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

asked the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, 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.

Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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, the Department 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 has responded on behalf of all ministers in respect of costs incurred by DPS and DoFD.

I am advised that the costs incurred by the Department of Veterans' Affairs is $43,952.11. The breakdown is as follows:

Note that I was appointed as Minister for Veterans' Affairs on 14 September 2010. As such, no data is provided for the period prior to this date.