Download PDFThe Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia Parliamentary Paper No. 399 of 1988
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The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia
ESTIMATES COMMITTEES
A, B, C, D, E AND F
Reports to the Senate on Departmental Additional Estimates 1987-88
April 1988
Australian Government Publishing Service Canberra
© Commonwealth of Australia 1990
ISBN 0 644 09961 5
Printed in Australia by R. D. RUBIE, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra
CONTENTS PAGE
1. Resolution of the Senate v
2. Estimates Committee Groups vi
3. Membership of Committees vii
4. Estimates Committee A Report 3
Reservation 6
Minutes of Proceedings 12 April 1988 <2 meetings> 13
19 April 1988 18
27 April 1988 24
28 April 1988 25
Hansard Index to issues raised in public hearings 27
s. Estimates Committee B Report 37
Minutes of Proceedings 12 April 1988 43
19 April 1988 45
27 April 1988 49
Hansard Index to issues raised in public hearings 53
6. Estimates Committee c Report 67
Minutes of Proceedings 12 April 1988 <2 meetings> 75
19 April 1988 79
28 April 1988 81
Hansard Index to issues raised in public hearings 83
7. Estimates Committee D Report 101
Minutes of Proceedings 14 April 1988 109
21 April 1988 116
27 April 1988 119
Hansard Index to issues raised in public hearings 121
iii
8. Estimates Committee E Report 131
Minutes of Proce edings 14 April 198 8 <2 meet i ngs > 143
21 April 198 8 149
27 April 19 8 8 154
28 April 1988 156
Hansard Index t o i ssues raised in public hearings 159
9. Estimates Committee F Report 171
Minutes of Proceed i n gs 14 April 1988 182
28 April 1988 189
Hansard Index to i ssues raised in public hearings 191
iv
RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE PASSED ON 25 MARCH 1989
1. Extract from Senate Journals, 25 March 1988, page 605.
9 PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-83-REFERENCE TO ESTIMATES COMMITTEES AND VARIATION OF COMMITTEE GROUPINGS: Order of the Day read for the adjourned debate on the motion of the Leader of the Government in the Senate (Senator Button) -
( I) That the Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure for the Service of the year ending on 30 June 1988 in relation to the Parliamentary
Departments, the Part iculars of Proposed Additional Expenditure for 1 he Service of the year ending on 30 June 1988 and the Particulars of Certain Proposed Additional Expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 1988 be referred forthwith to Estimates Committees for examination and
report.
(2) That the Committees consider Proposed Additional Expenditure in the Estimates Committee groupings agreed to by Resolution of the Senate of 22 September 1987, with the following variations: Estimates Committee C
Finance Treasury Employment, Education and Training Estimates Committee D
Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs Primary Industries and Energy Community Services and Health Veterans' Affairs (3) That the Committees report to the Senate on or before Friday, 29 April
1988.
Question put and passed.
v
2. Estimates Committee Groups
Estimates Committee A Parliament Industry, Technology and Commerce Prime Minister and Cabinet
Industrial Relations Estimates Committee B Transport and Communications Foreign Affairs and Trade
Estimates Committee C Finance Treasury Primary Industries and Energy 1
Employment, Education and Training 2
Estimates Committee D Employment, Education and Training 1 Community Services and Health Immigration, Local Government and
Ethnic Affairs Veterans' Affairs Primary Industries and Energy 2
Estimates Committee E Attorney-General Aboriginal Affairs Defence Administrative Services
Estimates Committee F Social Security Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories
1 Considered by this Committee up until 25 March 1988. 2 Considered by this Committee after 25 March 1988.
vi
3. Membership of Committees
Estimates Committee A Senator Childs
Senator Burns Senator Chapman Senator Cook 5 Senator McMullan 6
Estimates Committee B Senator Gietzelt
Senator MacGibbon Senator Maguire 1 Senator Panizza Senator Schacht
Estimates Committee C Senator Crowley
Senator McGauran Senator Parer Senator Watson 11
Estimates Committee D Senator Colston
Senator Sheil 10 Senator Walters Senator Zakharov Senator Bjelke-Petersen 11
Estimates Committee E Senator Aulich
Senator Foreman 4,8 Senator Newman Senator Short 12 Senator Tambling
Senator Morris 9 Senator Parer 13
vii
Estimates Senator Senator Senator Senator
Senator Senator
Committee F Black (Chairman) 14 Coates 14 Cooney 14
Puplick 14 Reid 14 Vanstone 14
1 Discharged on 7 October 1987. 2 Appointed on 7 October 1987. 3 Discharged on 28 October 1987. 4 Appointed on 28 October 1987. 5 Discharged on 18 March 1988.
6 Appointed on 18 March 1988. 7 Reappointed on 18 March 1988. 8 Discharged for the period 18 March 1988 to 17 May 1988. 9 Appointed for the period 18 March 1988 to 17 May 1988 .
10 Discharged for the period 24 March 1988 to 17 May 1988. 11 Appointed for the period 24 March 1988 to 17 May 1988. 12 Discharged for 27 April 1988 only. 13 Appointed for 27 April 1988 only.
viii
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE A
REPORT
April 1988
- 1 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE A
REPORT TO THE SENATE
Estimates Committee A presents its report to the Senate.
l. On 25 March 1988,
for examination and report, the Senate referred to the Committee, Particulars of Proposed Additional
Expenditure for the service of the year ending on 30 June 1988 in
relation to the Parliamentary Departments. It also referred to the Committee Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure for the service of the year ending on 30 June 1988 and Particulars of
Certain ending Proposed Additional Expenditure, on 30 June 1988 in relation
in
to
respect of the year
the Departments of
Industry, Technology and Commerce, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Industrial Relations.
The Committee met on 12 and 19 April
proposed additional expenditure by those 1988 to examine the
departments. At the
Committee's hearings, the Parliamentary Departments were
represented by the President of the Senate (Senator the
Honourable Kerry W. Sibraa) and officers of the departments. The other departments were represented by the Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce the Honourable and
officers of the departments.
3. The Committee's Minutes of Proceedings and the Issues
Contents of the Hansard transcripts of evidence are included in this report. -The Hansard transcripts of evidence taken by the
Committee concerning Appropriations Bill No. 2, Appropriations Bill No. 3 and Appropriations Bill No. 4 are tabled in the Senate
with this report.
- 3 -
' ... Th e Committee, from its examination of the additional
estimates, draws to the attention of the Senate the following
matters.
Parliamentary Departments
5. The Parliamentary Library was the only department to
seek additiona l appropriations for the period under review. The Committee no ted that although the Department of the Senate did
not seek additional funding Explanatory Notes from the department were provided for its deliberations. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the President of the Senate for offering to
respond t o questions on the Explanatory Notes and for making
available departmental officers to assist with explanations.
Explanatory Notes for Program Budgeting
6. In its November 1987 report, the Committee mentioned
that on some estimates the Explanatory Notes were lacking in
essential information. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet expenditure on official entertainment, visits by foreign dignitaries examples. attracted
and upkeep on official establishments were given as At these hearings these areas of expenditure again
attention and the Notes did not detail the areas
involved adequately.
7.
at
There
hearings, are time constraints on therefore the Committee Committees and witnesses
considers that
interests of more effective operations, departments
in the
should
examine the data they provide, with the objective of making more informative expenditure areas.
explanations on items
and items involving a number
- 4 -
requiring significant of different component
8 .
the
Overall, the Committee regards the standardisation of format in which information is provided in the Explanatory Notes as most worthwhile and considers that
increase their uniformity of presentation can effectiveness of the documents.
any innovation to only enhance the
Ac k,1owl edg erne n t
9. The Committee conveys its appreciation for the
assistance given by the of the Senate, the Minister for
Industry, Technology and Commerce, staff of departments and
authorities and the officers who appeared before the Committee at its hearings on 12 and 19 April 1988.
April 1988
- 5 -
Bruce Childs Chairman
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE A
RESERVATI ON BY SENATORS BISHOP, ALSTON AND CHAPMAN
Du r ing its hearings, the Committee r aised a number of items we
view with concern.
Department of I ndust r y, Technology and Commerce
(1) The Director of Re sour ce Planning, Mr F. Kovachevich, admitted $ 20 0 ,0 00 had been "lost" and then " r egained". According t o Mr Kovachevich the mistake was made by the Departmen t of Finance.
Two days a fter the hear ing on 12 April the Department of
Finance wrote to t h e Committee stating that their r ecords showed tha t the i nformation given by Mr Kovachevich was incorrec t . At t h e subsequent committee hearing on April 19,1988, the Depar tment of Industry, Technology and Comme r ce presented a letter which denied the substance of the Department o f Finance ' s letter and held to its o r iginal view .
(2) The Minister told the Committee that the recently esta blished cemen t industry mo n itoring body was not set up in response to al l egations o f dumping by the industry and that no par t of
t h e monitori ng body's responsibilities will involve the
consideration of d umpi ng complaints. This statement appea r s t o conflict with a p r ess r el e ase dated 24 March 1988 issued
by the Ministe r wh ich states i nter alia, that the body wi ll
specifically:
"a) monitor t he p r og r ess and outcome of dumping
- 6 -
complaints lodged by the industry;
e) monitor the efforts of the industry to meet competition from imported cement."
(3) The First Assistant Secretary of the Technology and Investment Division, Mr , Terry Hilsberg, sent a memo on 22 July 1987 to all staff members in the Industr y Resear ch and Development Branch. The memo stated:
"I am writing to express my thanks for the excellent work you have performed during the year.
"In particular, I would like to commend you fo r achieving that important goal of exhausting monies allocated to IR&D Branch during the 1986-87 financial year.
"I am sure your efforts in the coming year will prove to
be equally successful."
The attitude of one of the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce's senior officers is disturbing in that the only (tern that Mr. Hilsberg singled out for praise was the expenditure of the money allocated to the branch. It is our
view that exhausting monies allocated should never be a goal in itself.
(4) In an answer to a question relating to the Information Industries Strategy, the Minister told the Committee:
"What we are asking in respect of the companies is that they establish, in the period specified, a 50 per cent export-import ratio. If DEC, for example, or
- 7 -
Hewlett-Packard are importing into this countr.y $1 billion worth of equipment at the same time they will export half that by value."
This answer accords with his p r ess release dated 7 April, 1988, relating to the signing of a Partnership for Development Agreement between IBM and the Commonwealth in which the Minister is quoted as saying, inter alia:
"The company has undertaken to comply with the standard Partnership for Development targets of R & D investment equal to 5 per cen t of turnover and 50 per cent
export-import ratio."
Senator Button also told the Committee that if the companies involved in the Partnership for Development schemes say that the requirement is not to export half their level of imports but rather tha t they should add value to the extent of 50%
of their impor.ts then:
"if they say that, they are wrong and I am right".
However after further questions, the Minister admitted that there was in f act an Australian content requirement in respect of the export a rrangements which is not specified in the statement but is certainly specified in the agreements. The reasons given by the Minister as to why these matters were not included in the p r ess release were:
"I do not know, Senator. It's p r obably an error."
We call upon the Minister to clar ify the true position in
respect of the above matters and request the Minister to report to the Senate accordingly.
(5) We note that the Industry Resear ch and Development Board had not presented its Annual Repor t as of the 19 April 1988. In
- 8 -
the General Principles of the Guidelines for the Preparation of Departmental Annual Reports effective from November, 1987 it is stated that:
"Reports should .â¢. be available for the estimates debates in the Budget Sittings. In any case reports
should be available within 6 months of the end of the reporting period."
The Minister told the Committee that the reason for the delay
was that:
"The newly-established Board took over an enormous backlog of work from the old AIRDIB scheme which took a lot of time to sort out and rationalise, together with a range of new functions. I think it is in grave
difficulty in producing a report about the current scheme when so much of its time was devoted to the old
scheme."
This conflicts with the reasons given by the Board when the finally presented Report was tabled in the Senate on 26 April 1988. The statement of reasons said:
"(a) The 1986-87 financial year was the IR&D Board's first year of operations:
(b) The nature of its activities are vastly different to those of its predecessor â¢â¢â¢ ; and
(c) Consequently, the Board's Annual Report required a new format."
(6) We note with concern the Minister's statement that he was not satisfied that the barrier at airports and ports was adequate to meet the requirements of the Customs Service, quarantine and immigration.
- 9 -
Department of Prime Min i ster and Cabinet
(1) we note with concern the evidence given with reference to the so-called urgen t renovations, costing $750,000, requested by the Department f or Kirribilli House, ostensibly to make that residence s u ita b l e f or the accommodation of Guests-of-Government d uring the bicentenary. Evidence showed that it could we ll be that the expenditure was merely
to make Kirribilli House a second residence for the Prime Minister, in which case the figur e of $250,000 for interior decoration of the grou nd f l o or rooms cannot be justified. The Committee was infor med that no Guests-of-Government have stayed at Kirribi l li Ho use since March 1983, but that the Prime Mi nister had o n many occasions.
Department o f Industrial Relat i ons
(1) An additional sum of $10,000 was requested for the settlemen t of a claim for compen sation on i ndustrial action taken by the Builders Labo urers Feder ation. The claim arose dur ing the
period the BLF wa s being de r egistered. The Committee was told that there are other outstanding claims to be processed.
The Minister undertook to have the Department investigate wh a t remedies t he Go vernme n t may have to recover these monies
p a id by way o f compensation, from the funds of the BLF.
We anxiously await a r eport on t he r esult of such
investigation .
SE NATOR BISHOP SENATOR ALSTON SENATOR CHAPMAN
- 10 -
ESTIMATES - COMMITTEE A
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
April 1988
- 11 -
THE SENATE ESTIMATES COMMITTEE A NO. 1
TUESDAY, 12 APRIL 1988
The Committee met in private session at 7.58 p.m. in the Senate Chamber.
2. Resolution
To ensure that all documents received at its public hearings have the protection of parliamentary privilege, the Committee resolved that:
The Committee authorises the publication of all
documents presented to it in the course of its
hearings, and authorises the publication of
written replies and other documents which may be forwarded to it after hearings have been
completed.
The Committee adjourned at 7.59 p.m.
Senators Childs (Chairman), Alston, Bishop, Burns, Chapman and McMullan.
- 13 -
CONFIRMED:
(Bruce Childs) Chai..r!!.li!!l
THE SENATE
The Senate Estimates Committee A Minutes of Proceedings No. 2
Tuesday, 12 April 1988
1 . Meeting
The Committee met at 8.00 p.m. in the Senate Chamber. The
Chairman
2. Statement by the Chairman
The Chairman informed the meeting that the Committee had been charged by resolution of the Senate on 25 March 1988 with
consideration of the particular proposed additional
expenditure for the service of the year ending 30 June 1988 in relation to the Parliamentary Departments, the particulars of proposed additional expenditure for the service of the year ending 30 June 1988 and the particulars of certain
proposed additional expenditure for the year ending 30 June 1988, for the Departments of Industry, Technology and
Commerce, Prime Minister and Cabinet and Industrial
Relations.
3. Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure
Parliamentary Departments in Attendance
Senator the Hon. Kerry Sibraa, President of the Senate,
accompanied by the following officers:
Department of the Parliamentary Library
Mr H. de S.C. MacLean
Mr M. Goodall
Mrs D.M. Bennett
Mr A. Wilson
Mr M.T. Watson
Mr J. Domitrak
- 14 -
Parliamentary Librarian
Manager
Head, Legislative Research Service
Chief Librarian, Current Information Services
Assistant Director, Financial Services
Assistant Director, Personnel Services
Department of Finance
Mr E; Williams Chief Finance Officer
The Chairman called on the following div ision for
examination.
Division 106 - Parliamentary Library
The Committee concluded its consideration appropriation for the Department of
Library.
of the additional the Parliamentary
4. Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure and
Particulars of Certain Proposed Additional Expenditure -Officer of the Governor-General
In Attendance
Mr D. Smith
Mr C. Bell
Ms L . Huey
Ms E. Sanderson
Department of Finance
Mr J. Anderson
Official Secretary Senior Executive Officer
Administrative and Finance Officer
Administrative and Finance Officer
Chief Finance Officer
The Committee concluded its consideration of the additional appropriation for the Office of the Governor-General.
5. Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure and
Particulars of Certain Proposed Additional Expenditure -Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce
In Attendance
Senator the Hon. John
Technology and Commerce officers: Button, Minister accompanied by
for the Industry, following
Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce
Mr G. Hallinan
Ms V. Stretton
First Assistant Secretary Innovation and International
Executive Director Industry, Research and Development
- 15 -
Mr J. Boyd
Mr A. Donnelly
Mr R. Palfreyma n
Mr F. Kovachevic h
Mr G. Carlos
Dr I. McCay
Mr K. Sto kes
AUS TRADE
Mr J. Bennet t
Mr G . Bellchambers
Mr P. Hartingan
Mr P . Boys
Deputy Executive Director Australian Space Office
Assistant Director Paper , Paper Products, Printing and Publishing
Ass i stant Secretary Corporate Services
Director Resource Planning
Ass i stant Director Resource Budgeting
Senior Assistant Commissioner Policy, Planning and Co-ordination
Assistant Commissioner Planning
General Manager Corporate Services Group
Manager Planning Development
Manager Projects and Promotion
Manager Export Grants Division
Australian Customs Service
Mr F. Kelly
Mr D. O' Connor
Mr G. Steele
Mr I. Fletcher
Mr M. Migus
Deputy Comptroller General
Head of Inspectorate
National Manager Inland Revenue
First Assistant Secretary Co-ordination and Services
Senior Assistant Secretary Resou r c es Management
- 16 -
Mr I. Farrar
Mr P. Langhorne
Mr B. Mithen
Mr R. Riches
Ms J. Colefax
Department of Finance
Mr R. Henderson
Mr B. Green
Ms M. Conrade
General Manager Corporate Resources
Director Corporate Services
Assistant General Manager Finance.
Senior Finance Officer Budget
Finance Officer Budget
Chief Finance Officer
Chief Finance Officer
Senior Finance Officer
The Chairman called for consideration of the following
program:
Program 1: Industry Policy and Development
6. Adjournment
The Committee adjourned at 10.38 p.m. without completing its examination of the additional appropriations for the
Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce.
7. Attendance
All members of the Committee were in attendance.
Confirmed:
- 17 -
Bruce Childs Chairman
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE A
NO. 3
Tuesday, 19 April 1988
1. Meeting
1 . The Committee met at 3.45 p.m. in the Senate Chamber. The
Chairman (Senator Childs) took the Chair.
2. Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure and Particulars of Certain Proposed Additional Expenditure -Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce.
In Attendance
Senator the Ron. John Button, Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce accompanied by the following officers: Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce
Mr A. Godfrey
Dr J. Hagan
Mr I. Donaldson
Mr R. Brown
Mr R. Palfreyman
Mr F. Kovachevich
Mr G. Carlos
Dr I. McCay
Deputy Secretary
Assistant Secretary, Good and Forest Products
Director, Automotive and Consumer Products
Assistant Secretary, Japan Branch
Assistant Secretary, Corporate Services
Director, Resource Planning
Assistant Director, Resource Budgeting
Senior Assistant Commissioner, Policy, Planning and Co-ordination
- 18 -
Australian Customs Service
Mr F. Ke 11 Y·
Mr D. O'Connor
Mr G. Steele
Mr I. Fletcher
Mr M. Migus
AUSTRADE
Mr J, Bennett
Mr G. Bellchambers
Mr p. Hartingan
Mr p, Boys
CSIRO
Mr I ⢠Farrar
Mr B ⢠Mit hen
Dr. E ⢠Heyde
Mr R. Riches
Mr T ⢠Healy
Ms J, Colefax
Department of Finance
Mr B. Green
Mr S. Rylands
Deput y Comptrol l er Ge n e r a l
Head of Inspect o rate
National Manager, Inl a nd Rev enue
First Assistant Se c ret a r y, Co-ordination and Servi c es
Senior Assistant Secretary, Resources Management
General Manager, Corporate Services Group
Manager, Planning Development
Manager, Projects and Promotion
Manager, Export Grants Di v ision
General Manager, Corporate Resources
Assistant General Manager, Finance
Principal Secretary
Senior Finance Ofdficer, Budget
Manaager, Planning & Evaluation, Institute of Plant Production & Processing
Finance Officer, Budget
Chief Finance Officer
Senior Finance Officer
The Chairman called on the following programs for consideration.
Programs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7.
- 19 -
The Committee concluded its consideration of the additional ap pr opriations for the Department, subject to the undertaking by the Minister and officers of the Department to provide additional information to the Committee, subsequent to the hearings.
