8 December 2005

2815  MR MELHAM: To ask the Minister for Defence—Further to the answer to question No. 350 ( Hansard , 13 October 2005, page 99), what are the full details recorded by No. 34 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force for (a) beverages supplied and (b) beverages unconsumed for the Special Purpose Flights requested for the Minister for Defence and flown (i) 20-29 April 2003, (ii) 30 May-2 June 2003, (iii) 18-19 September 2003, (iv) 24-26 February 2004, and (v) 5-7 April 2004.

2816  MR MELHAM: To ask the Minister for Defence—Further to the answer to question No. 350 ( Hansard , 13 October 2005, page 99), what are the full details recorded by No. 34 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force for (a) beverages supplied and (b) beverages unconsumed for the Special Purpose Flights requested for the Prime Minister and flown (i) 7-15 February 2003, (ii) 16-17 April 2003, (iii) 30 April-10 May 2003, (iv) 12-20 July 2003, (v) 3-6 August 2003, (vi) 13-17 August 2003, (vii) 17-19 August 2003, (vii) 3-9 December 2003, (viii) 22 December 2003, (ix) 16-18 January 2004, (x) 4-5 February 2004, (xi) 4-6 March 2004, (xii) 1-10 June 2004, (xiii) 27-28 July 2004, (xiv) 31 July 2004, (xv) 18-22 November 2004, and (xvi) 29 November-1 December 2004.

2817  MR MELHAM: To ask the Minister for Defence—Further to the answer to question No. 350 ( Hansard , 13 October 2005, page 99), what are the full details recorded by No. 34 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force for (a) beverages supplied and (b) beverages unconsumed for the Special Purpose Flights requested for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and flown (i) 28-30 April 2003, (ii) 21-27 May 2003, (iii) 17-20 June 2003, (iv) 31 July-1 August 2003, (v) 17-18 September 2003, (vi) 7-9 December 2003, (vii) 16-19 December 2003, (viii) 3-6 February 2004, (ix) 14-19 August 2004, (x) 9-10 September 2004, (xi) 17-20 November 2004, and (xii) 4-7 December 2004.

2818  MR MELHAM: To ask the Minister for Defence—Further to the answer to question No. 350 ( Hansard , 13 October 2005, page 99), what are the full details recorded by No 34 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force for (a) beverages supplied and (b) beverages unconsumed for the Special Purpose Flights requested for the Hon. Wilson Tuckey MP and flown (i) 23-26 February 2003, (ii) 17-18 July 2003, and (iii) 24-26 September 2003.

2820  MS PLIBERSEK: To ask the Minister for Education, Science and Training—

(1) For each year since 2002, how many Australians in each State and Territory (a) applied for and (b) were offered a plac e in a diploma course in early childhood education or other cognate child care worker qualification at TAFE.

(2) For each year since 2002, how many Australians (a) applied for and (b) were offered a place in a diploma course in early childhood education or other cognate child care worker qualification at each TAFE Institute.

(3) For each year since 2002, how many Australians in each State and Territory (a) applied for and (b) were offered a place in a degree course in early childhood education or other cognate child care worker qualification at university.

(4) For each year since 2002, how many Australians (a) applied for and (b) were offered a place in a degree course in early childhood education or other cognate child care worker qualification at each university.

2823  MR BOWEN: To ask the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources—Did his department engage Whalen Images Solutions to provide graphic design services at a cost of $16,500; if so, what services were provided under the terms of this contract.

2826  MR MURPHY: To ask the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations—

(1) Will the Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Bill 2005 lead to many workers accepting individual contracts that (a) offer lower wages and (b) do not deliver a liv ing wage; if so, what new measures will he introduce to help these workers and their families; if not, can he explain why it will not.

(2) Will the exemption of trading and financial corporations with up to 100 employees from unfair dismissal laws put at risk the legal incentive for them to undertake fair treatment of employees; if, not, why not.

(3) Will the Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Bill 2005 significantly disadvantage those employees with little or no bargaining power in the work force; if not, why not.

(4) Will the Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Bill 2005 reduce the number of minimum working conditions for employees; if so, how will the rights of the most vulnerable workers be protected; if not, why not.

(5) Will the new Australian Fair Pay Commission (AFPC) be appointed by the Government; if so, will this jeopardise the objectivity and neutrality established by its predecessor, the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC); if not, why has the AIRC been replaced by the AFPC.

(6) Can he explain how the Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Bill 2005 serves Australia’s (a) social and (b) environmental goals.

2831  MR RUDD: To ask the Prime Minister—How many staff work in the Office of National Assessments and what are the areas of their expertise.

2832  MR RUDD: To ask the Prime Minister—

(1)  Has the Office of National Assessments (ONA) made an assessment concluding that al Qaeda now has a presence in (a) Jordan, (b) Iran, (c) Syria, (d) Lebanon, and (e) the Palestinian Territories (Gaza or the West Bank); if so, is it also its assessment that the spread of al Qaeda through the Middle East is being motivated, in whole or in part, by the continued conflict in Iraq.

(2) Has he or his office requested or received from ONA any assessments on the strength or otherwise of al Qaeda in the Middle East.

MR RUDD: To ask the Ministers listed below (questions Nos. 2890 - 2891)—Did he or his department receive reports about Saddam Hussein’s alleged weapons of mass destruction programs which raised concerns that Saddam Hussein was using hard currency illegally obtained through the Oil for Food Program to purchase weapons and other goods prohibited under the sanctions; if so, what are the details.

2890  MR RUDD: To ask the Prime Minister.

MR RUDD: To ask the Ministers listed below (questions Nos. 2892 - 2894)—Did he meet with officials from the Australian Wheat Board on or around 22 August 2005; if so, what was the purpose of the meeting.

