is outlined in the table below.

Name of review/ inquiry/ committee	Dept. Staff	Consult. costs	Travel	Associated costs	Total
Beale Review	$684,275	$664,449	$300,721	$92,344	$1,741,789
National drought policy review	$806,184	$380,416	$281,190	#$213,514	§$1,681,304
Dairy Quota Review 2008	$81,218	$106,180	$17,473	$27,889	$232,760
1994 National Recreational Fishing Policy Review	-	-	-	-	-*
Feasibility of alternatives to cancellation provisions under Fisheries Management Act 1994	$115,276	-	$1,800	$15,738	$132,814
Internal government review of biofuels	¥$42,091	-	-	-	¥$42,091
Wheat Industry Expert Group	-	-	$33,947	$14,412	$48,359

#the associated costs for the drought policy review include $147 810 for a literature review and data analysis by the Bureau of Rural Sciences to support the expert social panel. Associated costs also include official hospitality, legal costs, publications and marketing and production of publications.

§the total cost of the drought policy review does not include costs associated with the Productivity Commission’s inquiry (approximately $0.753 million at 31 October 2008).

*the Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee met for the first time in February 2009.

¥this does not include staff from the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism involved in the review.