3. Particulars of Proposed Expenditure and
Particulars of Certain Proposed Additional Expenditure -Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
In Attend ance
Senator the Hon. John Button, Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce accompanied by the following officers: Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
Mr S.A. Hamilton Deputy Secretary
Mr R. Mills First Assistant Secretary,
Bicentenary and Community Relations Division
Mr T.D. O'Sullivan
Mr W.J. Blick
Manager, Corporate Services Division
First Assistant Secretary, Parliamentary and Government Division
Office of National Assessments
Dr D. Robertson
Mr N ._D. Denning
Mr D. Triffett
Public Service Commission
Dr J. Baker
Mr R.J. Minna
Mrs J. Rudland
Commonwealth Ombudsman
Mr M. Williamson
Mr B. Hugg
Deputy Director-General
Chief Exâ¢cutive Officer, Management Services
Senior Executive Officer
Deputy Commissioner
Assistant Commissioner, Staffing Branch
Director, Corporate Support Unit
Senior Assistant Ombudsman
Executive Officer
- 20 -
Merit Protection and Review Agency
Mr A. Thornton Resources Manager
Department of Finance
Mr J. Anderson Chief Finance Officer
The Chairman called on the following programs for consideration.
Programs 1, 2, 3 and 5.
The Committee concluded its consideration of the additional appropriations for the subject to the undertaking
by the Minister and the officers of the Department to provide additional information to the Committee, subsequent to the hearings.
4. Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure and Particulars of Certain Proposed Expenditure -
Department of Industrial Relations
In Attendance
Senator the Hon. John Button, Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce, accompanied by the following officers: Department of Industrial Relations
Mr B. Frawley
Ms R. Campbell
Mr R. Stewart-Crompton
Mr R. Fotheringham
Mr G. McGill
Mr c. Hunt
First Assistant Secretary, Industrial Relations Operations Division
A/g First Assistant Secretary, Pay and Classifications Division
First Assistant Secretary, Industrial Relations Legislation Taskforce
A/g First Assistant Secretary, Legislation and Review Division
First Assistant Secretary, Industrial Relations Policy Division
First Assistant Secretary, Co-ordination and Conditions Division
- 21 -
Mr T. Mu nyard
Mr T. Brosnan
Mr J. Walker
Mr D. Seymour
Assistant Secretary, Management Branch
Assistant Secretary, Industrial Relations Legislation Taskforce
Director, Resources Management
A/g Assistant Director (Resources Management)
Office of the Industrial Registrar
Mr J. Leyden Manager, Administration
Mr P. Parry Assistant Manager, Finance
Affirmative Action Agency
Ms V. Pratt Director
National Occupational Health and Safety Commission
Mr P. Gough
Mr J. Limbrick
Department of Finance
Mr J. Anderson
Manager, ADP and Resources Management
Director, Operations
Chief Finance Officer
The Chairman called on the following programs for consideration.
Programs 1, 2 and 3.
The Committee concluded its consideration of the additional appropriations for the Department, subject to the undertaking by the Minister and the officers of the Department to provide additional information to the Committee, subsequent to the hearings.
5. Adjournment
The Committee adjourned at 10.55 p.m.
- 22 -
6. Attendance
All Committee members were in attendance. Senator Michael Baume was also in attendance.
- 23 -
CONFIRMED:
(Bruce Childs) Chairman
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE A
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
NO. 4
27 April 1988
1. Meeting: The Committee met in deliberative session at 9.55 a.m. The Chairman, Senator Childs, took the Chair.
2. Report of the Committee: The Committee considered the Chairman's draft report to the Senate. The Committee agreed to meet again on 27 April to examine the draft report.
4. Adjournment: The Committee adjourned at 9.59 a.m.
5. Attendance: Senators Childs, Alston, Bishop and McMullan. Apologies: Senators Burns and Chapman.
- 24 -
CONFIRMED:
Bruce Childs (Chairman)
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE A
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
NO. 5
28 April 1988
1. Meeting: The Committee met in deliberative session at 8.07 a.m. in Senate Committee Room No. 3. The Chairman (Senator Ch ilds) took the Chair.
2 . Confirmation of Minutes: The Minutes of meetings held on 12, 19 and 27 April (Nos. 1 to 4) were confirmed.
3. Report of the Committee : The Committee considered the Chairman's draft report to th e Senate.
The Chairman's draft report was adopted as the Committee's report by vote. Senators Childs, Burns and McMullan, with the Chairman's casting vote, voted for the adoption of the report. Senators Alston, Bishop and Chapman dissented.
In accordance with Standing Order 36AB(17), Senators Alston, Bishop and Chapman indicated that a reservation would be added to the report.
4. Adjournment: The Committee adjourned at 8.20 a.m.
5. Attendance: Senators Childs (Chairman), Alston, Bishop, Burns, Chapman and McMullan.
- 25 -
Certified Correct :
Bruce Childs (Chairman)
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE A
HANSARD INDEX TO ISSUES RAISED AT
THE COMMITTEE'S PUBLIC HEARINGS
April 1988
- 27 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE A
HANSARD
ISSUES CONTENTS
Tuesday, 12 April 1988
Page
Chairman's Opening Statement 1
DEPARTMENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY
Staff retirements
DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, TECHNOLOGY AND COMMERCE
Division 380 - Administrative
Funding of the national procurement development strategy Operations of the Industry Research and Development (IR&D) Board Aims of the IR&D Board
Brake testing equipment for the Australian Capital Territory Administration Administrative changes to the offsets program Number of authorities and boards attached to
Minister's portfolio Cost of running these authorities and boards Payment of 'dead rent' to White Industries complex Functions of the cement industry monitoring body National industry extension service
Staff morale in Department following its reorganisation Movement of staff to private enterprise Cost of publishing the 'Australian Technology
Magazine' Cost and circulation of the 'Bulletin of Industry Economics' 'Corporate citizenship' scheme Microcomputer diskettes
Information industry strategy Operations of the Information Industries Board Compatibility of ex-Science microcomputers with DITAC equipment
Resignation of senior DITAC officer Establishment of cement industry monitoring body Allegations of 'dumping' of cement
- 29 -
2
3
3-4 5
5
6
7
7
7-8 8
9
9-10 10
10-11
11
11-12 12 1 3
14-15
16 1 7 1 7
18-19
Bounty and subsidy assistance paid to Gove r nmen t agencies Delays in b o unty payments Bount y and subsidy assistance for cultivation
Equipment
Assistance for industry research and development Industrial research and development assistance paid to Government and other agencies Industr y Research and Development Board grants
scheme
Na tional Space Program Australia/Japan feasibility study into the multifunction polis (future city)
- 30 -
Page
1 9 19
20 20
2 1
22
22-23
24-25
Tuesday, 19 April 1988
DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, TECHNOLOGY AND COMMERCE
Division 385 - Automotive Industry Authority
Passenger motor vehicle plan Running costs of the Authority Developing country preference scheme
Division 381 - Australian Customs Service
Funding of Coastwatch program Export of crocodile skins Computer-use by the Customs Service Customs functions at airports
Staffing at airports Level of skills in the Customs Service Immigration and health inspections by Customs officers Training of Customs officers
Computerisation of Customs functions Instructions regarding the collection of immigration clearance fees Customs response to tourism growth Language training for customs staff Processing of tariff concessional orders Processing dumping complaints
Dumping prosecutions Darwin dumping prosecution case Coles-Myer dumping case in dumping cases
Allegations of fraud made in respect of Customs Service Customs tariff on objets d'art Endemic dumping cases
Non-discretionary legal expenses Customs Service - legal arrangements
28 28 28
29 30
30-31 31-32 32-33 34
34
34-36 36-37
36-38 38-39 40-41 41-42 42-43 43-46
47
47-48 48
49-50 51 52 52
52
Division 384 - Australian Trade Commission (AUSTRADE)
Export market development scheme Price Waterhouse review of the scheme Assessing the 'success' of the scheme Access of small exporters to the scheme
- 31 -
53
53-54 54-55 55
Staffing numbers a nd morale Operating strategie s o f AUSTRADE AUSTRADE and Taiwan Use of adviso ry committees
Risk abatement service Measu rin g the 'success' of AUSTRADE Recovery o f bad debts High-tech exporters' scheme
Division 915 - Capital Works and Services
Accounting procedures in CSIRO -Audit o r-General's report CSIRO ope rations in the Northern Territory Partnership for development scheme Functions of the IR&D Board Transfer o f Departmental funds between programs
DEPARTMENT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET
Division 5 00 - Administrative
Invitations to opening of new Parliament House Utilisation of new Parliament House by non-sponsored groups Cost of state occasio ns and official
hospitality Renovations at Kirribilli House for the bicentennial year Guests accommodated at Kirribilli House
Interior decoration at Kirribilli House Employment of consultant at Kirribilli House
Division 939 - Other Services
Terms of the to the Stockman's
Hall of Fame
Division 513 - Commonwealth Ombudsman
Operating costs
Division 517 -Merit Protection and Review Agency
Compensation determination
Division 519 - Office of National Assessments
Cost of international travel Exchanges with foreign intelligence organisations Sources of recruitment for intelligence officers Contract officers
Split between officers doing economic analysis and political strategic analysis Type of policy work performed
56
56-57 57 58
58-59 59-60 60 60
61
62-64 64 65
65-66
66
67
67
68
68-70 70-71 71-73
73-74
74
74
74
75 75 75
75 75
Duplica t ion and efficac y o f func t ions Te r mination payments to SES office r s
Divis i on 52 0 - Public Service Commissioner
Res i d u al Publ i c Se r vice Boa r d f unc t ions
Travel ex pens es o f for mer Cha i rm a n of t h e
Co mmissi o n Smo k i ng ban in Comm o nw ealth office s
DEPARTMENT OF IND USTRI AL RELATIONS
Div ision 365 - Ad minis trative
Impl e me ntation o f n e w ·integrated office structure In c reas e in staff o f Defence Industr i a l Br anch
Functions of the Bran c h Transfer of the Branch fr o m the Def e n ce
Department Departmental representation at the Confe renc e o f Free Trade Unions
Divi si on 367 - Australian Trade Union Training Author i ty
Char g ing of fees for courses
Breakdown of cost per student
Division 368 - Conciliation and Arbitrati o n
Wage costs of the Conciliation and Arb i tration Commission staff
Division 369 - National Occupational Health and Safety Commission
Expenditure of mone y s prior to Minister i al approval
Division 912 - Other Services
Claim for compensation on industrial action b y the Builders Labourers Federati o n
- 33 -
76 76
76
7 6 - 77
77
7 8 7 9
7 9- 80
80
8 1
8 1
8 1
81-82
82
83
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE B
REPORT
April 1988
- 35 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE B
Report to the Senate
Estimates Committee B presents its Report to the Senate.
Introduction
l. On 25 March 1988 the Senate referred to the Committee
the Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure for the
Service of the year ending on 30 June 1988 and Particulars of
Certain Proposed Additional Expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 1988 relating to:
2.
the Department of Transport and ·communications; and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Committee has considered the prop9sed expenditures and has received explanations of them from the Minister of
Transport and Communications, Senator the Hon Gareth Evans, QC, and from officers of the departments and authorities concerned. The departments provided Explanatory Notes on their proposed expenditure.
3. A copy of the Minutes of Proceedings, Hansard reports of
the evidence taken by the Committee and a table of contents to
those reports are tabled for the information of the Senate in
connection with its consideration of Appropriation Bills (Nos. 3 and 4) 1987-88. Written answers to questions taken on notice
during the Committee's hearings will be tabled separately in the Senate and will be available from the Senate Table Office.
- 37 -
4. The Committee draws the attention of the Senate to the
f o llowing matters arising from its consideration of the proposed
expenditure.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation
5. The Committee's examination of the ABC was particularly
wide-ranging. The managing director of the ABC, Mr David Hill, and other officers of the Corporation appeared before the
Committee and provided information on, amongst other things:
the ABC's rationale for moving radio broadcasts of
Parliament from metropolitan networks to Radio National: the results of an audience survey on listener attitudes to Parliamentary broadcasts; the activities of ABC staff in putting to the public the Corporation's views on the value to the community of ABC activities;
the cost to the ABC of its 'eight cents a day' campaign;
the ways in which the ABC regards size and
reach as relevant to its programming decisions; and the increased costs in establishing studios in the new Parliament House.
The Committee appreciated the range of information provided.
Format of Explanatory Notes
6. As a result of a Government decision departments have
since ·1985 been converting to program budgeting. One effect of this has been to alter the format of the information that
departments provide in their Explanatory Notes to Estimates
Committees. The current session is the first time that the
Explanatory Notes for Additional Estimates have used the program
- 38 -
format. Much of the material in the Notes relating to the
departments examined by the Committee was presented in program format.
7. Where the program format was adopted, increases in
expenditure due to a single factor affecting all programs were not allocated to specific programs. Instead, the additional
estimates for items such as the national wage inc r ease and second tier wage increases were shown under the heading 'Not Allocated to Program'. This approach reflected the guidelines issued by the Department of Finance on the format for presenting info rmation in
the Explanatory Notes.
8. One result of
significant information programs affected only
this mode of presentation was that no
was provided in the Notes for those
by across the board increases. Some
members of the Committee found this mode of presentation
unhelpful. The format adopted for the Notes did not disclose the differing impact between programs of the across the board
increases in costs. The labour content varies as between programs and therefore the impact on different _programs of a national wage rise varies.
9. The basis on which items were placed in the 'Not
Allocated to Program' category was not clear. Some increases
having a common rationale were allocated to specific programs, while others were not. In the Notes for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade the extra funds required to compensate for
exchange rate losses in administrative items were not allocated. The increases in subscriptions to international organisations due to exchange rate fluctuations, however, we re allocated to
specific programs.
10. Traditionally some latitude has been given and questions
have been allowed at Estimates Committee hearings which do not explicitly or directly relate to items for which funding is
- 39 -
sought . The Explanatory Notes have come to he used as a de facto
agenda or means of oroering the questioning at hearings. In this context also , some members of the Committee found the
failure to allocate g l obal increases to specific programs whi ch led to the result that not all programs were set out in the
Notes. The effect was to provide i nsufficient guidance as to the appropria t e place to ask questions not precisely related to the specific items that were set out in the Notes.
(Arthur Gietzelt) Chairman
- 40 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE B
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
April 1988
- 41 -
THE SENATE ESTIMATES COMMITTEE B MEETING N0.4 12 APRIL 1988
1. MEETING: The Committee met at 8.02 p .m. in Senate Committee Rooms 1 and 2, Parliament House, Canberra. The Chairman,
Senator Gietzelt, took the Chair.
2. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-88 -DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS: In attendance, Senator the Honourable Gareth Evans, Q.C., Minister for
Transport and Communications, accompanied by the following officers: Department of Transport and Communications Mr P. Bowen, First Assistant Secretary, Domestic
Aviation Policy Division Mr P. Field, Assistant Secretary, Rail Branch Mr J. Elliot, Director, Roads Policy Section Mr C. Davidson, Assistant Secretary, Safety Operations
Branch Mr P. Crone, First Assistant Secretary, Maritime Policy Division Mr P. Merner, First Assistant Secretary, Road Safety
Division Mr P. Makeham, Assistant Secretary, Motor Transport Branch Mr R. Smith, First Assistant Secretary, Broadcasting
Policy Division Mr M. Hutchinson, First Assistant Secretary,
Telecommunications Policy Division Mr V. Jones, First Assistant Secretary, Communications Operations Division Mr P. Westerway, First Assistant Secretary,
Communications Technology Division Ms D. Mildern, First Assistant Secretary, Corporate Management Mr G. McAdoo, Assistant Secretary, Finance Branch Mr J. Chandler, Director, Budget Management Section Mr R. Barber, Assistant Secretary, Legal Branch
Mr J. Hilvert, Assistant Secretary, Services Branch Mr D. Fleming, Director, Amann Task Force Mr T. Grant, First Assistant Secretary, C.A.A.
Implementation Mr B. O'Keeffe, First Assistant Secretary, Airways
Division Mr J. Richardson, Assistant Secretary, Air Traffic
Services Branch Mr J. Wright, Assistant Secretary, Flying Operations Branch Mr J. Huggett, First Assistant Secretary, Airports
Division
- 43 -
Mr K. Toakley, First Assistant Secretary, Corporate Managment Mr M. Mayoh, Assistant Secretary, Finance Branch Mr K. Drake-Brockman, Director, Budgets Section
Australian Broadcasting Corporation Mr D. Hill, Managing Director, Mr P. Lidbetter, General Manager, Finance Mr K. Jackson, Controller, Corporate Relations Mr N. Lamerton, Director, Resource Planning and Systems
Australian Broadcasting Tribunal Ms R. Medd, A/g General Manager, Mr J . Adamson, A/g Director, Licensing Division Ms J. Paramore, Director, Programs Division
Special Broadcasting Service Mr P . Conroy, Head of Television Mr S . Kerkyasharian, Head of Radio Mr R. Gowing, Director, Finance and Services
Inter-State Commission Mr F. Keith, Secretary Mr 0. Rodda , Executive Officer
Department of Finance: Mr G. Millar, Chief Finance Officer, Transport and
Industry Division Mr I. McAuley, Chief Finance Officer, Transport and
Industry Division Mr G. Piko, Senior Finance Officer, Transport and
Industry Division
The Chairman called on for consideration the items of
proposed additional expenditure relating to:
Special Broadcasting Service; Australian Broadcasting Tribunal; and Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
3. ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 10.26 p.m .
4. ATTENDANCE: Senators Gietzelt
Devereux, MacGibbon, Panizza and Schacht. Senators Messner, Patterson and Tarnbling also attended.
CONFIRMED
- 44 -
THE SENATE ESTIMATES COMMITTEE B MEETING N0.5 19 APRIL 1988
1. MEETING: The Committee met at 3.48 p.m. in Senate Committee Rooms 1 and 2, Parliament House, Canberra. The Chairman,
Senator Gietzelt, took the Chair .
2. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-88 -DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS: In attendance, Senator the Honourable Gareth Evans, Q.C ., Minister for
Transport and Communications, and Senator Robert Ray ,
Minister for Horne Affairs and Minister Assisti ng the Minister for Transport and Communications, accompanied by the
following officers:
Department of Transport and Communications Mr R. Beale, Associate Secretary Mr E. Bowen, First Assistant Secretary, Domestic Aviation Policy Division Mr R. Turner, Acting First Assistant Secretary, Ai rports
Division Mr B. Gemmell, Assistant Secretary, Economic Policy and Investment Planning, Domestic Policy Division Mr H.B. O'Keeffe, First Assistant Secretary, Airways
Division Mr P. Field, Assistant Secretary, Rail Branch Mr J. Elliot, Director, Roads Policy Section Mr c. Davidson, Assistant Secretary, Safety Operations
Branch Mr S. Jiggins, Director, Special Projects - Road Safety Division Mr P. Crone, First Assistant Secretary, Maritime Policy
Division Mr R. Smith, First Assistant Secretary, Broadcasting Policy Division Mr M. Hutchinson, First Assistant Secretary,
Telecommunications Policy Division Mr V. Jones, First Assistant Secretary, Communications Operations Division Mr B. Ellis, Assistant Secretary, Transmission, Policy
and Spectrum Planning Branch Ms D. Mildern, First Assistant Secretary, Corporate Management Mr G. McAdoo, Assistant Secretary, Finance Branch Mr J. Chandler, Director, Budget Management Section Mr J. Hilvert, Assistant Secretary, Services Branch Mr D. Fleming, Director, Amann Task Force
- 45 -
CAA Group Mr J. Richardson, Assistant Secretary, Air Traffic Services Branch Mr R. Davies, Assistant Regional Director - Airways, Queensland Mr B. O'Connell, Director, Air Traffic Control Section Mr K. Billinghan, Director, Engineering Policy and
Standards Section Mr J. Wright, Assistant Secretary, Flying Operations Branch Mr K. Toakley, First Assistant Secretary, Corporate Management Mr M. Mayoh, Assistant Secretary, Finance Branch Mr K. Drake-Brockman, Director, Budgets Section
Inter-State Commission Mr F. Keith, Secretary Mr 0. Rodda, Executive Officer
Australian National Railways Commission Mr R. Greatrex, Assistant General Manager, Financial Services Mr K. Norley, Manager, Corporate Planning
Department of Finance Mr R. Robinson, Senior Finance Officer, Transport and Industry Division
The Committee resumed examination of the Department's
Additional Estimates. The Chairman called on the following programs of proposed additional expenditure for consideration by the Committee
Program 4 - Broadcasting Program 5 - Radio Frequency Management Program 6 - Satellite, Telecommunications and Postal Services Program 1 - Land Transport Program 2 - Maritime Program 3 - Inter-State Commission Program 8 - Aviation Program 9 - Corporate Support
The expenditure in these programs, together with the
expenditure considered at the previous meeting of the
Committee, included all the particulars of proposed
additional expenditure relating to the Department that were referred to the Committee. The Committee concluded its consideration of the proposed additional expenditure for the Department of Transport and Communications, subject to undertakings to provide additional
information to the Committee.
