Did the Minister or Parliamentary Secretary within the Minister’s portfolio travel overseas during July or August 2008; if so:

(1)   Where did the Minister travel.

(2)   What was the duration of the travel.

(3)   What was the purpose of the travel.

(4)   For each country visited, what was the total cost to the taxpayer of: a) travel; b) accommodation; c) any other expenses.

(5)   How many personal staff accompanied the Minister.

(6)   How many family members accompanied the Minister.

(7)   In regard to staff and family accompanying the Minister, what was the total cost of: a) travel; b) accommodation; c) any other expenses.

(8) (a)   How many departmental officers accompanied the Minister; and b) what was the total cost of their: i) travel; ii) accommodation; iii) any other expenses.

Yes, the Minister travelled overseas in August 2008.

(1)   Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and Jakarta, Indonesia.

(2)   18-23 August 2008.

(3)   The purpose of the travel was to:

• Enhance the bilateral agricultural relationships and cooperation with Papua New Guinea and Indonesia on issues of mutual interest
• Progress Australia’s agricultural trade interests with senior government representatives and agriculture industry representatives
• Strengthen relationships with counterpart ministers involved in formulating agriculture, fisheries and forestry policy
• Outline Australia’s commitment to providing targeted technical assistance to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, aimed at improving agricultural, fisheries, forestry quarantine systems, as well as the health status of Indonesia’s and Papua New Guinea’s animal and plant industries, and to combat illegal fishing
• Maintain the momentum on agriculture in the negotiations on the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

(4)   The costs of the Minister to date* are:

Flights	Accommodation	Other Expenses	Total
$7,432.51	$689.52 (Indonesia only)	$315.00	$8,437.03

* Information from the Department of Finance and Deregulation (Finance) as at

4 September 2008. Finance is responsible for the payment of overseas travel costs of Ministers and an accompanying spouse and Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 employees.

(5)   One adviser accompanied the Minister.

(6)   No family members accompanied the Minister.

(7)   The costs of the adviser to date* are:

Flights	Accommodation	Other Expenses	Total
$7,432.51	$689.52 (Indonesia only)	$513.65 (travel allowance) + $1,009.55 (vaccination)	$9,645.23

* Information from Finance as at 4 September 2008.

(8)   a) Three departmental officers accompanied the Minister; b) their costs were:

Flights	Accommodation	Meals	Incidentals	Other Costs	Total
$8,678.10	$287.34 (Port Moresby) + $689.52 (Jakarta)	$640.00	$180.00	$N/A	$10,474.96
$9,104.46	$440.80 (Brisbane/Port Moresby) + $689.52 (Jakarta)	$273.08	$138.41	$340.30	$10,986.57
$8,678.10	$464.35 (Brisbane/Port Moresby) + $689.52 (Jakarta)	$158.64	$137.91	$274.38	$10,402.90

Other costs met by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to date are: