Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Health and Ageing, in writing, on 25 November 2010:

(1) How many (a) mobile phones, (b) Blackberries and (c) iPads are currently allocated to the (i) Minister, and (ii) the Minister's ministerial staff?

(2) In respect of mobile phone usage between (a) 3 December 2007 and 24 November 2010, and (b) 24 June 2010 and 24 November 2010, what was the total cost for (a) the Minister, and (b) the Minister's ministerial staff.

(3) For each month since December 2007, what was the cost of mobile phone usage for each mobile phone account allocated to the (a) Minister, and (b) Minister's ministerial staff?

Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable member’s question is as follows:

(1) (i) As of 25 November 2010 the total number of (a) mobile phones, (b) Blackberries, and (c) iPads supplied by the Department of Health and Ageing by Minister:

(2) The Department of Health and Ageing issue a single telecommunications device which is a Blackberry. The Blackberry is used for dual purposes with mobile and data usage on the single device. Costs supplied below are the charges for the mobile component only based on billing cycles that most closely align with the period in question.

(a) The total cost of mobile usage for each Minister and their ministerial staff from

3 December 2007 to 24 November 2010:

  (a) Minister for Health and Ageing and ministerial staff, $95,966.73

  (b) Minister for Mental Health and Ageing and ministerial staff, $3,093.09

  (c) Minister for Indigenous Health and ministerial staff, $5,762.14

  (b) The total cost of mobile usage for each Minister and their ministerial staff from

June 2010 to November 2010:

  (a)   Minister for Health and Ageing and ministerial staff, $24,601.18.

  (b)   Minister for Mental Health and Ageing and ministerial staff, $3,093.09.

  (c)   Minister for Indigenous Health and ministerial staff, $5,762.14.

(3) The mobile usage cost for each month since December 2007 for the Minister for Health and Ageing; Minister for Mental Health and Ageing; Minister for Indigenous Health; and their ministerial staff is outlined in the table below. The costs below are based on billing cycles that most closely align with the period in question.

* Minister for Mental Health and Ageing and Minister for Indigenous Health were sworn in on 14 September 2010.