- 46 -
3, PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-88 -DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE: In attendance, Senator the Honourable Gareth Evans, Q.C., Minister for
Transport and Communications, accompanied by the following officers: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Mr D. Goss, Acting First Assistant Secretary, Corporate
Management Division Mr G. Forrester, Assistant Secretary, International Organisations Branch Mr B. Ryan, Assistant Secretary, Economic Organisations
Branch Mr P. Gallagher, Assistant Secretary, Trade Rules Negotiations B Mr R. Newton, Director, Nuclear Affairs Section
Dr D. De Stoop, Assistant Secretary, International and General Legal Branch Mr J. Hearder, Assistant Secretary, Antarctic, Refugees, Immigration and Asylum Branch Mr L. Maher, Director, Budget and Resources Section Mr G. Thompson, Executive Officer, Budget and Resources
Section Mr R. Down, Director, Organisation and Review Section
Australian International Development Assistance Bureau Dr P. McCawley, Deputy Director-General, Policy, Planning and Management Division
Mr E. Huning, Acting Assistant Director-General, Financial and Resource Management Branch Mr G. Nicholls, Director, Pacific Islands Section <1> Mr A. Kelloway, Director, Refugees and Disaster
Co-ordination Section Mr L. Engel, Director, Indonesia, Malaysia Section Mr K. Smithson, Acting Manager, Finance, Accounting and Management Support Section Mr A. Blewitt, Centre Secretary, Australian Centre for
International Agricultural Research Mr A. Barden, Manager, Corporate Services, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
Department of Finance Mr R. Noakes, Senior Finance Officer, Defence and Government Division Mr J. Ryan, Senior Finance Officer, Defence and
Government Division
The Chairman
examination: called on the following programs
Program 1 - International and Trade Relations Program 2 - Aid
Program 4 - Overseas Support Services Program 5 - Corporate Services Program 6 - Australian Secret Intelligence Service
- 47 -
for
Expenditure considered. programs, additional referred to
not allocated to specific programs was also
This, together with expenditure in the above
included all the particulars of proposed
expenditure relating to the Department that were the Committee.
The Committee concluded its consideration of the proposed additional expenditure for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, subject to undertakings to provide additional information to the Committee.
4 . ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 9.49 p.m.
5 . ATTENDANCE: Senators Gietzelt (Chairman>, Brownhill,
Devereux, MacGibbon, Panizza and Schacht. Senators Chaney, Hill, Messner and Tarnbling also attended. CONFIRMED:
- 48 -
THE SENATE ESTIMATES COMMITTEE B MEETING NO.6 27 APRIL 1988
1. MEETING: The Committee met in private session at 9.53 a.m. in Senate Committee Room No.6. The Chairman, Senator Gietzelt, took the Chair.
2. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES: On the motion of Senator Schacht, the minutes of the public hearings held on 1 2 April 1988 and 19 April 1988 were confirmed.
3. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE: The Committee considered the
Chairman's draft report and on the motion of Senator Panizza, the Committee agreed to adopt the report .
4. ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 9.55 a.m.
5 . ATTENDANCE: Senators Gietzelt
6. APOLOGIES: Senators Brownhill, Devereux and MacGibbon.
CERTIFIED CORRECT
- 49 -
and
ESTIMATE S COMMITTEE B
HANSARD INDEX TO ISSU E S RAISED AT
THE COMMITTEE'S PUBL IC HEARINGS
April 1988
- 51 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE B
ISSUES RAISED DURING COMMITTEE HEARINGS HELD ON
TUESDAY, 12 APRIL 1988 AND TUESDAY, 19 APRIL 1988
Subject
Chairman's Opening Statement
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS
Special Broadcasting Service
Questions on Notice - annual reports, real property Reallocation of Funds Potential viewing audience Facilities at New Parliament House
- arrangements with ABC
Program production costs Advertising or corporate sponsorship options Staffing Celtic/Irish Gaelic-speaking staff Auditor-General's Report
- amortisation of program stocks
- stock taking and transfer and disposal of assets
- engagement of persons under 79Y<2>
- debtors
Office rents Grants and additional receipts Community service announcements - cost to sponsoring bodies
- frequency
- potential revenue if charged out
Program budgeting Range of languages spoken by radio broadcasts Radio Broadcasters - salaries - selection
- 53 -
Bl
B2
B2
B3
B3
B3
B3
B4
B4
B4-BS
BS
BS
BS
B5-B6
B6
B6-B7
B7
B7
B7
B7-B8
B8
B8
B8
Staffing - contract arrangements
- proportion of contract to permanent staff
- conversion from contract to permanent
Television - expenditure on Australian origin programs Revenue from marketing initiatives
Australian Broadcasting Tribunal Backlog of work Staffing Charges for publications and information services
Australian Broadcasting Corporation Capital stock and assets - breakdown of estimate given to Committee in September 1987 Strategic property plan Staffing - contract arrangements
Expenditure on programming for radio and television Accounting system - program costing, staffing Australian-made drama Marketing activities Co-production activities
- trade union arrangements
Charges by Bureau of Meteorology Parliamentary broadcasts on Radio National - situation in Western Australia
- legislative obligations
- ABC Board action
- possible future arrangements - cost
- action taken by employees
Radio National in Western Australia - power of transmission Metropolitan radio ratings Ratings
Expectations of Australian taxpayers
- 54 -
B8-B9 B9
B9
B9
B9
B9
BlO
BlO
BlO
BlO
BlO-Bll Bll
Bll Bll
Bll-Bl2 Bl2 Bl2 Bl2 Bl2 B12
Bl2
Bl2-Bl4 Bl4
Bl4
Bl4 Bl4
Bl4-Bl5 Bl6
Bl6
Bl6-Bl7
Advertising and sponsorship options Parliamentary broadcasts - audience survey
Costs of ABC's studios at New Parliament House Administrative cost increases - Finance parameters Reduction in employer superannuation contribution rate - response of ABC Staff Union
Revenue from television co-productions Refurbished drama premises at Gore Hill Gore Hill car park Cost of 'eight cents a day' campaign
Reduction in employer superannuation contribution rate Program budgeting Lapse of rights to broadcasts programs
- remedial action
Cost of The True Believers - content
Corporate sponsorship Blah Blah Blah - budget
- ratings
Auckland Commonwealth Games 1990 - television coverage
- ABC's contractual arrangements
discussions with officials concerning changes in rights to coverage - legal costs
Program scheduling on Good Friday Relocation of journalists to regional areas Regional content of ABC programs Advertising, sponsorship and staffing reviews
- consultation with unions
- contract employment
Sharing facilities with commercial networks
- 55 -
Bl7
Bl7
Bl7-Bl8 Bl8 Bl8
Bl8
Bl8
Bl8-Bl9 Bl9 Bl9
Bl9-B20
B20
B20-B21 B21
B21
B21
B21
B21-B22
B22
B22
B22
B22
B22
B22
B22-B23 B23
B23
B23-B24 B24
B24
B24
Questions on Notice - Jack High Program, industrial disputes, New Parliament House, multicultural/aboriginal units, Digital Audio Disk System, Human Resources Director, Pilger Program, ABC costs of debits tax
legislation ABC facilities in the Northern Territory
- funding
- networking
Sanctuary Cove resort opening Legal costs associated with Jack High Industrial disputes Legal disputes Cost of consultancy for the new ABC logo
Internal audit staff Auditor-General's Report - assets Timeliness of responses to questions on notice
Program 4 - Broadcasting
Imparja television service - involvement of Northern Territory Government
- sources of establishment money
- ongoing expenditure
- Aboriginal Affairs Portfolio funding
- licence renewal
- premises
- viability
- and aggregation of licences
RCTS in North-eastern zone
High definition television Imparja television service - N.T. Government involvement
- recouping of funds from N.T. Government
- effect of withdrawal of funding commitment
- reasons for withdrawal of funding commitment
Port Pirie - Channel 4
- cost of moving to another channel
Perth - AM to FM conversion
- 56 -
B24-B25
B25
B25
B25
B25
B25-B26 B26
B26
B26
B26-B27 827
B30
B30
831 B31
B31
B31
831
B31-B32 832 B32
B32
832-33 B33
B33
833
833
833-834
Program 5 - Radio Frequency Management International Telecommuni cation s Union Contribution Demand for two-way radio licences
Two-way radios
- monitoring activities
- regulatory functions
- complaints
turning in of licences Registration of commercial call signs - public access to registrations
FM licences - Gold Coast, Gosford, Geel ong , Shepparton
- licence receipts
- determination of licences
Two-way radio licences - usage
- frequency separations
- revenue trend
Use of VHF and UHF channels in approved markets - effect in Wollongong and Newcastle
B34
B34
B34-B35 B35
B35
B35
B35
B35
B35
B35
B35-B36 B36
B36
B36
B36
B36-B37 B37
Program 6 - Satellite, Telecommunications and Posta l Services Telecom - effect of increase in sales tax on rural a nd
remote area services - optical fibre network
- divisionalisation
- piptone on community calls
- outer metropolitan call zones
- staffing
- operator assisted trunk calls
Australia Post - agencies
Telecom - Public Telephones
- National guidelines on provi sion or wi thdrawal
of public telephone boxes
- 5 7 -
B37
B37
B37-B38 B38
B38
B38
B38-B39
B3 9
B39
B39
Program 1 - Land Transport
Pacific Highway - effect of recent flooding
- review of state of highway
Australian national highways - bypasses
Questions on Notice - annual report, property
Program 2 - Maritime
Australian National Line - shareholding of ANL in ACTA
- container productivity rates
- i ndustrial disputes
- staff increases, ANL office, London
- unprofitable shipping areas
- replacement of aging vessels
- operation of stevedoring terminals
- TEU's handled by ANL
- disputes involving River Torrens
- Advance Australia - manning, running costs
- productivity levels at Webb Dock
- employer-union negotiations
- new manning levels
- comparative freight rates
Tasmanian freight equalisation scheme - need for additional expenditure
data concerning goods shipped - review of rates
Inter-state commission review
Program 3 - Inter-State Commission Breakdown of additional expenditure Reasons for additional expenditure
- 58 -
B39-B40 B40
B40
B40
B41
B41
B41
B41
B41
B41
B41-B42 B42
B42
B42-B43 B43
B43
B43
B43
B43
B43-B44 B44
B44
B44-B45
B45
B45
Program 8 - Aviation
Brisbane Airport - Commonwealth car access
- General Aviation area
- corporate and maintenance areas
- air traffic controllers
- reinforced taxiway
Karratha Airport - runway standard
- damage to runway
- requests from local council
- options for upgrading
- and Australian Airlines
- competition on route
- timetable for consideration of requests for
upgrading consideration of upgrading in current Budget round - construction timeframe
Derby Airport - effect of heavy wet season
- and use of defence airport
- future
- Ministerial consideration of future of airport
- correspondence to Ministers
Mount Gambier Airport - redevelopment of terminal
Brisbane Airport - surface movement control radar
- noise complaints
- noise abatement
- take-off procedures
Coastwatch contract - costs
- subjudice matters
- leaking of information
- 59 -
B45-B46 B46
B46
B46-B47 B47
B47
B47
B47
B4 7-848
B48
B48
B48
B48-B49 B49
B49
B49
B49
B49-B50 B50
B50-B51
B51
B51-B52 B52
B52-B53
B53
B53
B53
Darwin Airport - new airport facilities
Alice Springs Airport - expenditure on tarmac
Darwin Airport - coolroom and storage facilities
Sydney Airport - aircraft taxiways
- parallel runway
- estimated cost of parallel runway
- category 2 instrument landing systems
- decisions as to safe landings
Federal Airports Corporation - upgrading of terminals and consultations with
operators - cost recovery for airport improvements
Airport Security Staff - long service leave entitlements
Screening of passengers and traffic - cost
- level
Sydney Airport - aircraft handling facilities
- cost of second runway
- acquisition of land at Badgery Creek
Independent Airfares Committee - membership
- overtime
- functions
Sydney Airport - landings per hour
- cost of delays
Brisbane Airport - ownership of surplus land
Aviation training college - Launceston - capital expenditure
- class size
- 60 -
B53-B54
854
B54
B54
854
854 854
B54-B55
B55
B55
B55
B55
B55-B56 B56
856
856 B56
856
B56-B57 B57
857
857
857-858
858 858 858 858
Proqram 9 - Corporate Support
Compensation payments
Special Broadcasting Service
Review of Advertising Option - clarification of an answer provided by the Minister at Committee hearing on 12 April 1988
DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE
Program 1 - International and Trade Relations Amalgamation of Foreign Affairs and Trade - level of integration
- savings resulting from amalgamation
- officer designations
- promotions
- Economic and Trade Development Division and
Multilateral Trade Division - Restructuring of Divisions of former Department
of Trade - and effect on expertise in Trade area
- role of principal advisers
- special trade representative, Mr P.H. Barrett
Questions on Notice - DAFT, AIDAB, UNDP and funding of English language courses for Vietnamese students at CCAE Comments by Mr S. Harris
Bilateral trade arrangements Amalgamation and staff reductions Cost of reorganistion Effect of reorganisation on trade negotiations
Mr P.H. Barrett
Mr L. Duthie
Number of special trade representatives at
ambassadorial level Format of additional expenditure explanatory notes Australia's representation in Spain
- 61 -
B58-B59
B59
B60
B60
B60-B61 B61
B61
B61
B61-B62 B62
B62
B62-B63
B63-B64 B64
B64
B64
B64
B64
B64-B65 B65
865
865
865-66
Program 2 - Aid
Payments to former Australian Staff assistance scheme in Fiji Emergency aid to Ethiopia Questions on Notice - Hercules refurbishment
Emergency assistance to Ethiopia - use of emergency aid
- involvement of Non-Government Organisations
- voluntary agencies providing aid to Ethiopia
aid provided through various agencies - use of emergency aid
- role of Australian High Commissioner in Nairobi
- requests for aid from liberation movements
- UNDRO aid to 'liberated zones'
Ethiopean Government requests concerning aid to 'liberated zones' - reasons for additional estimates
- Assessment of need for additional aid
Closure of mission in Addis Ababa - deterioration of situation in Ethiopia
- assessment of needs in 'liberated zones'
- Ethiopean Government's policy on aid to
'liberated areas' - and military conflict
Relief to Mozambique Use of savings from aid to Fiji
- breakdown
Resuming aid to Fiji Suspended aid programs in Fiji UNESCO
- effect of World Heritage listing of wet tropics
- effect of withdrawal of USA and UK from UNESCO
- decisions to adjust assessment rates
- budget deficit and future support from Australia
- financial operations
- Australia's diplomatic representation
- 62 -
B66
B66
B66
B66-B67 B67
B67
B67
B67
B67-B68 B68
b68 B68
B68
B68
B68-B69 B69
B69
B69
B69
B69
B69-B70
B70
B70
B70-B71
B71
B71
B71
B71
B71-B72 B72
B72
- possibility of USA and UK rejoining B72
- and World Heritage list i ngs B72
United Nations Industrial Dev e lopment Orga nisation B73
UNESCO
- percentage of Australia ' s c ontr ibution to total Budget B73
United Nations Food and Agriculture Orga nisation - reasons for additional expenditure B73
- tax equalisation Fund and Special reserve account B73
GATT B74
Non- humanitarian and non-emergency aid
Aid and trade generating projects AIDAB and DAFT
Review of AIDAB's role and charter
Program 1 - International and Trade Relations Commonwealth Secretariat - and the anti-apartheid movement - direct aid to ANC or SWAPO
- Australia's contribution Australia-Japan Foundation r unning cos t s and staffing
Program 4 - Overseas Support Services Department of Social Security functions in London Number of overseas positions
- savings resulting from reductions
Rate of promotion of officers
Program 5 - Corporate Services
Legal costs in the USA Travel scrutiny
Program 6 - Australian Secret Int e l l i gence Service Explanatory notes
- 6 3 -
B74
B74-B75 B75
B75
B75-B76 B76
B76
B76-B77
B77
B77
B77
B77
B77-B78
B78
B78
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE C
REPORT
April 1988
- 65 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE C
REPORT TO THE SENATE
Estimates Committee C presents its Report to the Senate.
INTRODUCTION
On 25 March 198B, the Senate referred to the Committee
the Additional Estimates for the year ending 30 June 1988 relating to the following Departments:
Department of Finance Department of the Treasury Department of Employment, Education and Training
The Committee has considered the Additional Estimates of these departments, together with the departmental explanatory notes, and has received explanations of them from the Minister for Finance and officers of the departments concerned. Copies of
the Minutes of Proceedings, Hansard reports of the evidence taken by the Committee, and a table of contents to those Hansards are tabled for the information of the Senate in connection with Appropriation Bill (No.3> 1987-88 and Appropriation Bill
1987-88. Written answers provided after the Committee 's hearings will be tabled separately.
- 67 -
The Committee draws the attention of the Senate to the following matters:
GENERAL MATTERS
Program Budgeting
As noted in its report on the Budget Estimates in November 1987, the Committee believes it is important for the Parliament to continue examination of such matters as program objectives, key program indicators, and actual program performance. In this context, two points are relevant:
The additional amounts sought for the three departments examined include substantial components not allocated to particular programs. These components generally arise from across the board changes in running costs, such as those resulting from the National Wage Case Decision of February 1988, and the Second Tier wage agreement of December 1987. The Committee notes that the
presentation of estimates in this way limits the extent to which additional costs can be linked to individual programs. To this extent the presentation runs counter to a program budgeting approach.
The Committee was also interested to the comment from the
Department of Finance that the development of program performance indicators for that department causes some difficulty given that its programs "are generally of a broad-scale nature in providing support and advice to government and to departments". A similar
- 68 -
point was made in the course of examination of the estimates of the Department of the Treasury where it was suggested that, in the case of .that Department's economic policy program, there are inherent difficulties in establishing specific performance
indicators. While acknowledging the difficulties in cases such as these, the Committee wishes to stress the importance of performance indicators as yardsticks for outcomes for Commonwealth programs. The Committee believes that the Department
of Finance in particular should, wherever possible, provide a model for other departments in this regard given its central role in the development of program budgeting.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Program 6
implementation of the proposal announced by the Prime Minister on 29 September 1987 for use of an upgraded Australian Taxation
Office tax file numbering system as a means of countering tax evasion". $3.552m of this additional amount appears in Appropriation Bill (No 4> against Plant and Equipment. The bulk of the remainder is described as running costs and is included in
Appropriation Bill
Commissioner for Taxation, Mr T.Boucher, these running costs are included in Appropriation Bill
- 69 -
are costs incurred in the development of policy options for the
tax file numbering system, rather than in the implementation of new policy in this area.
DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND TRAINING
The Committee was in general satisfied with the information provided to it by the Department of Employment, Education and Training but wishes to draw attention to difficulties which it experienced in obtaining adequate information about a particular project carried out under the CEP program - the Footscray Swimming Centre in Victoria. The Committee notes that despite several days advance notice, the Department was unable to provide a satisfactory response at the hearing to a question relating to
lost man hours on this project. This question had originally been asked at hearings of Estimates Committee C in 1986.
The Department was also unable to respond to questions relating to the cost of the project despite discussion of this issue at previous hearings (although the Committee recognises that this was prior to the amalgamation which led to the formation of
DEET>. The Committee accepts that a certain proportion of
questions asked at Estimates hearings will need to be taken on notice. This should not normally be the case, however, where adequate advance notice has been given and where interest has clearly been shown in the issue on previous occasions.
- 70 -
The Committee wishes to record its appreciation for the attendance of senior officers from the Australian Taxation Office, including Mr T. Boucher, and for the direct and frank nature of the replies which those officers gave to the
Committee's questions.
The Chairperson wishes to record her thanks for the co-operation of Committee members in dealing with this year's Additional Estimates.
- 71 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE C
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
April 1988
- 73 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE C
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
NO. 5
Tuesday, 12 April 1988
1. MEETING : The Committee met in Senate Committee Room 6 at 7.55 p.m . i n delibe rative session . The Chairperson, Senator Cr owley, took the Cha ir.
