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

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Trade, in writing, on 3 March 2011:

(1) How many personal staff are employed by the Minister.

(2) What is the (a) total cost, and (b) breakdown of costs, of all capital works and acquisitions in the Minister's private office since 3 December 2007.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Minister for Trade and myself, the answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1) The employment of staff under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 is administered by the Department of Finance and Deregulation (DoFD). On 22 February 2011, DoFD tabled with the Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee a list of Government Personal Staff Positions as at 1 February 2011.

(2) The cost of capital works and acquisitions for ministers' offices is shared by the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS), DoFD and home departments in line with Appendix 2 of Supporting Ministers, Upholding the Values. The Special Minister of State will accordingly respond on behalf of all ministers in respect of costs incurred by DPS and DoFD.

The costs incurred by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are as follows:

(a) The total cost of all capital works and acquisitions in the Ministers' private offices since 3 December 2007 is:

(i) Minister for Foreign Affairs $9,729.50

(ii) Minister for Trade $56,026.06

(b) The breakdown of these costs is:

(i) Minister for Foreign Affairs

(ii) Minister for Trade $56,026.06