24 March 2011

* 319  MR RANDALL: To ask the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth—Since the inception of the Digital Education Revolution program, by electorate, how many (a) students are, or have been, eligible to receive a Commonwealth-funded computer, and (b) of the students in part (a) have received their computer as at 23 March 2011.

* 320  MR RANDALL: To ask the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth—Since the inception of the Digital Education Revolution program, by school in the Canning electorate, how many (a) students are, or have been, eligible to receive a Commonwealth-funded computer, and (b) of the students in part (a) have received their computer as at 23 March 2011.

* 321  MR FLETCHER: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy—In light of the recent decision by Australia Post to close Turramurra Post Office in the electorate of Bradfield, what assurance can the Minister provide that Australia Post has no plans to close any further Post Offices in the Bradfield electorate.

* 322  MR FLETCHER: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy—Will the Minister rule out the rollout of the National Broadband Network by overhead cable in the electorate of Bradfield; if not, (a) in which locations is it proposed that overhead cables will be rolled out in Bradfield, and (b) will the Minister arrange for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NBN Co., or an executive who reports directly to the CEO, to attend a community meeting in Bradfield to explain to its constituents the details of the proposed network rollout, and to receive any community feedback on this; if not, why not.

* 323  MR FLETCHER: To ask the Minister for Health and Ageing—In respect of applications to the Office of Chemical Safety and Environmental Health for the importation of narcotic, psychotropic and precursor substances, over the past five years ending 28 February 2011 and without disclosing the identity of applicants, how much time passed between (a) receipt, and (b) finalisation, of each application.

* 324  MR VAN MANEN: To ask the Prime Minister—

(1) Can she indicate how local councils across Australia will be compensated so that residents do not experience a rise in rates as a result of her proposed carbon price scheme.

(2) Can she indicate how both public and private schools across Australia will be compensated so that they are not forced to raise their fees as a result of her proposed carbon price scheme.

* 325  DR SOUTHCOTT: To ask the Minister for Health and Ageing—In respect of the establishment of Medicare Locals, in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, and (d) 2013-14, what sum of funding is (i) allocated for the establishment and operation of Medicare Locals, and (ii) being redirected from the Divisions of General Practice.

* 326  DR SOUTHCOTT: To ask the Minister for Health and Ageing—In respect of the introduction of a personally controlled electronic health record, (a) what sum of funding has been allocated for the introduction of a personally controlled electronic health record, and in which years, and (b) what measurable outcomes will be achieved with this funding, and (c) what key performance indicators, benchmarks and deadlines are being monitored in this expenditure.

* 327  DR SOUTHCOTT: To ask the Minister for Health and Ageing—As at 24 March 2011, how many (a) full-time GPs are practising in a GP Super Clinic, (b) part-time GPs are practising in a GP Super Clinic, (c) locums are practising in a GP Super Clinic, (d) GP Services have been delivered at the location of a GP Super Clinic, and (e) GP registrars are undergoing training in a GP Super Clinic and (f) how many GP Registrar training places are available.

* 328  DR SOUTHCOTT: To ask the Minister for Health and Ageing—How many GP Super Clinics are offering early services, and in what locations, and were these health services being delivered at these locations before the execution of the funding agreement.

* 329  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) Was his department consulted prior to the change in Austral ia’s foreign investment rules; if so, when.

(2) Was Chinese investment in Australia mentioned during any discussion concerning the proposed change to Australia’s foreign investment rules prior to the announcement in August 2009; if so, when.

(3) Was his department advised by Treasury officials that the change in Australia’s foreign investment rules were intended to pose new disincentives for Chinese investment in Australia, or any words to that effect; if so, when.

(4)  Has the Chinese Government made representations to either his department or office concerning these changes; if so, when and can he indicate what was said.

* 330  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) What is the target audienc e for the Australia Network, and was it determined by market research; if so, is this research publicly available.

(2) Has his department undertaken any studies to determine whether the Australia Network is reaching this audience; if so, when were they undertaken and what were the results.

(3) Did his department undertake a study of the Australian Network’s effectiveness before the Government announced it would put out to tender a new 10 year contract.

(4) Does his department believe that television remains the best medium for reaching this target audience; if so, why.

* 331  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) Has his department undertaken any studies into the effectiveness of new social media in its public diplomacy campaigns; if so, when were they undertaken and what were the results.

(2) How many Australian embassies have (a) Facebook, (b) Twitter, and (c) Youtube, accounts, and where are these embassies located.

* 332  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) How many ambassadors/high commissioners are fluent in the official language of the country in which they are currently posted.

(2) How many departmental officials are considered fluent in (a) Bahasa Indonesia or other Indonesian dialects, (b) Japane se, (c) Mandarin, (d) Hindi, (e) Korean, (f) Arabic, (g) French, and (h) German.