2. PROCEDURAL MATTERS : The Committee discussed its approach to the examination o f the additional estimates and agreed to deal first with pro gram specific items and then with variations not a llo cated to programs . 3. ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 8.00 p.m.
4. ATTENDANCE: Senat o rs Crowley
Confirmed:
- 75 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE C
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
NO. 6
Tuesday, 12 April 1988
1. MEETING: The Committee met at 8.05 p.m. in Senate Committee Room 6. The Chairperson, Senator Crowley, took the Chair.
2. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-88
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
3. IN ATTENDANCE: Senator the Hon. P. Walsh, Minister for Finance, accompanied by the following officers:
Department of Finance
Dr H.N. Johnston
Mr J.V. Galloway
Dr G.L. Smith
Mr C.L. Scholes
Mr P. Veryard
Mr T. Wilson
Mr M. Crompton
Mr W.A. Muysken
First Assistant Secretary, General Expenditure Division Assistant Secretary, Resource Policies and Management Branch
Chief Finance Officer, Task Force on Asset Sales Chief Finance Officer, Task Force on Asset Sales A/g Director, Finance and General
Section Senior Finance Officer, Budget and Public Debt Section Assistant Secretary, Retirement Benefits Branch Senior Finance Officer, Retirement Benefits Branch
Australian Government Retirement Benefits Office
Mr R.D. McKillop
Mr D. Hobson
Mr R. Jackson
Assistant Commissioner, Resources Management A/g Director, Finance, Planning and Review Assistant Director, Planning and
Financial Management
- 76 -
Australian Audit Office
Mr C . T. Monaghan Mr C . M . . McPherson
Mr D.C. McKean
Mr F.P. Campbell
Department of Fina nce
Mr A.P. Richardson
A/g Deputy Auditor-General A/g First Assistant Auditor-General, Corporate Management Division A/g Assistant Auditor-General,
Planning & Resource Management Branch A/g Director, Management Section
Chief Finance Officer
4 . PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-88
DE PARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
5. IN ATTENDANCE: Senator the Hon. P. Walsh, Minister representing the Treasurer, accompanied by the following officers : Department of the Treasury
Dr C.I. Higgins Mr B.J. Gleeson
Mr D. Holmesby
Deputy Secretary (Economic> Assistant Secretary, Co-ordination and Management Branch Director, Financial Administration
Section, Co-ordination and Management Branch
Insurance and Superannuation Commission
Mr N. Stupar ich
Mr G. Bu r n s
Ms D. Hart
Assistant Commissioner, Insurance and Superannuation Commission Director, Corporate Services, Insurance and Superannuation Commission
Finance Officer, Insurance and Superannuation Commission
Australian Taxation Office
Mr T. Boucher Mr v. Mitchell
Mr R. Highfield
Mr B. Jones
Commissioner of Taxation Senior Assistant Commissioner, Corporate Se rvices Se nior Assistant Commissioner, Audit Strategies A/ g Senior Assistant Commissioner,
Systems Group
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Mr R.W. Edwards First Assistant Statistician,
Coordinatio n and Management Division
- 77 -
Mr C . J. Dent
Ms B.J. Dunlop
Mr A. Whittington
Mr J. Cornish
Mr D. Harding
Mr J.V. Crocker
Ms P. Guy
Department of Finance
Mr A.P. Richardson
Assistant Statistician, Resource Management Branch Assistant Statistician, International Accounts Branch Assistant Statistician, Construction
and Business Surveys Branch Assistant Statistician, Population Census and Demography Branch Assistant Statistician, User
Services Branch Assistant Statistician, Operations and Software Branch Administrative Service Officer, Resource Management & Systems
Section
Chief Finance Officer
6. ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 10.35 p.m.
7. IN ATTENDANCE: Senators Crowley
Confirmed:
(Rosemary Crowley> Chairperson
- 78 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE C
MI NUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
NO. 7
Tuesda y, 19 April 1988
1. MEETING: The Commi ttee met at 3.30 p.m. in Senate Committee Room 6. The Chairperson, Senator Crowley, took the Chair.
2. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADD ITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-88
DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND TRAINING
3. IN ATTENDANCE: Senator t h e Han. P. Walsh, representing the Minister for Employmen t , Education and Training, accompanied by the followi ng offi cer s :
Department of Employment , Education and Training
Mr J. Bowdler Mr K. Power
Mr D. Bucki ngham Mr D. Wheen
Mr J. McCarthy
Mr J. Parr
Mr B . Cori sh
Ms H. Allnutt
Mr J. Mullarvey
Ms A. Kamarul
Mr B . Conroy
Mr G. Franklin
Ms P. Karrnel
Mr R. Smith
Mr D. Power
Mr R . Hancock Mr E . Kiln e r
Mr A . Greer
Deputy Secretary Deputy Secretary Acting Deputy Secretary A/g First Assistant Secretary, Adjus tment & Income Support Division Assistant Secretary, Training & Adjustment Assistance Branch
Assistant Secretary, Aboriginal Po licy and Programs Branch Director, Curriculum Development Centre Assistant Secretary, Community
Education Branch Assistant Secretary, Tertiary Statistics & Operations Branch As s i s tant Secretary, Capital Grants
Branch Assista nt Secretary, Network Operations Branch A/g Assistant Secretary, Student
Se rvices Branch A/g Assistant Secretary, Schools Resource Planning Branch A/g Assistant Secretary,
Institutional Grants Branch As sistant Secretary, Resources Management Branch Dire ctor, Human Resources Section
Director, Program Resources Section Principal Executive Officer, Traineeships and Industry Training Operations Branch
- 79 -
Department of Finance
Ms C. O'Brien
Mr A. Hunt
Employment, Education and Training Division Employment, Education and Training Division
4 . ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 6.45 p.m.
5 . IN ATTENDANCE: Senators Crowley
Confirmed:
(Rosemary Crowley) Chairperson
- 80 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE C
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
NO. 8
Thursday, 28 April 1988
1. MEETING: The Committee met in deliberative session at 9.50 a.m. in Senate Committee Room 8. The Chairperson, Senator Crowley, took the chair.
2. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES: The minutes of the meetings held on Tuesday, 12 April 1988 and Tuesday, 19 April 1988 were confirmed.
3. REPORT OF COMMITTEE: The Committee considered the Chairperson's draft report to the Senate. It was agreed that two additions should be made: The report should record the Committee's appreciation for the attendance of senior officers from the Australian Taxation office and for the
nature of their replies; and the report should record the Chairperson's appreciation for the Committee's co- operation. On the motion of Senator Parer it was agreed that the draft as amended be adopted.
4. ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 10.00 a.m.
5. IN ATTENDANCE: Senators Crowley
Confirmed:
- 81 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE C
HANSARD INDEX TO ISSUE S RAISED AT
THE COMMITTEE's PUBLIC HEARINGS
April 19 88
- 83 -
SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE C
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR HANDSARD OF HEARINGS
Tuesday 12 April 1988
Chairman's Opening Statement
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
Program 2 - Resources Management Framework
Performance indicators in relation to standards of resource management
Measurement of the efficiency and effectiveness of programs
Time taken to produce a standardised accounting treatment for discounts and premiums
Audit coverage of the public debt accounts
Department of Finance, Australian Audit Office, Australian Government Retirement Benefits Office: Training costs
Resource management training
Program 4 - Retirement Benefits
State railway employee pensioners in Tasmania and South Australia
- 85 -
Page
1-2
2-3
3
3
3-4
4-5
5
5-6
Redundancy payments for Tasmanian and South Australian railway employees
Nature of compensation expenses for the Australian Government Retirement Benefits Office
Trends in the number of RSI cases
Provisions made for employees with RSI
Matters Unrelated to a Specific Program
Payment of interest to the Defence Service Homes Insurance Corporation Trust Account on its uninvested cash balances
Redeployment of former Public Service Board staff
Staff attrition rate
Increase in separation payments for the Australian Audit Office
Staff turnover rate in the Australian Audit Office
Department of Finance: separation rates
Australian Audit Office: separation rates
Annual reports, cost and number
Empty or under-utilised departmental property
- 86 -
6
6
6-7
7
7-8
8
8
8-9
9
9
9
9
9
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Chairman's Opening Statement
Program 1: Economic Policy
Methods of achieving sustainable economic growth with low levels of inflation and unemployment
Transfer of taxation of superannuation funds from the Taxation Office to the Insurance and Superannuation Commission
Distribution of superannuation fund return forms
Auditing of superannuation returns
Program 2 - Financial System
Meaning of the term 'worthwhile foreign investment'
Operations of the Foreign Investment Review Board
Amount of foreign investment in the central business districts of Australia's capital cities in the last financial year
Amount of foreign investment in Australia's rural
properties in the last financial year
- 87 -
Page
10
10-12
12
12
12-13
J.3
13-14
14
14
Amount of foreign investment in Melbourne's central business district in the last financial year
Overseas investment in Australian tourist developments
Japanese investment in Australian tourist developments
Amount of foreign investment in Australian residential properties
Program 3 - Payments to or for the States, the Northern Territory and Local Government Authorities
14
14
14
14-15
Grants to the Northern Territory towards the costs of 15
electricity generation
Commonwealth Grants Commission and the Northern Territory's future general revenue grants 15
Northern Territory funding and the increased estimates 15 of the Northern Territory's population
Program 6 - Taxation Administration
Meaning of the term 'broad running costs'
Second-tier wage increases
Meaning of the term 'offsets'
Efficiencies from job design
Upgraded tax file numbering system
Accumulation of unpaid taxation in companies that eventually go into liquidation
- 88 -
15
15-16
16
16
16
16
Instances of business failure in Queensland since 1985 in which the Commissioner of Taxation has appeared as a creditor for unremitted group tax
Use of slogan 'Taxes - Building A Better Australia'
Upgraded Tax File Numbering System: costs incurred by other departments
Use of upgraded tax file numbers
Tax File Numbering System: expenditure breakdown
Tax File Numbering System: operation
Offsets from the abandonment of the Australia Card project
Effect of the Tax File Numbering System on the processing and assessing of returns
Administration of the Tax File Numbering System
Program 5 - Australian Bureau of Statistics
Nature of compensation and legal expenses
Length of time RSI cases have been subject to legal disputation
Details about RSI cases still subject to legal disputation
Steps to avoid lengthy disputation in RSI cases
- 89 -
16
17-18
18
19
19-20
21
21
21-22
23
23
23
23-24
24
Details of outstanding RSI claims still to be settled 24
Activities of and payments to census workers 24
Initiation of prosecution for failure to lodge 24
required statutory forms
Motor trader's case in the Northern Territory: criteria for prosecution
Proportion of other motor traders in the Northern Territory subjected to the same statistical review
Costs of prosecution
- 90 -
24
24
24-25
SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE C
TABLE OF CONTENTS HANSARD OF HEARINGS
Tuesday 19 April 1988
DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Chairman's opening statement
Sub-program 2.1 - Employment creation
Page
27
Commonwealth Employment Program - Footscray Swimming 28 Centre: funding and total cost of project
Structural difficulties with the Footscray Swimming 29
Centre
Footscray Swimming Centre - Approvals to spend CEP funds additional to the 1986 figure
Contribution of the Footscray City Council
Sub-program 1.4 - Australian Traineeship System
Accrual accounting
- 91 -
29
29
29
Sub-program 2.2 - Jobstart
Aboriginal labour market policy
Unanticipated payments for Commonwealth Work Experience Program
Total jobs and unit cost of Jobstart
Subprogram 2.3 - Mobility assistance
Relocation and Fares Assistance Schemes
Subprogram 2.4 - Industry and regional employment assistance
Allocation of rainforest conservation adjustment funds
Taxation of dislocation allowance
Other entitlements resulting from dislocation
Role of the Department of Arts, Sports, the Environment, Tourism and Territories
Sub-program 3.4 - Aboriginals
Funding for traineeships
Transfer of recruitment function from the Public Service Board CPSB>
PSB computer equipment
- 92 -
30
30
30
30-32
32
32
32-33
33-34
35
35-36
36
Sub-program 4.1 - Placement/Delivery services
Average placement time
Sub-program 4.4 - CES Administration
Positions filled by the CES
Sub-program 6.1 - Tertiary education - higher education
Funding of ANU: allocation of resources
Provision of statistical information by tertiary institutions
Cost of provision of statistical information
Confidentiality of information provided by institutions
Secondary retention and tertiary participation rates: unmet demands
Australian Maritime College and Australian National University: recoupment of student administration charge
Special assistance to students
North Australia Research Unit: funding and research projects
Wran Committee
White Paper on higher education
- 93 -
36-37
37
37
37-39
39-40
40-42
42-43
43
43-44
44
44
44
Legislation: National Board of Employment, Education and Training
Interim NBEET
Australian Research Council
Emeritus Professor Karmel: terms of appointment
Language Advisory Council
Sub-program 6.4 - Policy and administration
Green Paper on higher education
CTEC: salaries costs; former staff
CTEC: accommodation at Belconnen
CTEC Staff: resignations
Sub-program 7.2 - Specific purpose development programs
44
44-45
45
45
45
45-46
46-47
47
47
Funding of non-government schools - tax deductibility 48 of donations
Sub-program 7.5 -General resources programs
Block funding arrangements 48
Sub-program 7.6 - Special Programs
English as a second language: non-government sector - 48
funding of new arrivals element
- 94 -
Language Advisory Council
National language policy: elements
Asian Studies Council: link with Language Advisory Council
Study of Asian languages
Program for students of non-English speaking backgrounds: Tasmania
English as a second language: funding levels
Sub-program 8.1 - Age-related education allowance for secondary and tertiary students
Effect on retention rates: years 11 and 12
Proportion of grant going to parents: secondary schools
Processing applications: payment delays
Auditor-General's Report: overpayments outstanding
Benefits Control Unit: information from tertiary institutions
Sub-program 8.2 - Aboriginal Schemes
Processing applications: payment delays
- 95 -
48
48
48
48-49
49
49
49-50
50
50
50
50-51
51
Abstudy and Unemployment Benefit
Abstudy and family allowance
Absist program: Auditor-General's report
Absec: income tests
Screening: definition of aboriginality
Overpayment recoveries
Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander government programs
Sub-program 8.3 - Special Schemes
Delays in ADP systems
Sub-program 9.1 - Overseas Students
English language courses
Defections: Vietnamese students
* The proof copy of Hansard contains a substantial error on pages 52 and 53, where a lengthy passage has been
51-52*
53
54
54
54
54-55
55
55
55
55-56
inserted out of context. The passage begins with Senator Watson's question in column one on page 52 and concludes with the words "country of origin" in the ninth line of Senator Teague's question in column one on page 53. This passage should be deleted. It appears again in its correct position on pages 55 and 56.
- 96 -
Auditor-General's report: failure of students to return to country of origin and other matters: incorporation by leave of questions on notice
Student Assistance Scheme: questions on notice
Liaison with Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs; Private Overseas Students program: questions on notice
Sub-program 11.2 - Management
Women's Bureau: questions on notice
- 97 -
56-58
58
58
58
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE D
REPORT
April 1988
- 99 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE D
REPORT TO THE SENATE
Estimates Committee D presents its Report to the Senate.
l. On 25 March 1988 the Senate referred to the Committee for
examination and report the Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure for the Service of the Year ending 30 June 1988 and
the Particulars of Certain Proposed Additional Expenditure in respect of the Year ending 30 June 1988 relating to the following Departments:
Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs Primary Industries and Energy Veterans' Affairs Community Services and Health
2. The Committee has considered the Additional Estimates for the year ended 30 June 1988 together with the Departmental
Explanatory Notes and has received evidence from the Minister for Local Government (Senator the Honourable Margaret Reynolds), the Minister for Resources (Senator the Honourable Peter Cook) and officers of the Departments and authorities concerned. Copies of
the Minutes of Proceedings and Hansard reports of evidence taken by the Committee are tabled for the information of the Senate. Further written explanations furnished by Departments will be presented separately.
3. The Commit tee
following matters Estimates:
draws the
which arose attention of the Senate
during the consideration to
of
the the
DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ETHNIC
AFFAIRS:
- 101 -
In the examination of the estimates of this Department
questions were raised concerning a letter written to the
President of the Senate by Mr A.C. Harris, a Deputy Secretary of the Department. This letter referred to the citizenship status of Senator Robert Wood.
The letter began:
Dear President, For the
resposibilities, I am
Senator Robert Wood,
purposes obliged to Senator for
of the · Senate's
inform you that
New South Wales,
applied on Friday, 22 January 1988 for the grant of
Australian citizenship, he being a British citizen, who has not received Australian citizenship.
The questions raised about this letter referred to the
privacy aspects of information supplied to the Department and the obligation of the Department to write to the President concerning the issue. The questions did not relate in any way to the
eligibilty of Senator Wood as a Senator.
The Committee was concerned that when the issues were raised the Department concerning the situation was
was unable to supply
matter immediately or made more complex by the
reasonable later that
fact that
information day. The
the officer
involved was overseas at the time of the hearing. The Committee expresses it concern that there was no other officer available who could adequately answer the questions raised by this letter.
The matter was further exacerbated by the lack of
information available in the Department's files. This is
illustrated by the following exchange as recorded on page D21 of the Committee's Hansard:
- 102 -
Senator Peter Baume Let me just check: Is it a matter of
fact that the file of Senator Wood shows no record of any
legal advice having been sought or received, of any legal advice?
Mr Struik -- That is my understanding.
or the nature
The Committee also expresses its concern that on such a
sensitive issue there was, prior to the Committee's hearing on 14 April 1988, no record of consultation between the officer
involved and the Department's legal advisers.
As was mentioned in the hearing by a number of Senators if
the officer involved for some reason was no longer available to provide information to the Department the issue could never be adequately resolved. The Committee recommends that the Department re-examine its administrative procedures to ensure that such lack
of basic information does not recur.
The Committee held a special hearing into this matter on
Wednesday, 27 April 1988 with the officer concerned, after his return from overseas. This hearing clarified a number of matters but the Committee believes that the comments made above are still relevant.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES AND HEALTH:
During the Committee's examination of the Department's additional estimates, members of the Committee asked questions concerning Sub-program 1.4. 'International Health'. The
Department was requesting an additional $58,000 for the
implementation of the Australian-USSR Agreement on cooperation in the health and medical sciences fields.
The Committee was concerned that the Department could not provide adequate information concerning the Agreement, the implementation of which was the cause for the additional funds
- 103 -
being sought. In particular, the Department was unable to explain what was intended by the term 'medical biotechnology', referred to in the Agreement.
The Committee, once again, was concerned that only a single officer, who was unable to attend the Committee's hearing, was considered able to answer the question.
The Committee recommends and re-affirms previous resolutions of Estimates Committees that Departments ensure that officers are present who can explain to the Committee the full background to any item for which additional estimates are sought. The Committee further recommends that the Department re-examine its
administrative procedures to ensure that it is able to explain the intent of important Agreements even when the officer directly involved may be unable to attend the Estimates Committee hearing.
4 ⢠GENERAL COMMENT:
Following the recent hearings the Committee makes the
following general comment concerning the evidence brought before it by the various departments.
The Committee is concerned that the level and extent of
information available during these hearings did not sometimes meet the standard expected of departments when appearing before Estimates Committees.
While it is accepted that it is not always possible for
departmental officers to have detailed knowledge about every matter in the Estimates, the Committee was concerned that in a number of specific instances the answer to the questions posed was 'only the officer involved knows' . This response was too
frequently accepted by departmental officals as a reasonable excuse for an inability to answer questions.
- 104 -
The Committee does not accept this situation as
satisfactory. It puts departments on notice that in future such an excuse will not be accepted when dealing with matters that
specifically relate to i terns in the appropriations sought and that, if necessary, additional hearings will be held to ensure that the relevant information is provided.
5. PRESENCE OF MINISTER:
The Committee is concerned that on a number of occasions
the Minister for Resource_s was not present during the Committee's hearings. Whilst it is not necessary for a Minister of the Crown to assist Departments in their appearance before Estimates
Committees, the Minister's presence may assist and protect
Departmental officers when answering policy questions and ensure that the Committee obtains full information on the issues raised.
6. The Committee acknowledges the assistance given
Ministers and the officers of the Departments concerned.
Mal Colston,
(Chaiman)
- 105 -
by the
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE D
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
April 1988
- 107 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE D MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS NO.!
THURSDAY, 14 APRIL 1988
1. PUBLIC MEETING: At 11.30 a.m., the Committee met in public
session. The Chairman (Senator Colston) took the Chair.