2892  MR RUDD: To ask the Prime Minister.

MR RUDD: To ask the Ministers listed below (questions Nos. 2895 - 2897)—Can he provide details of any (a) meeting, whether formal or informal, and (b) contact he had with representatives of the Australian Wheat Board during the period 1999-2003.

2895  MR RUDD: To ask the Prime Minister.

MR RUDD: To ask the Ministers listed below (questions Nos. 2900 - 2902)—Will the Minister provide details of all contact between himself, his office or the Minister’s department and the Australian Wheat Board in relation to the Iraqi Minister for Trade’s threat to cancel the AWB’s contracts for the supply of wheat to Iraq in August 2002

2900  MR RUDD: To ask the Prime Minister.

MS ROXON: To ask the Ministers listed below (questions Nos. 2904 - 2922)—

(1) For 2004-2005, what sum did the Minister’s department and portfolio agencies pay to (a) Clayton Utz, (b) Blakes Dawson Waldron, (c) Philips Fox, (d) Sparke Helmore, (e) Freehills, (f) Minter Ellison, (g) Corrs Chambers Wes tgarth, (h) Mallesons Stephens Jacques, (i) Deacons, and (j) Craddock Murray Neumann Solicitors for legal services.

(2) Which partners or principals of (a) Clayton Utz, (b) Blakes Dawson Waldron, (c) Philips Fox, (d) Sparke Helmore, (e) Freehills, (f) Minter Ellison, (g) Corrs Chambers Westgarth, (h) Mallesons Stephens Jacques, (i) Deacons, and (j) Craddock Murray Neumann Solicitors were responsible for undertaking or supervising legal services supplied by the firm to the department or agency in 2004-2005.

(3) For each partner or principal listed in response to part (3), what was the total amount billed to the department or agency for services undertaken or supervised by that partner or principal in 2004-2005.

(4) What are the details of the legal services provided to the department or portfolio agencies by (a) Clayton Utz, (b) Blakes Dawson Waldron, (c) Philips Fox, (d) Sparke Helmore, (e) Freehills, (f) Minter Ellison, (g) Corrs Chambers Westgarth, (h) Mallesons Stephens Jacques, (i) Deacons, and (j) Craddock Murray Neumann Solicitors in 2004-2005.

2904  MS ROXON: To ask the Prime Minister.

2905  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Trade.

2906  MS ROXON: To ask the Treasurer.

2907  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Defence.

2908  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

2909  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Transport and Regional Services.

2910  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Health and Ageing.

2911  MS ROXON: To ask the Attorney-General.

2912  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Finance and Administration.

2913  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs.

2914  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Education, Science and Training.

2915  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

2916  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources.

2917  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.

2918  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.

2919  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Heritage.

2920  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

2921  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Human Services.

2922  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Veterans' Affairs.

MS ROXON: To ask the Ministers listed below (questions Nos. 2923 - 2924)—

(1) For each financial year since 1999-2000, what sum has the Minister’s department spent on services provided by law fir ms on matters associated with the Australian Submarine Corporation.

(2) Which law firms have been responsible for providing these services.

(3) Which partners or principals of those firms have been responsible for undertaking or supervising those service s.

(4) For each financial year since 1999-2000, what sum has the department been billed for services undertaken or supervised by those partners or principals.

(5) What has been the nature and purpose of legal services provided to the Minister’s department in relation to the Australian Submarine Corporation.

2924  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Finance and Administration.

MS ROXON: To ask the Ministers listed below (questions Nos. 2925 - 2926)—

(1) For each financial year sin ce 2001-2002, what sum has the Minister’s department spent on services provided by law firms on matters associated with the Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC) project.

(2) Which law firms have been responsible for providing these services.

(3) Which partners or principals of those firms have been responsible for undertaking or supervising those services.

(4) For each financial year since 2001-2002, what sum has the department been billed for services undertaken or supervised by those partners or principals.

(5) What has been the nature and purpose of legal services provided to the Minister’s department in relation to the HQJOC project.

2925  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Defence.

2926  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Finance and Administration.

MS ROXON: To ask the Ministers listed below (questions Nos. 2927 - 2930)—

(1) At any time before Andrew Chan, Michael Czugaj, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Renae Lawrence, Tach Duc Thanh Nguyen, Myuran Sukumaran, Si Yi C hen and Matthew Norman (collectively, the ‘Bali Nine’) were arrested in Denpasar, Indonesia on 17 April 2005, was the Minister, or any of the Minister’s personal staff, involved in any discussion, consultation or correspondence relating to or connected with the investigation or arrests of the Bali Nine with (a) the Australian Federal Police, (b) the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, (c) the Australian Customs Service, and (d) any other Australian law enforcement agency; if so, what are the details.

(2) When was the first occasion that the Minister, or any member of the Minister’s personal staff, was involved in any discussion, consultation or correspondence relating to or connected with the investigation or arrests of the Bali Nine with (a) the Australian Federal Police, (b) the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, (c) the Australian Customs Service, and (d) any other Australian law enforcement agency and what are the details of that discussion, consultation or correspondence.

(3) At any time before the arrests of the Bali Nine, was the Minister, or any of the Minister’s personal staff, involved in any discussion, consultation or correspondence with any foreign government or foreign law enforcement agency concerning the investigation or arrests of the Bali Nine; if so, what are the details; if not, when was the first occasion that the Minister, or any member of the Minister’s personal staff, was involved in any discussion, consultation or correspondence with any foreign government or foreign law enforcement agency concerning the investigation or arrests of the Bali Nine.

2927  MS ROXON: To ask the Prime Minister.

2928  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Trade.

2929  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

2930  MS ROXON: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Justice and Customs.