Notice given 27 August 2002

583  Senator Webber: To ask the Minister for Defence—

(1) What cities in Australia have a regular military band permanently stationed there.

(2) In what circumstances would a regular military band be stationed at Perth.

(3) Does the role played by Regular Military Bands in non-military situations outweigh the economic criteria used in determining whether a band is stationed in a particular location or not.

584  Senator Bishop: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Veterans' Affairs—

(1) Is there a performance indicator for the payment of doctors’ fees for services provided to veterans in the memorandum of understanding between the department and the Health Insurance Commission; if so, what is the timeframe in which the Health Insurance Commission is required to pay.

(2) How has the Health Insurance Commission performed against this indicator on a monthly basis over the past 2 years.

(3) What is the average time for payment of fees for medical services provided, by category of health care service, on a monthly basis over the past 12 months.

(4) Can a copy of the memorandum of understanding between the department and the Health Insurance Commission be provided.

(5) (a) What was the total amount paid to the Health Insurance Commission by the department annually for each of the past 3 years; and (b) how many individual claims for payment for a service were made by doctors in each of those years, by Medicare item number.

(6) When is the memorandum of understanding with the Health Insurance Commission due for revision or renewal.

(7) Will the services presently provided by the Health Insurance Commission be put out to tender on expiry of the existing contract; if so, when will that occur.

(8) What is the estimated cost per transaction for administration (ie. rate per claim and payment) of the new Orange Card.

585  Senator Harris: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs—

(1) On what grounds was the decision made by the Registrar of Aboriginal Corporations, and subsequent court judgment, to dissolve the Noongar Language and Cultural Centre.

(2) (a) Under what legislative head of power can the Regional Manager of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission in Western Australia seize assets of the Noongar Land Council membership without their permission; and (b) if there is no legislative head of power, will the Minister reverse the decision.

(3) Under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1989 , what grounds of appeal exist for the Noongar Land Council.