2. CHANGE IN MEMBERSHIP: The Chairman reported the Resolution of the Senate of 24 March 1988 discharging Senator Sheil as a member of the Committee and appointing Senator
Bjelke-Petersen to the Committee.
3. OPENING STATEMENT: The Chairman reported the Resolution of the Senate of 25 March 1988 relating to the considerati on of Additional Estimates of expenditure for 1987-88 and made a statement relating to the procedure to be followed by t he
Committee in its examination of the estimates.
4. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-88 --DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ETHNIC AFFAIRS:
Honourable Margaret Reynolds,
Minister for Local Government, accompanied by the following officers: IN ATTENDANCE: Senator the
Department of Immigration, Affairs Local Government and Ethnic
Mr M. Lynch, First Assistant Secretary, Migration and Ethnic Affairs Policy Division. Mr M. Lawless, Acting First Assistant Secretary,
Operations Development and Support Division. Mr A. Goward, First Assistant Secretary, Operations Management Division. Mr M. Gallagher, First Assistant Secretary, Office of
Local Government. Mr A. Struik, First Assistant Secretary, Corporate
Management Division. Mr J. Fortser, Acting Assistant Secretary, Regions and Overseas Operations Branch. Mr E. Brookbanks, Assistant Secretary, Strategic Policy
A Branch. Mr T. Rodgers, Assistant Secretary, Settlement Panning Branch. Mr V.McMahon, Assistant Secretary, Resource Management
Branch. Mr B. Strangio, Director, Resources Section, Resource Management Branch.
Department of Finance --Mr J. Buckley, Chief Finance Offcer, Immigration and Industrial Relations Section. Ms. G. Schmid, Budget and Public Debt Section.
- 109 -
Mr. R. Briganti, Immigration and Industrial Relations Section.
The Chairman called on the following Programs requiring additional estimates for consideration by the Committee:
Program 1 Program 2 Program 3 Program 4
Migration Visitor Entry Ethnic Affairs Corporate Affairs
Together the expenditure in these Programs comprised the following:
Division 360 (Document A) Division 902 (Document B)
The Committee concluded its consideration of the Proposed Additional Expenditure of the Department Of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs subject to: (a) an undertaking by the Minister to provide additional
information to the Committee; and (b) the Committee seeking further Departmental correspondence with the regarding the citizenship of Senator
information concerning President of the Senate Wood.
5. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-88 - DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS:
Honourable Margaret Reynolds,
Minister for Local Government, accompanied by the following officers: IN ATTENDANCE: Senator the
Department of Veterans' Affairs --Mr A. Kerr, Deputy Secretary. Mr E. Attridge, First Assistant Secretary, Management Services. Mr M. Letts, First Assistant Secretary, Special
Projects and Coordination. Mr R. Soames, First Assistant Secretary, Health
Services Planning. Mr N. Trabinger, First Assistant Secretary, Treatment Services. Mr R. Bernau, Acting Manager, Corporate Planning and Evaluation, Defence Services Homes. Mr P. Watson, Acting Assistant Secretary, Benefits
Planning and Evaluation. Dr. G.Brooks, Assistant Secretary, Pharmaceutical. Mr E Fitzgerald, Assistant Secretary, Systems
Development and Support. Mr P. Keogh, Acting Assistant Secretary, Resources. Ms C. Bates, Acting Assistant Secretary, Services and Operations. Mr A. Clarke, Director, Office of Australian War
Graves. Ms c. Moore, Director, Secretariat.
- 110 -
Ms S. Keogh, Director, Resource Coordination, Benefits Planning and Evaluation. Ms A. Wilson, Assistant Director, Equal Employment
Opportunity. Ms B. Williams, Administrative Officer, Vietnam
Veterans Counselling Service. Mr T. Tucker, Executive Officer, Management Services, Veterans' Review Board. Mr K. Pearson, Director, Australian War Memorial.
Mr J. Pearson, Assistant Secretary, Administration Branch, Australian War Memorial.
The Chairman called on the following Programs requiring additional estimates for consideration by the Committee: Program 1 Program 2
Program 3 Program 4 Program 5
Benefits Health War Graves Corporate Services
Housing Assistance
Together the expenditure in these Programs comprised the following:
Divisions 219-222 (Document A) Divisions 839,841,842 (Document B)
The Committee concluded its consideration of the Proposed Additional Expenditure for the Department of Veterans' Affairs, subject to an undertaking by the Minister to
provide additional information to the Committee.
6. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-88 - DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES AND RESOURCES:
IN ATTENDANCE: Senator the Honourable Peter Cook, Minister for Resources, accompanied by the following officers:
Department of Primary Industries and Energy
Mr D. Ives, Deputy Secretary. Mr P. Hunt, First Assistant Secretary, Corporate
Services and Coordination Division. Mr P. Ryan, First Assistant Secretary, Coal and Nuclear Division. Ms F. Cassidy, First Assistant Secretary, Crops
Division. Mr J. Rae, First Assistant Secretary, Livestock and
Pastoral Division. Mr G. Lawless, First Assistant Secretary, Mineral
Commodities Division. Dr A. Christie, First Assistant Secretary, Natural
Resources Management Division. Mr J. Starkey, First Assistant Secretary, Petroleum Division. Mr J. Carlson, Principal Adviser, Petroleum Division.
- 111 -
Mr R. Rawson, Assistant Secretary, Test Site Management Branch, Coal and Nuclear Division. Mr L. Devin, Assistant Secretary, Water Research and Programs Branch, Natural Resources Management Division. Mr D. Coutts, Assistant Secretary, Petroleum Policy
Branch, Petroleum Division. Mr B. Jones, Assistant Secretary, Industry Development Branch, Policy Development Division. Mr c. Brown, Director, Operations and Policy, Coal
Industry Branch, Coal and Nuclear Division.
Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource
Economics: Dr R. Bain, Director. -Mr T. Larkin, Deputy Director.
Australian Fisheries Service: Mr D. Wesney, Assistant Director, Northern Fisheries Branch.
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service: Mr J. Landos, Acting Deputy Director. Mr B. Schick, Senior Assistant Director, Processed
Foods and Food Standards Branch. Mr D. Pearson, Senior Assistant Director, Development and Services Branch.
Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics: Dr P. Cook, Acting Director. Dr R. Lowden, Acting First Assistant Secretary,
Resources Assessment Division.
Bureau of Rural Science: Dr G. Rothschild, Director.
The Joint Coal Board: Mr L. O'Brien, Chief Finance Officer. Mr R. Douglas, Manager, Administration.
The Chairman called on the following Programs requiring additional estimates for consideration by the Committee:
Program 1 Program 2 Program 3 Program 4 Program 6
Program 7 Program 8 Program 9
Strategic Policy Development Commodity Development and Marketing Natural Resources Management Oil and Gas
Agricultural and Resource Economic Analyses. Rural Industry Services Rural Science Geoscience Research and Resources Assessment Program 10 -- Corporate Development.
Together the expenditure in these Programs comprised the following:
- 112 -
Divisions 490-494 (Document A) Divisions 930-932 (Document B)
The Committee concluded its consideration of the Proposed Additional Expenditure for the Department of Primary
Industries and Resources, subject to an undertaking by the Minister to provide additional information to the Committee.
7. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-88 --DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES AND HEALTH:
IN ATTENDANCE: Senator the Honourabl e Peter Cook, Minister for Resources, accompanied by the following officers:
Department of Community Services and Health
Mr. T. Ayers, Secretary. Dr D. De Souza, Chief Commonwealth Medical Officer. Mr G. Rees, Deputy Secretary. Mr M. Roche, Acting Deputy Secretary.
Ms M. Murnane, First Assistant Secretary, Community Programs Division. Ms J. Halton, Director, Home and Community Care. Mr I. Lindenmayer, First Assistant Secretary, Hospitals
and Residential Programs Division. Mr A. Coates, Acting Assistant Secretary, Hospitals and Insurance Branch. Mr A. Mackay, Assistant Secretary, Medicare Branch.
Mr M. Johnson, Assistant Secretary, Pharmaceutical Benefits Branch. Mr T. Slater, First Assistant Secretary, Health
Advancement Division. Mr P. Moyle, Assistant Secretary, Employment
Development and Strategic Planning Branch. Ms J. Thomas, Acting Assistant Secretary,
Rehabilitation Services Branch. Mr A. Todd, Director, Employment and Finance Section. Dr G. Murphy, Acting First Assistant Secretary, Health Research and Services Division.
Mr P. Gray, Director, Medical Research Committee
Section. Mr P. Pflaum, First Assistant Secretary, Therapeutics Division. Dr A. Proudfoot, Medical Services Adviser, Health
Advancement Division. Dr B. Ashley, Medical Services Advisor, Drug Evaluation Branch. Mr P. Taylor, First Assistant Secretary, Information
Services Division. Mr N. Thelander, Assistant Secretary, Implementation Support Branch. Mr R. Egan First Assistant Secretary, Housing Services Division.
Mr W, Butler, Assistant Secretary, Home Ownership
Programs Branch. Mr B. MacDonald, Acting First Assistant Secretary,
Corporate Services Division.
- 113 -
8.
Mr G. Hine, Acting Assistant Secretary, Resources
Mangement Branch. Mr I. McNeil, Assistant Secretary, Budgets and Planning Branch. Mr A. Mair, Director, Budgets Section. Mr I. Bigg, Assistant Director, Budgets Section. Mr G. James, Assistant Secretary, Drugs and Dependence
Branch.
The Chairman called on the following Programs requiring additional estimates for consideration by the Committee:
Program l Program 3 Program 5 Program 7
Health Advancement Health Care Access Research People with Disabilities who need
additional assistance
Program 9 Housing
Program 12 -- Corporate Management and Support Services
Together the expenditure in these Programs comprised the following:
Divisions 200,201, 206 (Document A) Divisions 830-832 (Document B)
And Program 3 -- Health Care Access being considered by the Committee--
PUBLIC HEARING ADJOURNMENT: The Chairman adjourned the Public Hearing at 10.30 p.m.
9. PRIVATE MEETING: The Committee met in Private Session to
consider items for the Committee's Report. It was agreed to include the following items subject to further
consideration:
(a) Department of Immigration, Local Ethnic Affairs lack of information
issue of Senator Wood's citizenship.
Government and concerning the
{b) Department of Community Services and Health -- Lack of information concerning an Agreement between
Australia and the USSR.
{c) General standard of replies to Estimates.
- 114 -
10. ADJOURMENT: The Committee adjourned a t 1 0 .39 p.m.
11. ATTENDANCE: The following members o f the Committee were
present: Senators Peter Baume, Bj e l ke-Petersen, Colston, Giles, Walters and Zakharov.
Senators Brownhill, Calvert, Harradine, Newman, and Patterson also participated in the Committee's proceedings.
Confirmed:
Mal Colston (Chairman)
- 115 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE D MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS N0.2
THURSDAY, 21 APRIL 1988
1. PUBLIC MEETING: At 3.30 p.m., the Committee met in public
session. The Chairman (Senator Colston) took the Chair.
2. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-88 DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES AND HEALTH:
IN ATTENDANCE: Senator the Honourable Peter Cook, Minister for Re sources, accompanied by the following officers:
Department of Community Services and Health
Mr. T. Ayers, Secretary. Dr D. De Souza, Chief Commonwealth Medical Officer. Mr M. Roche, Acting Deputy Secretary. Mr w. Jackson, Assistant Secretary, Home and Community Care Branch.
Ms E. Bennett, Assistant Secretary, Childcare Branch. Mr M. Doherty, Director, Program Management Section. Mr D. Kelaher, Principal Advisor, Hospitals and
Residential Programs Division. Mr A. Coates, Acting Assistant Secretary, Hospitals and Insurance Branch. Ms J. Bryant, Director, Program Structure Section,
Hospitals and Residential Programs Division. Dr J. Deeble, First Assistant Secretary, Health
Benefits Divsion. Mr A. Mackay, Assistant Secretary, Medicare Branch. Mr M. Johnson, Assistant Secretary, Pharmaceutical
Benefits Branch. Mr w. Turk, Assistant Secretary, Health Benefits
Operations Branch. Mr J. Harmer, Assistant Secretary, Public Housing and Supported Accomodation Branch. Mr w. Butler, Assistant Secretary, Home Ownership
Branch. Mr T. Slater, First Assistant Secretary, Health
Advancement Division. Mr T Slater, First Assistant Secretary, Health
Advancement Division. Dr J. Loy, Principal Advisor, Health Advancement
Division. Ms K. Esson, Acting Assistant Secretary, Health
Promotion and Advocacy Branch. Ms P. Sharpe, Director, Health Promotion Section,
Health Advancement Division. Mr P. Moyle, Assistant Secretary, Employment
Development and Strategic Planning Branch. Mr A. Todd, Director, Employment and Finance Section. Ms M. Schilg, Acting Director, Development Section, Disability Programs Division.
- 116 -
Dr G. Murphy, Acting First Assistant Secretary, Health Research and Services Division. Mr P. Gray, Director, Medical Research Committee
Section. Mr P. Pflaum, First Assistant Secretary, Therapeutics Division. Dr A. Proudfoot, Medical Services Adviser, Health
Advancement Division. Dr B. Ashley, Medical Services Advisor, Drug Evaluation Branch. Mr P. Taylor, First Assistant Secretary, Information
Services Division. Mr N. Thelander, Assistant Secretary, Implementation Support Branch. Mr B. MacDonald, Acting First Assistant Secretary,
Corporate Division.
Mr I. McNeil, Assistant Secretary, Budgets and Planning Branch. Mr A. Mair, Director, Budgets Section. Mr I. Bigg, Assistant Director, Budgets Section. Dr L. Smith, Director, Australian Institute of Health. Dr N. Thompson, Acting Secretary, Australian Institute
of Health.
Department of Finance Mr P. McGlew, Senior Finance Officer. Ms c. Edmondson, Senior Finance Officer. Mr M. Rosser, Senior Finance Officer.
The Chairman called additional estimates Committee:
on the following Programs requiring for further consideration by the
Program 3 Program 5 Program 7
Health Care Access Research People with Disabilities who need additional assistance Program 9 Housing
Program 12 -- Corporate Management and Support Services
Together the expenditure in these Programs comprised the following:
Divisions 200,201, 206 (Document A) Divisions 830-832 (Document B)
The Committee concluded its consideration of the Proposed Additional Expenditure for the Department of Community Services and Health subject to an undertaking by the
Minister to provide additional information to the Committee.
3. PRIVATE MEETING: The Committee met in Private Session at
5.23 p.m. to consider the Committee's Draft Report and any other items following the days hearings. It was agreed to
include an item relating to the presence of the Minister for Resources.
- 117 -
4. NEXT MEETING: The Committee agreed to meet on Wednesday, 27 April 1988 at 8.a.m. in Committee Room No.6. to further its inquires with the Department of Immigration, Local
Government and Ethnic Affairs.
5. ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 5.38 p.m.
6 . ATTENDANCE: The following members of the Committee were
present: Senators Peter Baume, Bjelke-Petersen, Colston, Giles, Walters and Zakharov.
Con f i rmed.
Mal Colston (Chai r man)
- 118 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE D MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS N0.3
WEDNESDAY, 27 APRIL 1988
1. PUBLIC MEETING: At 8.05 a.m., the Committee met in public
2 .
sessi on . The Chairman (Senator Colston) took the Chair.
PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987-88 DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION , LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ETHNIC AFFAIRS:
IN ATTENDANCE: Senator the Honourable Margaret Reynolds, Mini s ter for Local Gpvernment, accompanied by the following officer: Mr A.C . Harri s , Deputy Secretary.
The Chair man called additional e s timates Comm i ttee:
on the following Program requiring for further consideration by the
Program 1 -- Migration
The Committee concluded its consideration of the Proposed Additi onal Expenditure for the Department of Immigration, Local Go ver nment and Ethnic Affairs subject to an
undertak i ng b y the Minister to provide additional
infor mation to the Committee.
3 . PRIVATE MEETING : The Committee met in Private Session at
8.30 a.m . to consider the Committee's Draft Report and with minor amendments the Report was agreed to.
4 ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 8.50 a.m.
5. ATTENDANCE: The following members of the Committee were
pre sent: Sena t or s Peter Baume, Bjelke-Petersen, Colston, Walters and Zakharov.
Confirmed.
Mal Colston (Chairman)
- 119 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE D
HANSARD INDEX TO ISSUES RAISED AT
THE COMMITTEE's PUBLIC HEARINGS
April 1988
- 121 -
SENATE ESTIMATES COMMITTEE D
HANSARD
THURSDAY, 14 APRIL 1988 THURSDAY, 21 APRIL 1988 WEDNESDAY, 27 APRIL 1988
Index to Issues
Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs
Chairman's Opening Statement
Program 1 - Migration
Citizenship Cost of Annual Report Utilization of Departmental Property Absorption of former PSB staff Citizenship Migration program figures
Sub-Program 1.3 - Economic migration Preparation for migration Japanese on work holidays in Queensland
Program 2 - Visitor Entry
Sub-program 2.1 Visa overstays Illegal entry schemes Overstaying tourists staying with family
Professor Elena Samonte Training of Immigration Officers Immigration Clearance Fee
Student overstayers Visa fees and costs Overseas approaches to overstayers problem Cost of processing Australian travellers
Processing time for visas to Japanese tourists Visa application backlog in Manila Assistance to elderly, disabled etc. at airports Immigration Clearance Fee
Estimates of number of visiting tourists Capability to handle more tourists IRIS Computers Immigration Clearance Fee
Deportation at Port-of-Entry Counterfeit Visas
- 123 -
1
2
2
2
2
2-3 3
4
4
4
5
5
5
5-8 8-9 9
9-10 11 11-12 12-13 13
H l4
14-15 15 15-16 16 16 16-17 18 19 19 19 19 19-20
Program 1 - Migration
Citizenship
Program 3 - Ethnic Affairs
Pre-departure briefings for migrants
Sub-Program 3.1 - Settlement Services Cost-efficiency of services Funding for preservation of migrant cultures Funding of overseas Immigration office rentals CACS Ltd. RMIT Superannuation
Sub-Program 3.3 - Recognition of Overseas professional Qualifications Language services 'Needy new arrivals'
Police checks on migrants
Program 4 - Corporate Services
Decentralisation Programme
Department of Veterans' Affairs
Minister's Opening Remarks Program 1 - Benefits
Sub-Program 1.2 -Compensation Hearing Aids HRP Operations Waiting times for surgery Comparative hospital costs
Increase in hospital bed occupancy Notification by Hospital of admission of veteran as patient
Program 5 - Housing Assistance Program
Defence Service Home Loan Scheme Portability of Corporation Home Loans Program 1 - Benefits
Program 1.2 - Compensation Service Pensions for Allied Veterans Ex-Servicewomen from Korea, Vietnam and Malaysia Compensation for Veterans affected by chemicals used during Vietnam War Assets test effects on veterans Veterans' children education scheme
Program objectives Nuclear veterans Statutory patient contribution for Nursing Homes - 124 -
20
20-22
22
22-23
23 23 23 23 23-24 25
25 25 25-26 26
26
26-27
28
28
28 28-29 29 20-30 30 31
31
31
31-32 32-33
33
33 33 33
33 33-34 34 34 34 35
Program 3 - War Graves
Sub-program 3.2 - Care and Ma i ntenance Australian contribution to War Graves Commission Andrew Fisher's grave
Program 5 - Housing Assistance
Sale of Defence Service Homes Corporation Home acquisition grants Home loans
Department of Primary Industries and Energy
Departmental Opening Remarks
Program 1 - Strategic Policy Development
Assistance for fertiliser use Rural Adjustment Scheme Pride of Eden Program Objectives Staff and Other Savings in new Departmen t Program 2 - Commodity Development and Marketi ng
BTEC Funding
Sub-Program 2.3 - Fisheri es Fishing boat licence levy Australian Fisheries service staffing Northern Prawn Fishery
Pride of Eden
Sub-Program 2.4 - Coal Coal rail freight ef:iciency scheme Japanese undermini ng of Australian coal prices Joint Coal Board
Sub-Program 2.5 - Other Minerals Assistance to tin industry Costs of Diamond Valuer
Program 3 - Natural Resources Management
Water Resources Assistance Program Murray-Darling Basin Commission
Program 4 - Energy
Sub-Program 4.2 - Oil and Gas Payments to Esso-BHP Estimates of Crude Oil Production
- 125 -
35
35 35
35-36
36 36-37 37
37
38
38
38-39 39-40 39 40-41 41
4 1
41-42
42 42 42 42 - 43 43-44
44 44 44-45 45
45 45 46
46
46 47
47
47-48 48
Program 6 - Agriculture and Resource Analyses 6.1 - Agricultural economics Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics
Program 7 - Rural Industry Services Sub-Program 7.1 -Quarantine and Inspection Services Exemption of plant genetic resources centres from quarantine fees
Costs of coastal surveillance Apprehension in contract rates for coastal vessels Irian Jayan vessel at Badu Island Cost of patrolling Thursday Islands area Screw-Worm fly Gamba grass Residue-testing
Export inspection charges
Program 8
Sub-program 8.1 Grains Council of Australia research
Program 9 - Geoscience Research and Resource Assessment
Sub-Program 9.6 - Management and Information
Program 10 - Corporate Development
Sub-Program 10.2 - Corporate Services Impact on Services of staff reductions
of Community Services and Health
Program 1 - Health Advancement
Alcohol and Drug Foundation of Australia Nurse education
Sub-Program 1.3 -Health promotion and disease prevention Funding of community-based health groups Menzies Centre
Hobart Women's Health Centre AZT Aids in Prisons Aids in the Defence Forces Pap smears Aids Education Program - National Community Health Program Sub-Program - International Health
Australia-USSR Agreement
- 126 -
48 48
48-49
49 49
49 49
49 so 50-51 51 51 51-52 52
53
53
53
53
53
53 53-54
54
55
55 55
56 56-57 57 58-61 61-65 65 65 65-66 66-67 67 68 68-70
Program 3 - Health Care Access
Health Insurance Act Pathology Tests and Medicar e bene fits Regular tests and Med i care benefits Human papiloma virus warts Amniocentesis test Sub-Program 3.2 - Pharmaceutical Benefits
Processing time for schemes Hepatitis B in Aboriginal Communities Hepatitis B Vaccine, avai labili ty of
Department of Community Services and Hea l th
Australia-USSR Agreement Availability of officers Women's Health Centre Pathology Services and Med i care bene fit s
AZT
Program 5 - Research Sub-program 5.2 - Health Research Report on racism in Department Copyright on Departmental research
Australian Institute of Health dat a collection
Program 7 - People with Disabilities who Need Additional Assistance
Sub-Program- 7.1 Accommodation and Accommodati on Support Increase in expenditure on this item Funding under Disability Act
Program 9 - Hous : ng
Sub-Program 9.1 - Home ownership
Program 12 - Corporate Management and Support Services
Sub-Program 12.3 - Corporate Servi ces Compensation and legal expenses Australia Card expenditur e
Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs
Program 1 - Migration
Citizenship of Senator R. Wood
- 12 7 -
70
70-77 71-72 72 72-73 74 74 14!15 75 76
78 79 79-85 85-87 87
88 88 88-89 89
90
90
90 90-91 91-92
93
93
93
93 9 3 9 4
95
95
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE E
REPORT
April 1988
- 129 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE E
REPORT TO THE SENATE
Estimates Committee E presents its Report to the Senate.
