Senator Calvert asked the Minister for the Arts and Administrative Services, upon notice, on 23 November 1993:

  (1) Did the Australian Electoral Commission spend $9 500 on accommodation at Patalonga Motor Inn, Glenelg, South Australia.

  (2) What did this cost include.

  (3) How many people were accommodated for this cost.

  (4) How long were these people accommodated at this location.

  (5) What were the home bases of these people.

  (6) What was the purpose of accommodating these people at this location.

  (7) What other costs were incurred as a result of accommodating these people at this location.

Senator McMullan —I have been advised that the answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

  (1) To date the Commission has paid a total of $7 975.20 for accommodation costs.

  (2) The costs included accommodation, meals, conference room hire, the provision of equipment, phone, photocopies and faxes.

  (3) A total number of some 34 persons were accommodated.

  (4) Accommodation was paid for two days.

  (5) Staff in attendance were from South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Canberra.

  (6) The purpose was to conduct training for Regional Returning Officers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Electoral Information Service staff for the 1993 Regional Council Elections as well as representatives from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.

  (7) Travel and incidentals costs were also incurred in addition to accommodation charges.