* 333  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) How many overseas business class flights were taken by his Canberra-based departmental staff in each calen dar year from 2005 to 2010.

(2) What was the total cost to the Government of overseas business class flights taken by his Canberra-based departmental staff in each calendar year from 2005 to 2010.

(3) What were the top 10 countries visited by his Canberra-based departmental staff in each calendar year from 2005 to 2010.

* 334  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) How many overseas delegations were sponsored by the Government in each calendar year from 2005 to 2010.

(2) From what countries were these delegations, and what were the names and positions of each delegation member.

(3) What was the total cost to the Government of these delegations in each calendar year from 2005 to 2010.

* 335  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) How many delegations used the Government’s Special Purpose Aircraft in each calendar year from 2005 to 2010, and what were the delegations.

(2) In each calendar year from 2005 to 2010, what was the (a) cost to the Government of each f light, and (b) total cost to the Government for the flights.

* 336  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—How many departmental officials accompanied him on each of his overseas trips since the 2010 election, and what were their positions, and what was the total cost to the Government of their travel.

* 337  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—How many departmental officials were reassigned to other duties to assist with managing the emergency in (a) Egypt, (b) Libya, (c) Christchurch, and (d) Japan, and what is the usual position of each of these officials.

* 338  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) Have any departmental officials been appointed to work on the Government’s proposed East Timor R egional Processing Centre; if so, how many.

(2) How many hours have been spent by departmental officials working on this proposal.

(3) What is the total cost to date (including staffing, travel and accommodation expenses, etc) for his department in contributing to the development and promotion of this proposal.

(4) How many representations have departmental officials made to regional governments on this proposal, and what were the dates of each representation.

(5) How many written briefings on the processing centre has he received from his department, and did any of these briefings raise a concern that the proposal was having a negative effect on Australia’s relations with other governments in the region.

* 339  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) Of the 487 Australian adviser positions in Papua New Guinea that were considered by AusAid’s Joint Adviser Review Report, how many are currently filled by former AusAID staff.

(2) How many Canberra-based AusAID officials have travelled to Papua New Guinea since the 2010 election, and what was the total cost of their travel.

(3) In respect of part (2), (a) what was the cost of their travel, (b) where did they stay, (c) what were the names of the hotels in which they stayed, (d) what was the total cost of their accommodation, and (e) were additional security measures required for their travel; if so, at what cost.

(4) How many AusAID officials have visited the Southern Highlands region of Papua New Guinea since the 2010 election.

* 340  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—How many overseas business class flights were taken by Canberra-based AusAID staff in each calendar year from 2005 to 2010.

* 341  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—What were the top 10 countries visited by Canberra-based AusAID staff in each calendar year from 2005 to 2010.

* 342  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) How many cases of alleged corruption in the Government’s aid program (a) are currently being investigated, and (b) were investigated in each calendar year from 2005 to 2010.

(2) In each calendar year from 2005 to 2010, how many of the cases in part (1)(b) resulted in (a) dismissal, (b) fine, (c) demotion, or (d) other penalty being handed down.

(3) What sum of money was lost to corruption in each calendar year from 2005 to 2010.

* 343  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) How many cases of alleged corruption in Papua Ne w Guinea (a) are currently being investigated, and (b) were investigated in each calendar year from 2005 to 2010.

(2) In each calendar year from 2005 to 2010, how many of the cases in part (1)(b) resulted in (a) dismissal, (b) fine, (c) demotion, or (d) other penalty being handed down.

(3) What sum of money was lost to corruption in Papua New Guinea in each calendar year from 2005 to 2010.

* 344  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—How many AusAID contracts with service providers were terminated due to corruption or project mismanagement in each calendar year from 2005 to 2010, and can he disclose the names of these service providers.

* 345  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—In respect of the reception for United Nations’ representatives from African Union countries that the Prime Minister held during her March 2010 visit to the United States, (a) which countries (i) were represented, (ii) declined to attend, (b) what was the total cost, (c) what was the average cost per attendee, (d) where was this event held, (e) what was the cost of hiring the venue, (f) was entertainment provided; if so, at what cost, (g) what food and beverages were served, and what are the names of any alcoholic beverages served, (h) were any gifts provided to guests; if so, what were they, to whom were they provided, and at what cost, (i) how many people from the Prime Minister’s entourage attended, (j) how many consular staff were responsible for organising the event, and how many hours did they spend on this, and (k) what was the cost of advertising and printing.

* 346  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

(1) Did any representative from an African Union country express support for Australia’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council; if so, which ones.

(2) Did any representative from an African Union country indicate that their country was unlikely to support Australia’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council; if so, which ones, and what reason(s) were given.

* 347  MS J. I. BISHOP: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs—Has his department and/or AusAID provided any briefings to members of the Australian Greens party and/or Independent Members of Parliament; if so, how many and on what dates.

B. C. WRIGHT

Clerk of the House of Representatives