INTRODUCTION
On 25 March 1988 tbe Senate referred to the Committee
Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure for the Service of the year ending on 30 June 1988 (being Appropriation Bill
Expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 1988
(being Appropriation Bill
Attorney-General's Aboriginal Affairs Administrative Services Defence
The Committee has considered the particulars of proposed
additional expenditure and actual expenditure for each of the above departments, making use of the Departmental Explanatory Notes. The Committee has also received explanations from the Minister for Home Affairs
officers from the departments and authorities concerned.
Copies of the Minutes of Proceedings and Hansard reports of the evidence taken by the Committee are tabled for the information of the Senate in connection with its consideration of
Appropriation Bills
- 131 -
in a volume entitled 'Additional Information - Written Answers to Questions Taken On Notice- Estimates Committee E'. Some answers to certain questions on notice asked before and during the Committee's hearings have already been incorporated in the Committee's Hansard. Additional papers tabled in the Committee by the Ministers will be either included in full, or, where
they are already public documents, by reference, in the
Committee's Additional Information volume referred to above. This volume also contains a number of written answers to
questions arising from the Committee's Estimates hearings in October 1987 but not answered in time for publication at that time.
The Committee draws the attention of the Senate to some of the matters arising from its consideration of the Additional
Estimates. A much larger number of issues was raised by the
Committee during the course of its hearings. For the
information of Senators a Hansard index to all of these issues is attached as an appendix to this Report. Due to a production error in the proof issue of Hansard for Thursday, 21 April
1988, the page numbering begins at E45 instead of E71. The
index is to the corrected Hansard, and not to the proof.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT
National Companies and Securities Commission
In its report of October 1987, CParl. Paper 216 of 1987>, the
Committee drew attention to several difficulties faced by the National Companies and Securities Commission CNCSC> due to a high turnover rate of skilled professional personnel. The
Committee reports that it was advised at its hearing with the Department that resignation rates of NCSC personnel has been reduced to a more acceptable level. Mr Starr of the Department told the Committee that:
- 132 -
The
The position in the last six months since Mr Schaer [of
the NCSCJ provided the Committee with information is that there have been ll resignations, which is a considerably lower · resignation rate than that in the figures provided by Mr Schaer on the occasion of the Estimates. Five of
those resignations were of professional staff and six of keyboard and clerical staff. This compares with 18
professionals and seven others in the first 10 months of calendar year 1987.
NCSC's importance as a Commonwealth authority was
highlighted by the Committee in its October 1987 report. The level of experienced professional personnel in the NCSC is an important, if not the most important, determinant of the
NCSC's effectiveness as a gatherer and analyser of information and a key participant in Australian commerce. draws the matter to the Senate's attention. The Committee
Special Investigation Unit
The Committee notes that a sum of $500,000 is sought for
expenditure balance of
by the Special Investigation Unit
for the
is for
'administrative expenses' . The Committee was advised that the sum was 'substantially in the area of overseas travel and the
costs associated with that sort of activity'
The SIU is involved in collecting and analysing information from archival sources, primarily located in Europe and the
United States, on war crimes committed during World War II. Relevant information it collects will be prepared as a brief for examination by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who can then decide to initiate prosecution of persons under
appropriate Australian war crimes legislation.
The Committee was told that the scope of the work of the SIU
has grown because of a dramatic response in the number of
people resident in Australia whose cases are being examined by the SIU. In this regard the Committee was told the number has
grown from 70 to some 500 cases.
133 -
The Committee notes that the sum sought is in addition to the
sum of $487,000 appropriated in the estimates for 1987-88. The Committee draws the Senate's attention to the large extra sum of money sought by the SIU and notes that answers given to
Senators' questioning of the Department show that the role of the SIU may be expected to continue for some time and at quite considerable cost
Australian Federal Police - Bicentennial Overtime
The Committee . asked the Department of how the sum of $839,000 sought to fund, inter alia, 'increased requirement .for overtime connected with Bicentennial events'. The Committee found the explanation of how this sum was calculated, and why an extra sum was required, confusing and unclear.
pp. E12-14)
DEPARTMENT OF ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS
Program Budgeting
In common with other Estimates Committees, the Committee has examined closely the development and quality of information provided as a result of the adoption of program budgeting by Departments. The Department of Aboriginal Affairs has
commented in the past on difficulties it has experienced in
complying with guidelines issued to departments and authorities by the Department of Finance in producing program budgeting material.
In the introduction to its Explanatory Notes, the Department stated:
- 134 -
These Explanatory Notes do not conform exactly with the requirements promulgated by the Department of Finance. It is our view that a strict following of the Depar tment of
Finance instructions would not provide to the Committee sufficient information on which to consider the
relationship between the Additional Estimates sought and the overall Portfolio budget. These Explanatory Notes attempt to provide a clear picture to the Committee of not only the Additional Estimates, but also the total
financial activities of the Portfolio. The Deputy Secretary of the Department, Mr Brownbill , was asked to comment on this statement. He told the Committee:
The Department has always had as an objective to provide to the Parliament full, accurate and frank explanations of the funds that we seek from the Parliament. It is our
view that the shorter format that the Department of
Finance promulgated is not adequate to inform the
Parliament. We have, therefore, gone our own way to some extent by providing more, not less, information . It is
important that we again make the point - a point that I am
on the record as having made before this Committee - that the departments which are in program budgeting are still, even after three years, having to double count and provide information to the Parliament, both under the
Appropriation Bills and for program budgeting . That may seem a small task to a department as large as the
Department of Finance with the resources that are
available to it, but to a department of our size it is a
considerable burden. We find that, to meet the proper
requirements of informing the Parliament fully and
frankly, we should expose the matters in the way we have done.
Senators' attention is also drawn to an answer given to Senator Tambling by Mr Millar of the Department on the development of program performance indicators for the Department:
We have now been on program budgeting for, I think, two
years. We have in place performance indicators in all
functions. I think we have said in the Senate before that we regard them as interim, or developmental, in nature and that we anticipate changes to them. At the last meeting
we reported that we were having discussions with
Aboriginal organisations about the adequacy of our health indicators. The result of those meetings was that we
concluded that we have further work to do with Aboriginal organisations. Nonetheless, the indicators are in place. Reports are due now on our performance for the first six
months of this financial year. You will notice in the
introductory statement that we have been unable at this
- 135 -
stage to collect all that information. However, it will be available shortly, as will our written performance data on each grant recipient, by May of this year. So we feel
we are going reasonably well with it. We are still
developing. I might add that we have a team of two
people, one of whom is me, embarking on a series of visits to our field staff to talk to them and to put in place
training sessions with them on program budgeting, what is it all about, the importance of indicators, etc. A lot of
work is being done.
Estimates Committees have drawn the Senate's attention to the development and to 'teething troubles' which have been apparent in the introduction of program budgeting. Mr Brownbill's
comment, quoted above, may suggest that the present systems and resources used by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs to
aggregate and compile financial information are less than
adequate, or are being misdirected.
The Committee is also of the opinion that the continued
development of clear, accurate and concise program performance indicators will prove to be of assistance to Parliamentary
assessment of the effectiveness of government programs.
Consultation process the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Commission
Questions were asked during the Committee's examination of additional - estimates for the Department and for the Aboriginal Development Commission on the costs of the necessarily
extensive consultation process that has been undertaken with Aboriginal and Islander communities and groups on the
establishment of ATSIC. by Committee members
Senators' may find the questions asked on the costs and course of these
consultations and the answers provided by the Department and the Aboriginal Development Commission of some interest .
- 136 -
DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Program 9 - _Purchasing and Sales
In its October 1987 report, the Committee reported in detail on this program and on concepts raised by elements of its past
administration. The Committee sought information from the Department on progress that the Department could report on ensuring that this extremely important area of the Department's activities was being improved.
The Committee was advised by Mr Butler of the Department that:
The Department as a whole is working to develop its risk
assessment as required in the implementation of the fraud control committee report. As an individual program within the Department, we have been looking at our risks and
exposures. We are completing our risk assessment and, like other programs within the portfolio, we will prepare a fraud control plan thereafter.
The Committee has noted this response and will report further on the Department's progress in ensuri ng the Department's
program is secured against carelessness, oversight or fraud in its report on the Department's estimates for 1988-89.
General Comment - Annual Reports
The Committee notes that there is still obvious and
inexplicable differences in the printing standard and quality of annual reports presented to the Parliament by departments and authorities.
When the question of Guidelines for the production of such
reports was raised, the Minister at the table, Senator Ray,
responded to the Committee's concern as follows:
- 137 -
The information branch, myself and others have noted quite separately, the problem that you have raised, and we will be asking every department to justify its publications figure. We have used a few examples from time to time.
We have compared the Qantas report with the ACT
Electricity Authority report. I would say that even
though Qantas has a turnover of billions of dollars, the Qantas report cost 10 per cent of the cost of the ACT
Electricity Authority report. It is an area that needs
attention. (Hansard, p. E96> The Committee draws the matter to the Senate's attention in view of the Parliament's continued interest in the subject.
Parliament House Construction Authority
The Committee reports that it undertook a short, but detailed, examination of the Authority's expenditure at its hearings. The Committee held a special hearing on the evening of
Wednesday, 27 April 1988, and for the information of Senators notes that the hearing is recorded in Hansard. Several areas of potential i nterest to Senators were raised during the
hearing.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE
General - Answers to Questions on Notice
The Committee draws the Senate ' s attention to a problem which it has encountered in obtaining answers to questions taken on notice by the Department at the Committee's hearings in October 1987. Answers to a number of the questions taken on notice by
the Department on 22 October 1987 were provided to the
Committee by facsimile transmission on 21 April 1988, the day on which the Committee considered the additional estimates for the Department and six months after the questions were taken on notice. The Department appears to have collected the answers as they were prepared over the period from October 1987 and
delivered them to the Committee at the last possible moment before the Department was to appear before the Committee.
- 138 -
The Committee finds this delay in providing answers totally unacceptable. It is clearly necessary that the Department
institute a system of checking at regular intervals following Estimates Committee hearings to ensure that questions to which replies are outstanding are in the course of preparation. If questions have been prepared, those answers should be forwarded
to the Secretary of the Committee immediately.
The Committee will report on its experience with answers to questions taken on notice by the Department at its hearings on additional estimates its report on the Department's
estimates for 1988-89.
GENERAL
The Committee thanks the Ministers, Senator the Hon. Robert Ray and the Senator the Hon. Michael Tate for their courteous
assistance during the Committee's hearings. The Committee also acknowledges with appreciation the oral and written answers provided by the official witnesses who appeared before it.
(Terry Aulich> Chairman
April 1988
- 139 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE E
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
April 1988
- 141 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE E
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
NO. 6
Thursday, 14 April 1988
1. MEETING: The Committee met in private session at 11 . 33
a.m. in the Senate Chamber. The Chairman, Senator Aulich, took the Chair.
2. MANNER OF EXAMINING THE ADDITIONAL ESTIMATES: The
Committee agreed to examine Departments in the following order: Attorney-General's; Aboriginal Affairs;
Administrative Services; Defence.
3. ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 11.35 a.m.
4. ATTENDANCE: Senators Aulich, Beahan, Morris, Newman, Short, Tarnbling.
CONFIRMED:
- 143 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE E
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
NO. 7
Thursday, 14 April 1988
1 . MEETING: The Committee met in public session at 11.35 a.m.
in the Senate Chamber. The Chairman, Senator Aulich, took the Chair.
2. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987/88 -ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT.
3. IN ATTENDANCE: Senator the Hon. Michael Tate, Minister for Justice, representing the Attorney-General, accompanied by the following officers:
Attorney-General's Department
Mr M.A. Cranswick
Mr R.C. Davey
Mr D.C. Edwards
Mr P. Folbigg
Mr B. Franklin
Mr G.J. Gosling
First Assistant Secretary, Office of Legal Aid Administration
Acting Deputy Secretary
First Assistant Secretary, Justice and Administrative Law Division
Office of Parliamentary Counsel
Executive Officer, Family Court of Australia
Executive Officer, Administrative Appeals Tribunal
- 144 -
Mr J.C. Johnson
Mr G.W. Johnson
Mr R.M. Krauss
Mr P.G. Levy
Mr B.A. McMillan
Mr G.R. Mills
Mr G.A. Mowbray
Mr N.S. Reaburn
Mr T.A. Sherman
Mr S.F.M. Skehill
Mr R.M. Smeaton
Mr D.J. Smith
Mr M. Starr
Mr I.M.L. Turnbull
Mr E. Willheim
Department of Finance
Ms P. Roessler
Mr N. McGladrigan
Deputy Commissioner, Australian Federal Police
Acting First Assistant Secretary, Federal Bureau of Consumer Affairs
Acting Director, Budget Management Section
Acting Deputy Secretary
Acting First Assistant Secretary, Legal Services Co-ordination Division
Assistant Secretary, Australian Federal Police
Principal Legal Officer, Constitutional Review Branch
First Assistant Secretary, Security Division
Deputy Secretary
First Assistant Secretary, Corporate Services Division
Acting Senior Assistant Secretary, Resources Management Branch
Deputy Director, Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence
Senior Assistant Secretary, Business Affairs Division
First Parliamentary Counsel First Assistant Secretary, Community Affairs Division
Finance Officer, Defence and Government Division
Finance Office, Defence and Government Division
- 145 -
The Chairman called on for consideration the following Programs:
Non-Specific 1. Legal Services to the Commonwealth 2. Law-Related Services to the Community 3. Legal Aid
4. Administration of Justice 6. Maintenance of Law, Order and Security 7. Corporate Services
The Committee concluded its consideration of the
Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure 1987/88 for the Attorney-General's Department, subject to an
undertaking by the Minister and officers to provide
additional information to the Committee.
PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE 1987/88 -DEPARTMENT OF ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS
IN ATTENDANCE: Senator the Hon. Michael Tate, Minister for Justice, representing the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, accompanied by the following officers:
Department of Aboriginal Affairs
Mr G.M . Brownbill
Mr D.J. O'Rourke
Mr W. Gray
Mr A. G. Koukoulas
Mr M.J. Strokowsky
Mr R.J. Beadman
Mr J.G. Jones
Mr W. Oakes
Mr W.E. Miller
Deputy Secretary
Acting Deputy Secretary
Chairman, ATSIC Task Force
Acting First Assistant Secretary, Corporate Development Division
Acting First Assistant Secretary, Programs Policy Division
Acting First Assistant Secretary, Corporate Services Division
Acting First Assistant Secretary, Heritage and Legal Division
Assistant Secretary, Public Affairs Branch
Assistant Secretary, Budget Branch
- 146 -
Mr G. Bissaker
Mr D. McDonald
Mr J. Waters
Mr I. Willis
Ms G. Humes
Acting Assistant Secretary, Management Services Branch
Acting Assistant Secretary, Community Development Branch
Acting Assistant Secretary, Heritage Legislation Branch
Acting Director, Budget Co-ordination
Director, Office of Aboriginal Women
Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies
Mr W. Dix Principal
Mr T. Varga Finance Officer
Aboriginal Hostels Limited
Mr R.C. Clarke
Mr J.C. Rooks
Mr J.E. Ramsay
Ms J.P. Gilmour
General Manager
Assistant Genereal Manager -Company Secretary
Assistant General Manager -Operations
Finance Manager
Aboriginal Development Commission
Mrs s. McPherson
Mr M. O'Brien
Mr w. Prior
Mr P. McMahon
Mr c. Kay
Mr P. Fitzwarryne
Department of Finance
Mr Q. Perks
Chairman
General Manager
Deputy General Manager
Assistant General Manager, Administration
Manager, Finance
Manager, Corporate Planning and Program Evaluation
Senior Finance Officer, Social Security Division
- 147 -
The Chairman called on for consideration the following programs:
Non-Specific 2. Public Affairs
4. Community Development 5. Corporate Services 6. Aboriginal Development Commission
The Committee concluded its consideration of the
Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure 1987/88, subject to an undertaking by the Minister and officers to provide additional information to the Committee.
The following documents were provided at the hearing by officers:
1. ATSIC Consultations 2. Regional Boundaries (Foundations Proposal>
6. ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 10.40 p.m.
7. ATTENDANCE: Senators Aulich, Beahan, Morris, Newman, Short, Tambling. Senators Durack and Hill also attended.
CONFIRMED:
- 148 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE E
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
No. 8
Thursday, 21 April 1988
1. MEETING: The Committee met in public session at 3.33 p.m. in the Senate Chamber. The Chairman, Senator Aulich, took the Chair.
2. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED EXPENDITURE 1987/88 - DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE .
3 . IN ATTENDANCE: Senator the Hon . Robert Ray, Minister for
Home Affairs, representing the Minister for Defence,
accompanied by the following officers:
Department of Defence
Mr R.N. McLeod
Vice Admiral I.W. Knox
Commodore A.M. Hunt
Major General G.J. Fitzgerald
Air Vice Marshal R.W. Bradford
Mr. L.B. Woodward
Dr M.K. Mcintosh
- 149 -
Deputy Secretary A
Vice Chief of Defence Force
Director General, Naval Programs and Resource Management
Deputy Chief of the General Staff
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Head of Defence Logistics
Chief of Capital Procurement
Mr K.A. Harris
Rear Admiral B.L. West
Brigadier J.J. Farry
Air Vice Marshal B.H. Collings
Mr R.B. Finnegan
Mr R.H. Englund
Mr W.J. Kirkby-Janes
Commodore P.H. James
Mr D. Powell
Mr M.H. Ives
Dr R.G. Brabin-Smith
Mr O.J. Raymond
Mr S.J. Merchant
Mr D. Hawke
Mr G.J. Hansen
Mr W. O'Farrell
Mr P.R. Huntley
- 150 -
Chief of Defence Production
Chief of Naval Materiel
Deputy Chief of Materiel - Army
Chief of Air Force -Materiel
First Assistant Secretary, Human Resources
Assistant Secretary, Manpower, Policy and Strategies Managing Director,
Defence Housing Authority
Director General, Defence Force Pay and Conditions
First Assistant Secretary, Facilities and Property
First Assistant Secretary, Programs & Budgets
First Assistant Secretary, Force Development & Analysis
Assistant Chief Defence Scientist, Operations Senior Assistant Secretary, International Policy
Assistant Secretary, Financial Programs
Assistant Secretary, Resources Planning - Navy
A/Assistant Secretary, Resources Planning - Army
Assistant Secretary, Resources Planning - Air Force
Mr R. Lane
Mr McMahon
Department of Finance
Mr J.S. MacLeod
A/First Assistant Secretary, Resources Project Support
Assistant Secretary, Accounting & Budgets
Chief Finance Officer, Defence and Government Division
The Chairman called on for consideration the following Divisions: 230; 234; 241; 242; 243; 244.
The Committee concluded its consideration of the
Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure 1987/88 for the Department of Defence, subject to an undertaking by the Minister and officers to provide additional
information to the Committee.
4. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED EXPENDITURE 1987/88 - DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
5. IN ATTENDANCE: Senators the Hon. Robert Ray, Minister for Home Affairs and the Hon. Graham Richardson, Minister for
the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, representing the Minister for Administrative Services, accompanied by the following officers:
Department of Administrative Services
Mr C.A. McAlister
Mr A.A. Hillier
Mr R. Divett
Mr D. Wilson
Mr H. Jacka
Mr R. Rubie
Deputy Secretary
Acting Deputy Secretary
General Manager, Australian Property Group
Acting General Manager, Overseas Property Group
General Manager, Construction Group
Government Printer, Australian Government Publishing Service
- J 51 -
Mr A. Butler
Dr J. Zillman
Mr P. O'Neill
Mr R. Webb
Mr N. Smail
Dr C.A. Hughes
Mr S. Palywoda
Department of Finance
Mr K. Sweeney
Mr R.A. Foster
General Manager, Purchasing and Sales Group
Director, Bureau of Meteorology
Assistant General Manager, Parliamentary and Ministerial Services Branch
Assistant General Manager, Parliament House Executive Wing
Assistant General Manager, Information Branch
Electoral Commissioner, Australian Electoral Commission
Acting First Assistant Secretary, Business Development Group
Chief Finance Officer, Defence and Government Division
Acting Chief Finance Officer, Defence and Government Division
The Chairman called on for consideration the following Programs:
Non-specific Program 1 - Australian Property Services Program 2 - Overseas Property Services Program 3 - Construction and Asset Management Services Program 8 - Publishing and Printing Program 14 - Parliamentary Information and Other Services Program 16 - Electoral Services
The Committee concluded its consideration of the
Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure 1987/88 for the Department of Administrative Services, with the
exception of the Parliament House Construction Authority, and subject to an undertaking by the Minister and officers to provide additional information to the Committee.
- 152 -
The Committee resolved to meet at 8.00 p.m. on Wednesday, 27 April 1988 to continue its examination of the
Parliament House Construction Authority.
6. ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 12.05 a.m. Friday.
7. ATTENDANCE: Senator Aulich, Beahan, Morris, Newman, Short and Tambling. Senators Michael Baume, Peter Baume, Hill and MacGibbon also attended.
CONFIRMED:
- 153 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE E
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
NO. 9
Wednesday, 27 April 1988
1. MEETING: The Committee met in public session at 8.03 p.m. The Deputy Chairman, Senator Beahan, took the Chair.
2. PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED EXPENDITURE 1987/88 - DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
3. IN ATTENDANCE: Senator the Hon. Robert Ray, Minister for Home Affairs, representing the Minister for Administrative
Services, accompanied by the following officers:
Parliament House Construction Authority
Mr J.D. Fowler
Mr John Maher
Mr D. O'Connell
Deputy Chief Executive
Senior Executive, Administration & Finance
Engineer
Department of Administrative Services
Mr L. Walsh Acting Director, Resource Budgets
The Chairman called on for examination the Parliament House Construction Authority.
The Committee concluded its examination of the Parliament House Construction Authority, subject to an undertaking by the Minister and officers to provide additional
information to the Committee.
- 154 -
4. ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 9.43 p.m.
5. ATTENDANCE: Senators Beahan, Morris, Newman, Parer and Tambling. Senator Michael Baume also attended.
Apologies were received from Senator Aulich .
CONFIRMED:
- 155 -
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE E
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
NO. 10
Thursday, 28 April 1988
1. MEETING: The Committee met in deliberative session at
6.30 pm in the Government Party Room. The Chairman,
Senator Terry Aulich, took the chair.
2. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES: The minutes of the meetings held on:
3.
Thursday, 14 April 1988
were read and confirmed.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE: The Committee considered the
Chairman's draft Report to the Senate.
Resolved: On the motion of Senator Beahan, that the
Report be adopted.
4. ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 6.35 pm.
- 156 -
5. ATTENDANCE: Senators Aulich
Morris.
Apologies were received from Senators Newman, Parer and Tambling.
CERTIFIED CORRECT:
(Terry Aulichl Chairman
- 157 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE E
HANSARD INDEX TO ISSUES RAISED AT
THE COMMITTEE'S PUBLIC HEARINGS
April 1988
- 159 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE E
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR HANSARD OF HEARINGS
Thursday, 14 April 1988
Subject
Chairman's opening Statement
ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT
Program - Non-specific
Muirhead Royal Commission - resources Questions on notice from Senator Michael Baume Legal aid to illegal migrants ACT Magistrates Court - delays
Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission - lack of Canberra office ACT law and order package Protection of embassies
Crime in the ACT JDs nightclub - police surveillance Underage drinking Copyright protection for TV, radio programs
Fraud against DEET Fraud control Co-operation between law- enforcement agencies Witness protection
Commonwealth Reporting Service - efficiency scrutiny review Commonwealth courts rebuilding program NCSC - staff turnover
- Commissioner McPherson's appointment Proposed Australian Securities Commission - computer equipment - progress of legislation for State corporate affairs offices
- incompatibility of computer networks Constitutional Commission - use of consultants - choice of printing firms
- on-going travel costs - educative role Referendum
- date of effect
- 161 -
Page
El
E2 - E3 E3
E3,El4 - El7 E3-E4
E4-ES
ES-E6,El2-El4 E6 E6 E7-E8
E8
E8 - E9 E9
E9-10 Ell El2
El2,El4 El7 El8
El8-El9
El9 E20
El9
20 E21
E21-E22 E22-E23
E23 E26
Subject
Program 1 - Legal Services to the Commonwealth
Australian Government Solicitor - backlog of compensation appeal cases Legal opinion sought over ATSIC legislation Antecedent native title - legal op1n1on ADC's opposition to ATSIC - legal opinion
Program 2 - Law Related Services to the Community
Marriage counselling grants
Program 4 - Administration of Justice
Family Law Courts - telephone tracing facilities - additional Judicial Registrars - delays in hearings - new Sydney premises
Program 6 - Maintenance of Law, Order and Security
Special Investigations Unit - administrative expenses - overseas travel - staffing
- translators - referral of matters to the DPP - Mr Greenwood's contract - legal aid for defendants - agreements to obtain evidence from overseas
countries - Soviet source evidence Use of Federal Police on Christmas Island Entitlement of AFP members from service in Cyprus Adequacy of AFP staffing levels
Investigation into the Hercules aircraft Release of Health Insurance Commission records Harris-Daishowa investigation Adequacy of the electoral roll AFP computer personnel AFP/State police training programs
Policing at airports Theft of explosives in the ACT
- 162 -
Page
E26-E27 E27 E28 E28
E28-E29
E29-E30 E30 E30
E30-E31
E31 E32 E33 E33 E34 E34 E36
E37-E38 E38-E39 E39-E40 E40-E41
E41 E41
E41-E42
E42,E43,E45 E42 E43 E43-E44
E44
E44-E45
Subject
DEPARTMENT OF ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS
Program - Non-specific
Format of the Explanatory Notes Progress in program management The proposed ATSIC - administrative arrangements
- staffing resources, consultants - legislative timetable Education programs transferred to DEET Northern Land Council
- consultant appointed - incorporation of NAIC Incorporated companies and enterprise support funding Accountability status
- Charleville Aboriginal Housing Company - Ngamampar Health Service - Darlots Creek Aboriginal Corporation Assets of Aboriginal organisations ATSIC task force Consultations on the proposed ATSIC Advice from Mr David Graham, QC Assessment of NT pastoral properties re suitability for acquisition Program 2 - Public Affars
Imparja Television - funding - white attitudes - ADC nominee directors
Program 3 - Social and Legal
Legal Aid officers in conflict of interest situations Program 4 - Community Development
Aboriginal Hostels Ltd insurance Lionel Rose Centre fire Emerald Creek Women's Rehabilitation Hostel
Program 5 - Corporate Services
Australian Government Solicitor - negoti ated legal settlement Groote Eylandt co-ordinator ATSIC consultations
- with non-Aboriginal organisations Comments on the proposed ATSIC structure
- 1 63 -
Page
E46-E47 E47
E47 E48 E48 E49
E49 ESO
ESO
E50 - E51 E51 E51 E51 E52
E52-E5 3 E53
E54,E55 - E56
E54 E55 E55
E56
E5 6 E56 E5 7
E57 E57
E57 - E58 E58
E58 - E59
Subject
Cost comparisons ATSIC/DAA Lake Condah handover Lake Bennett meeting costs Royalties Association Conference Community Development Employment Program
computer system ATSIC consultations - staff travel ATSIC - computer systems, consultancies NT airstrip testing by VIP flights Visit of Madam Daes Program 6 - Aboriginal Development Commission
Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, Burnie, grant Housing costs - effects on purchases Nardoola Aboriginal Corporation Birrallee Pre-School Aboriginal Corporation Melville Island forest project
Newcastle Waters-Elliott Housing and Progress Association Baruwei Abc on ATSIC consultations - resources and costs
Responses to the ADC video/correspondence on ATSIC Imparja Television funding Fraud in Aboriginal enterprises Management training
Consultative role of ADC vis-a-vis the DAA Aboriginal Australian passport funding
Questions on notice from Senator Michael Baume
- 164 -
Page
E59 E60 E60 E60
E60
E60-E61 E61 E61 E62
E62 E62 E63 E63 E63 E63
E64
E64-E65 E65 E66
E66-E67 E68 E68 E69 E69-70
E70
E70
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE E
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR HANSARD OF HEARINGS
Thursday, 21 April 1988
Due to a production error in the Proof Issue of Hansard for Thursday, 21 April 19B8, the page numbering begins at E45 instead of E71. This index is to the corrected Hansard.
Subject
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE
Minister's opening statement Breakdown of Defence expenditure Separation rates Separations without pension benefits Pension payments Costs of higher than expected wastage
Unused property Fit-out delays Ammunition dumps Jervis Bay depot
Reductions in operational tasks Staffing of fleet combattant ships Shortage of engineering staff Civilianisation program Abolition of staff positions
Civilian retrenchments Problems with temporary rental assistance Net pay arrangements Mobility of service personnel compared with
the average public servant Child care assistance Isolated establishments allowance - anomalies Peat Marwick recommendations on postings
Impact of increases in the trade weighted index Fuel savings F1B program Voyager claims
Internal fraud investigations Unexploded wartime ordnance, Tortilla Flats Defence education allowance CMACs data package
Impact of industrial problems on submarine project
- 165 -
Page
E72
E72
E72-E75 E75
E75-E76 E76
E77 - E78 E?B
E78- E79 E79-EBO EBO-E81 EBO-E81
E82 EB3 EB3 E84 E84 E85
E85 EBS EBS EB6
E86-E87 E87 E87 E88 EBB E88
EB8-EB9 E89 E89
Subject
Permanent magnet motors Submarine construction Weapons and armaments Offsets against the second tier wage increase Project Parakeet Purchase of Boeing 707 aircraft Liquid fuel usage and savings
Destroyer helicopter program PC9 basic trainer project Navy housing at Rockingham 2 Cavalry Regiment relocation Defence Housing Authority plans for Kapooka Family support facilities at Tindal Cost of relocation of Butterworth radio station Reduction in expenditure
- Papua New Guinea - Malaysia - Indonesia patrol boat project
South Pacific expenditure increases Williamstown dockyard sale FFG frigate Redundancy provisions - Williamstown ANZAC frigate tenders Capital investment management fellowship GAF takeover financial implications
Restructuring costs Use of 34 Squadron
DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Minister's opening statement Commonwealth Accommodation and Catering Service Departmental advice on the payment of invoices Muirhead Royal Commission expansion
Senator Short - questions on notice Client departments' use of private sector services Delays in supplying Australian flags Future of old Parliament House Computer security Senator Michael Baume - questions on notice Cost of annual reports
- 166 -
Page
E90
E90-E92,E96 E93 E93 E94 E94-E95
E95 E96 E97 E98
E98-E99 ElOO ElOl ElOl
E101-E102 E102 E103
E103-E104 E104-E105 E105-E106 E106-E107 E107-E109
E109 EllO EllO Elll E112
E113 E114
E114 I E120-E121 EllS E116-E117
E117-E118 E118-E119 E119 E120-El21 E121-E122
E122
Subject
Program 1 - Australian Property Services
Rental of Commonwealth property Sale of surplus properties Rationalisation of Sydney accommodation New Melbourne Commonwealth Centre
NCA headquarters, Melbourne Dead rent Commonwealth Government Centre, Wollongong Review of the current assets register Complaints re property leases
Industrial problems, Zenith Centre, Chat s wood Haymarket development, Sydney
Program 2 - Overseas Property Service
Tokyo Embassy sale Beijing chancery Sale of overseas properties Washington asbestos problem
Program 3 - Construction and Asset Manag e ment Services
Use of local consultants in the NT Aboriginal involvement in the Tindal pro ject Projects at Darwin, Alice Springs airports
Program 8 - Publishing and Pr inting
AGPS - running expenses - cost recovery objecti ves - training for new office-based str uct u re - charging practices Commercialisation of transport and storage
Data integrity project Senator Short - questions on notice
Program 9 - Purchasing and Sales
Fraud control Senator Newman - questions on noti ce of Army rifles
Program 14 Parliamentary Information and Other Services
Compatibility of electorate offices/Parli ament House computers
-167 -
Page
E123 E123 E124 E12 5
E125-E126 E126-E127 E128 E129
E129 E129
E129-E130
E130-E131 E131 - El32 E132 E132
E132 E133 E133
E133 E134 E134 E13 5 E13 6
E136-E137 E137
E137 - E138 E13 8 -E14 0 E14 0
E141
Subject
Program 16 - Electoral Services
Habitation reviews Possible electoral redistribution Political party registration proposal - Darwin hearing
Morale in the Electoral Commission Roll cleansing
- 16 8 -
Page
. El41-142 E142
E142-E143 E143
E144-E145
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE F
REPORT
April 1988
- 169 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE F
REPORT TO THE SENATE
Estimates Committee F presents its Report to the
Senate.
INTRODUCTION
1. on 25 March 1g88, the Senate referred to the
Committee the Particulars of Proposed Additional
Expenditure for the Service of the year ending on 30 June 1988, and the Particulars of Certain Proposed Additional Expenditure in respect of the year ending on 30 June 1988, relating to the following departments:
The Arts, Sport,
Territories Social Security
the Environment, Tourism and
2. The Committee has considered these Estimates and has received explanations of them from the Minister for the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories (Senator the Han. Graham Richardson), the Minister for
Consumer Affairs representing the Minister for Social Security (Senator the Han. Nick Bolkus) and officers of the departments concerned. A copy of the Minutes of
Proceedings, certain documents provided with addi tiona! information, Hansard reports of the evidence taken by the Committee and an index of issues raised during the public hearings are tabled for the information of the Senate in connection with Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 1987-88 and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 1987-88. Additional information
provided to the Committee will be tabled separately in the Senate and be available from the Senate Table Office.
- 171 -
3. The Committee draws the attention of the Senate to
the following matters arising from its consideration of the Estimates:
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARTS, SPORT, THE ENVIRONMENT, TOURISM
AND TERRITORIES
Australian Sports Commission/Australian Institute of Sport Amalgamation
The Committee was informed that the rationale for the amalgamation of the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Institute of Sport was "to deliver Commonwealth sports programs and policies more efficiently". However,
in response to a series of questions concerning the
criteria to be used in determining whether these
objectives are being achieved, the Committee was provided with a series of generalised comments and viewpoints.
(Hansard, 14 April 1988, pp FS-7).
The Committee believes that when significant changes occur in administrative arrangements, measurable criteria should be established by which the degree of success in
meeting the objectives of such changes can be judged.
These should include certain indicators to measure the effectiveness of program delivery and
accruing to recipients or clients as a
changes in administrative arrangements.
Accreditation for Drug Testing Athletes
the benefits
result of the
Australia's lack of an internationally accredited testing facility for drugs in samples provided by athletes has been noted previously by Estimates Committees D and F in May and November 1987, respectively.
- 172 -
The Committee received evidence concerning the time and cost involved in sending samples for analysis to an
accredited laboratory in Cologne. The Committee was
informed that the process of equipping the Australian
Government Analytical Laboratories in Sydney preparatory to obtaining official International Olympic Committee accreditation was progressing. It was optimistically estimated that this process might be 18 months. (Hansard,
14 April 1988, pp F8-9).
The
November Committee 1987 that
expeditiously.
reiterates its comments this matter should be
Assistance to Australian Films
"The Return of Captain Invincible"
made in
resolved
Matters associated with the film "The Return of
Captain Invincible" have been raised in Estimates
Committees since May 1985 and been the subject of a Report by the Finance and Government Operations Committee, "The circumstances surrounding the various court actions
relating to the film 'The Return of Captain Invincible'"·
The Committee was informed that the matter has
finally been resolved and that court actions have been
concluded. The eventual cost to the Commonwealth was
"about $320,000". (Hansard, 14 April 1988, p F25).
With this matter reaching finality, the Committee notes the conclusions in the Report of the Finance and
Government Operations Committee and the "lessons to be learned for the future in all areas of government
concerning the legal defence of administrative decisions". (Parliamentary Paper No. 173/1987, p 21).
- 173 -
Operation of Division 10BA
The Committee was advised that a list of films
g ranted
assisted Division
either provisional with public money
1 OBA of the Income
or final certificates and
under the provisions of
Tax Assessment Act is not
publicly available due to the confidentiality provisions
of the Tax Act. The Committee was informed that public
investment throughout the life of Division 10BA has been e stimated to be $876.6m and that there is also no
requirement on film makers to acknowledge publicly whether they have received assistance under Division 10BA.
The Committee notes the significant difference in the public availability of information relating to financial
assistance under Division 10BA as compared to the
r equirements for public identification of assistance
provided under other grant schemes available to
Australia's artistic community in particular and with other forms of public subsidy generally.
National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA)
The Committee drew attention in its November 1987 Report to the dilemma facing the NFSA in the area of
pre servation of rapidly decaying nitrate film. The
Committee was informed that scientific tests had
established a rank order of decomposition and that
approximately 1.2 million feet out of about 10 million feet of nitrate film are showing visible signs of
decomposition. This means that its residual life is very small. The current capacity of the NFSA to copy decaying nitrate film is only about 150,000 feet a year.
- 174 -
The immediate problem of preservation facing the NFSA is so pressing that the Director of the NFSA indicated in evidence that consideration had even been given to "the desirability of actually consigning one year's declining
film to oblivion with the object of catching [the
remaining film] before it reaches that point of visible decay". (Hansard, 14 April 1988, p F27).
The NFSA has been taking action to overcome the
problem. A cold storage unit, referred to in the November 1987 Report, has now ' been obtained and is being used to
slow down the rate of decay of film. Unfortunately,
preparation of film for freezing is a time consuming
manual task which needs to be performed within existing limited staffing resources.
The NFSA has also contacted overseas archives and offered them film of non-Australian origin for the
purposes of copying on the basis that a copy is provided
in return. Sponsorship support from the private sector has also been actively sought and any donations to the NFSA for these purposes are tax deductible.
The Committee reiterates its concerns expressed in November 1987 that consideration should be given to
providing additional resources for the NFSA's preservation activities to ensure that a valuable part of Australia's film and sound heritage is not lost forever.
Australian National Maritime Museum
When the Australian National Maritime Museum was
originally set up, an Interim Council was informally
established with members appointed at the pleasure of the l\1inister for an unspecified term. On 1 March 1988 the
Minister for the Arts and Territories wrote to the Prime
- 175-
Minister informing him that he proposed to restructure the Interim Council and he subsequently dispensed with the services of t hese members, including the Chairman,
although, apparently, the remaining three members were not advised of their future status on the Interim Council.
From the evidence presented there appeared to be confusion over the methodology adopted in notifying members whether or not their services on the Interim Council were still
required.
However, the Committee was informed that the Interim Counci l "is going through the process of reappointment .... The point of the matter is that there is not an Interim
Council currently in existence". (Hansard, 14 April 1988,
pp F31-32).
The Committee was also informed that it was hoped
that the new council, which may include some members of
the previous Interim Council, would constitute the Council of the Museum when it is established formally by statute.
The Committee notes that legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives on 30 April 1986 to
establish the Museum, although it lapsed with the
dissolution of Parliament on 5 June 1987. The legislation indicated the functions of the Council would be "to ensure the proper and efficient performance of the functions of the Museum and to determine the policy of the Museum with
respect to any matter".
The Committee is concerned, from the evidence it
received, at the apparent uncertainty that has surrounded the status of the supposedly governing body of the Museum during this important embryonic stage of the Museum's development.
- 176 -
Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service (ANPWS)
Questions were asked of the Deputy Director, relating to comments made by ANPWS on a
environmental impact statement (EIS) being prepared Northern Territory Power and Water Authority
ANPWS,
draft by the
on the
proposals for the extension of the power line from Darwin to Jabiru.
The Committee was advised that ANPWS had not had any input directly into, a draft EIS although it had been
provided with a preliminary draft which it had assessed against guidelines set down by the Department. It was
subsequently indicated that ANPWS had provided comments on the preliminary draft EIS to the Power and Water
Authority. The Committee was informed that the difference was that a preliminary draft EIS is an unofficial
document, whereas, a draft EIS, as such, is a draft under
the terms of the legislation which is then released for
public comment. (Hansard, 14 April 1988, p F37).
Estimates Committees have previously commented on the provision of precise information by witnesses. Estimates Committee D has expressed concern over witnesses providing unduly legalistic interpretations and answers to
straightforward questions asked by members and indicated its expectation of direct and complete answers from all witnesses at all times (Parliamentary Paper No. 178/ 1986, p 77). The Committee reinforces these comments.
ACT Administration
A series of detailed questions were asked in relation
to specific lease arrangements in the Murrumbidgee
corridor area in the ACT, including resumption of leases, length of leases and lease ownership by officers of the
- 17 7 -
Department (Hansard, 14 April 1988, F57-61). Many of the
questions were unable to be answered at the time, although the Committee notes that a number of complicated issues were involved.
After discussion, the Committee was content not to pursue the matter following an undertaking by the
Departmental officers to provide detailed information directly to the Senator concerned.
GENERAL
4. The Committee expresses its appreciation of the
assistance given by the Minister for the Arts, Sport, the Envi ronment, Tourism and Territories, Senator the Han. Graham Richardson, the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Senator the Han. Nick Bolkus and the officers of the
various departments and authorities who appeared before the Committee.
In particular, the Committee would like to record its appreciation of the attendance of Mr A. Blunn, Secretary, Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories and Mr D. Volker, Secretary, Department of Social Security. The attendance of the Departmental
Secretaries facilitated the Committee's consideration of the additional estimates.
April 1988
- 1/'l -
John Black Chairman
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE F
DOCUMENTS PROVIDED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
TO THE COMMITTEE
- 179 -
DOCUMENTS PROVIDED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO THE COMMITTEE
The following documents were
Committee with additional information. been included as an attachment to the Committee's Report to the Senate.
Department of the Arts, Tourism and Territories Sport,
Fourth World Wilderness Congress -
provided to the
The documents have tabled copy of the
the Environment,
The Australian Government and Conservation, speech presented to the Congress by P. J. Associate Secretary for the Environment Arts
copy of Galvin, and the
Resolutions presented and adopted at the Congress
- 180 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE F
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
April 1988
- 181 -
The Senate
Estimates Committee F
Minutes of Proceedings
No. 5
Thursday 14 April 1988
1. Meeting : The Committee met in public session at 11.34am in Senate Committee Room No . 6. Senator Black took the Chair.
2. State ment by Chairman : The Chairman reported a Resolution o f t he Senate dated 25 March 1988 relating to the reference of Particula r s of Proposed Additional Expenditure 1987-88 and made a statement r elating to the procedure to be followed by the
Committee i n its exami nation of the Estimates.
3. Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure 1987- 88 Department of the Arts , Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories: In attendance, Senator the Honourable Graham Richardson , Minister for the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Terri tories, accompanied by the following officers:
Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Terri t ories:
Mr A. S. Blunn, Secretary
Mr J . Ferguson, First Assistant Secretary, Tourism, Sport and Recreation Division Mr K. Fai rbrother , Assistant Secretary, Australian Exhibits Organi sati on
-18 2-
Mr G. Brown, Assistant Director, Tourism Overseas Promotion
Scheme Mr T. Thirlwell, Director, Marketing Operations, Australian
Tourist Commission Mr J. E. Bleasel, Director, Antarctic Division
Mr R. L. Moncur, Assistant Director, Antarctic Division
Mr G. Dempster, First Assistant Secretary, Corporate
Management Division Mr S. Arnaudon, Assistant Secretary, External Territories
Branch Ms c. Santamaria, First Assistant Secretary, Arts, Film and
Heritage Division Mr L. H. Neilson, Assistant Secretary, Film Branch
Mr K. Williams, Chief Executive, Australian Film Commission
Mr T. Baxter, Head, Management Services, Australian Film,
Television and Radio School Mr G. Gilmour, Director, National Film and Sound Archive
Mr R. McArthur, Assistant Secretary, Heritage Branch Dr W. M. Horton, Director-General, National Library of Australia Mr B. W. Palmer, Assistant Director, Resource Management ,
National Museum of Australia Mr S. Sergi, Director, Australian National Maritime Museum
Ms D. Taylor, Manager, Resources, Australian National
Maritime Museum Mr N. Quinn, First Assistant Secretary, Environment Division
No. l
Dr P. Bridgewater, First Assistant Secretary, Environment Division No. 2 Mr M. Hill, Deputy Director, Australian National Parks and
Wildlife Service Mr I. Carruthers, Director, Rainforest Unit
Mr w. Fletcher, Assistant Secretary, Chemicals and Waste
Branch
- 183 -
Mr P. w. Greenwood, Branch Head, Policy Co-ordination and
Information, Office of the Supervising Scientist for the Alligator Rivers Region Mr c. Griffiths, Director, Australian Heritage Commission
Mr B. Zanetti, Assistant Secretary, Portfolio Co-ordination
Mr B. Barlin, Director, Portfolio Budget Co-ordination
Mr G. Hartung, Acting Deputy Chairman, Australian Institute
of Sport and Australian Sports Commission Mr R. Smith, Acting Director, Australian Institute of Sport
Mr R. Hobson, Acting Director, Corporate Services
Mr J. Barker, Manager, Finance, Australian Sports Commission
Mr L. Incher, Manager, Finance, Australian Sports Commission
ACT Administration:
Mr J. Turner, City Manager
Mr L. Sorbello, Assistant Secretary, Legislation and Legal
Services Mr A. Phillips, Secretary and Manager, National Capital
Development Commission Mr R. Arthur, Secretary, Australian Capital Territory
Institute of the Arts Mr M. Woods, Assistant Secretary, Resource Policy and Budget
Operations Mr J. Bissett, General Manager, Australian Capital Territory
Health Authority Ms L. Webb, Deputy General Manager, Community Services and
Health, Australian Capital Territory Health Authority Mr I. Todd, Assistant General Manager, Policy, Resource
Planning and Management, Australian Capital Territory Health Authority Mr A. Hicks, Deputy General Manager, Hospital Services
Division, Australian Capital Territory Health Authority Dr E. Willmot, Chief Education Officer, Australian Capital Territory Schools Authority Dr A. Butterfield, Director, Resources, Australian Capital
Territory Schools Authority
- 184 -
Miss T. Reilly, Principal Ex e cutive Offic er, Finance, Australian Capit al Territ ory Schools Authority Mr N. Fisher, Acting Director, Aus t ral i a n Capital Territory
Institute of Technical and Further Education Mr B. Macoustra, Acting Associate Director, Corporate
Support, Australian Capital Terri t ory Institute of Technical and Further Educati on Mr R. Gallagher, First Assistant Se cretary, Development
Division Mr R. Mitchell, Acting Assistant Principal, Canberra College
of Advanced Education Mr G. Eadie, Secretary and Registr ar, Canberra College of
Advanced Education Ms J. Johnrnan, Director, Budgets
Mr P . Tinson, Director, Regulati o n and Review Projects
Mr G. Gaskill, General Manager, ACTION
Mr T. Waters, Assistant Commissi oner for Housing
Mr K. Lyon, Deputy Secretary, Offi ce of Industry and
Development
Mr J. Woodrow, Adviser, Industrial Relations
Mr P. Kearns, Assistant Secretary, Employment, Education and
Training Mr J. Townsend, Executive Director, Canberra Development
Board Mr D. Wallace, Deputy Commi ssioner, Expo '88
Mr w. Ker r, Australian Capi tal Territory Fire Commissioner
Department of Finance: Mr J. Anderson, Chief Finance Office r
Mr K. Vernon, Chief Finance Officer
Mr K. McKay, Chief Finance Off icer
Mr D. Gniel, Chief Finance Officer
Mr T. Monson, Senior Finance Offi cer
- 185 -
The Chairman called on the following programs of proposed expenditure for consideration by the Committee. The expenditures proposed for these programs are contained in the Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure documents:
Program 1 - Sport and Recreation Program 2 - Tourism Program 3 - Antarctic Program 4 - Territories Program 6 - Film and Television Program 7 - Heritage Program 8 - Conservation and the Environment Program 9 - Corporate Services Program 11 - Australian Capital Territory
The expenditure in these programs together with the additional expenditure not relating to specific programs, included all the particulars of proposed additional expenditure relating to the Department which were referred to the Committee.
The Committee received the following documents:
Corrigenda to Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories Explanatory Notes 1987-88.
Interim report on Antarctic Vessel Tender: Statement by Senator Graham Richardson
Memorandum of Understanding: Wreck of, and Relics from, HMS
Sirius, dated 6 April 1988
The Committee concluded its consideration of the proposed additional expenditure for the Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, subject to undertakings to provide additional information to the Committee.
- 186 -
4. Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure 1 9 87-88-Department of Social Security: In attendance , Senator the Honourable Nick Bolkus, Minister for Consumer Affairs, accompanied by the following officers:
Department of Social Security: Mr D. Volker, Secretary
Mr J. Humphreys, Acting National Man a ger, Field Operations
Ms S. Halley, Chief Executive Officer, Interim Comcare
Dr 0 . Donald, Acting Fi rst Assi stant Secretary, Resource Management Mr c. Butel, First Assistant Secretary, Benefits Delivery
Mr R. Emerton, Acting First Assistan t Se cretary, Facilities
Dr M. Edwards, First Assistant Secretary, Social Policy Mr M. Douglas, First Assistnat Sec retary, Legislation and
Review Mr D. Laughrin, Acting Assistant Secretary, Resources
Mr T. Murphy, Assistant Secretary, Ben e fits Control Branch
Mr s. Babbler, Assistant Secretary, Application Development
Ms J. Stafford, Assistant Secretary, Corpor a te Planning and
Secretariat Mr B. Leonard, Assistant Secretary, Per f orma nce Monitoring
Ms s. Tongue, Assistant Secretary, Child Support Secretariat
Mr H. Jongen, Assistant Director, Informatio n Section
Mr c. Heaney, Director, Industrial Secti on
Mr G. Maloney, Acting Director, Financ e Estima tes
Ms R. Williams, Assistant Director, Finance Estimates
Department of Finance: Mr B. Lennon, Chief Finance Officer
The Minister made an opening statement .
- 187 -
The Chairman called on the following programs of proposed expenditure for consideration by the Committee. The expenditures proposed for these programs are contained in the Particulars of Proposed Additional Expenditure documents:
Program 2 - Income Security Delivery Program 3 - Corporate Services Program 4 - Office of the Commissioner for Employee's Compensation.
The expenditure in tnese programs together with the additional expenditure not related to specific programs, included all the particulars of proposed additional expenditure relating to the Department which were referred to the Committee.
The Committee concluded its consideration of the proposed additional expenditure for the Department of Social Security, subject to undertakings to provide additional information to the Committee.
5. Adjournment: The Committee adjourned at 10.57pm.
6. Attendance: Senators Black, Coates, Cooney, Puplick, Reid and Vanstone. Senators Michael Baurne and Boswell also attended.
- 188 -
Confirmed:
John Black Chairman
THE SENATE
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE F
Minutes of Proceedings
No. 6
Thursday, 28 April 1988
1. MEETING: The Committee met in deliberative session at 8.30am in Senate Committee Room No. 7. Senator Black took the Chair.
2. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES: The Minutes of the meeting held on 14 April 1988 (No. 5) were confirmed.
3. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE: The Committee considered the Chairman's draft Report to the Senate.
The Committee resolved that the draft Report be agreed to, subject to the inclusion of a number of amendments.
4. ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 8.47am.
5. ATTENDANCE: Senators Black, Coates, Cooney, Puplick and Reid. An apology was received from Senator Vanstone.
CERTIFIED CORRECT:
- 189 -
John Black Chairman
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE F
HANSARD INDEX TO ISSUES RAISED AT
THE COMMITTEE'S PUBLIC HEARINGS
April 1988
- 191 -
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE F
Issues raised during Committee hearings held on 14 April 1988.
DEPARTMENT OF ARTS, SPORT, THE ENVIRONMENT,
TOURISM AND TERRITORIES
PROGRAM 1: Sport and Recreation
Olympic. Games bid for
Government attendance a t Funds for Melbourne tennis centre Sports Aid Foundation appropriation
AIS
tax deductability
budget sponsorship and donations new sports and activities
rugby union scholarships for waterski ers financial Impact of amalgamati o n o f Sports Commission and AIS women's rowing decentralisation acti vities
cycling discipline of staff or others associated with AIS drugs testing Capital works for sport
Corrigenda to financial details
- 193 -
Page No.
3
3
3-5
3
3
3
3,5,7-8 3-4 4
4-5
5-7 7
8
8
8
8-9
9
9
PROGRAM 2: TOURISM
Transfer of salary through Bureau of Tourism Research Number of foreign tourists travelling to Australia Study of tourism infrastructure and planning
within Department State of Australian domestic and international airports Visa process
TOPS program
Steel regions project Australian Pavilion at Expo Australian Tourism Commission move
staffing salaries board change in emphasis under legislation Australian Tourism Awards
Bradbury Inquiry into shopping Bureau of Tourism Research
9
9-10
10
10
10-11 11-12 12
12
12-13 13
13
13-14 14
14-15 15
15
Australian Tourism Commission overseas promotion program 15
PROGRAM 3: ANTARCTIC
Concealment of payment from Audit Office 16
Overtime payments 16
Administrative and Clerical Officers Association inquiry 16 Audit Office inquiry 17
Nella Dan contract for replacement Australian Federal Police inquiry Mr Ralph's allegations
items removed from
- 194 -
17
17
17,21 18-19
department of Transport and Communic a tio ns inquiry costs incurred with grounding at Macquarie Island Level of scientific research in Antarctic Minerals regime
Competition for naming of new ship
PROGRAM 6: FILM AND TELEVISION
Rescue package lOBA films
provisional or final c ertificates public investment Film Australia reform
activities successful films Captain Invi ncible
PROGRAM 7 : HERITAGE
Nitrate films preservation of
Helsham inquiry report Purpose of Estimate$Committee documents Economic Impact of Tourism on Willandra Lakes Tourist studies on World Heritage areas Rare book collection
Acquisitions from Middle East National Maritime Museum members relationship with Sydney Maritime Museum
deferral of opening value of donations
- 195 -
18-19
20
22
22 22
22
22-23 23
23 24
24-25 25
25
27
28-29 29
29
2 9
30
31-34 34 3 4
34
National Museum of Australia commitment to Review of museums and collecting institutions National historical collection
disposal of material building at Yarramundi staff funding storage of material plan for development of site
PROGRAM 8: CONSERVATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Sirius artefacts Fourth World Wilderness Congress Powerline from Darwin to Jabiru Kakadu National Park entry fees Uluru and Kakadu
accommodation internal transport
North Queensland Rainforest Compensation Package Rainforest Unit in Canberra and in Cairns World Heritage Listing
funds for people leaving forest industry Conservation Amendment Act cost of IUCN delegation to Australia and
34
35
35
35-36 36
36
36
36
36
36
37
37
38
38
38
38-41 38-39 39
40
40,44
accompanying personnel 40
funds for joint control of world Heritage areas 40 rainforests conservation program 41
NSW rainforest conservation program
Percentage of eucalypt in World heritage areas Limit of timber industry resource Timber from non-rainforest areas Potential work for forest industry workers
Interdepartmental Committees on land use management
- 196 -
41
41-42 42
42
42-43 43
Grants to conservation movements National Rainforest Conserv ation Program Department of Employment, Education and Training Package
PROGRAM 9: CORPORATE SERVICES
Vast
functions recording on film
Grants for young people in theatre
PROGRAM 11: AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Tuggeranong Hyperdome office b l ock Use of school ovals for junior sporting groups Tests for drivers licences Brake testing machine
Housing
illegal conduct Committee findings commonwealth purchasing manual technical evaluations
number of qualifi ed engineers in De partment contract
brochure rent travel
Accommodation for Art Spaces Domestic Violence Crisis Unit staff violence against chil dren by women
Bus fares pensioners school bus
Overseas Adoption
- 19 7 -
43,44 43
43 - 44
44
44
44
45
45 46
46-49 46
47 48
4 8
4 9
5 0
50
50
50-51
51
51 51
51-52 5 2-53
5 3
53 53
53
Fire Brigade ACTION buses
school closures effecting cost of strikes new buses charter services Canberra College of Advanced Education
Calendar year allocations Signadou
TAFE
Leases
Aboriginal participation
enrolmellt butchery school income advisory council legislation serving of alcohol equal employment opportunities aboriginal participation parking space
purchase of improvements on withdrawn Kelly's farm lease Murrumbidgee corridor leases discretion to grant leases application by proprietary company Information sought at estimates hearings ACT Health Authority
facsimile machine HEF & RANF union operations
Audit Office report
Pharmacy Ordinance review ACT Schools Authority
closure of schools pre schools Isabella Plains traffic device Auditor General's report
staffing
- 198 -
leases
53
53 54
54 54
55 55 55
55
56
56 56 56
57
57
62
57
57
57-59,60
59-61,62 60
61
61
62-64 63
64-65 64
65-68 69
70
70
70
PROGRAM 4: TERRITORIES
Christmas Island maintenance of Services and facilities provided by PMCI police
undercover agent
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SECURITY
PROGRAM 2: INCOME SECURITY DELIVERY
FAS eligibility
postal charges for notification alteration to Departmental records bank contact Relocation of London office Amalgamation of Geneva and London office
Legislation relating to financial position of staff Second tier training expenses Victorian Government education allowance expense Closure of Social Security offices
Eligible clients investigation notification time context of notification FAS take up rate
Victoria situation in all states Pilot scheme for Aboriginal settlements funding of continuation
reassessment
Auditor General's report Departmental property
- 199 -
72
73-74 73
75
75-76 81-82 76
76
77
77
77
77
78
78
79
80
80
80 81
81
82
Commonwealth Centre in Wollongong cost of fitting out Local offices computer facilities
cost of delay of moving into
PROGRAM 3: CORPORATE SERVICES
Travel scrutiny review
83
83 84
84
85
PROGRAM 4: OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR EMPLOYEES COMPENSATION
Interim Comcare Auditor General's Report Commissioner for Employees Compensation report Telecom Australia, Australia Post and
Defence Department claims agencies reduction of waste wasteful expenditure reduction in number of new cases disallowance of claims
reduction in individual types of claims adequacy of new arrangements Commissioner, lack of power number of and variety of claims responsibility of Department re claims
- 200 -
85
85 86
86 86
86
87
87
87
87
87-88 88
88