Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) The Department of Defence has spent $627,777 (GST inclusive) on media monitoring by Media Monitors. Defence Housing Australia has spent $20,532.07 (GST exclusive) on media monitoring by the Australian Associated Press (AAP) news centre.

(2) (a), (b) and (c) At 1 January 2011, the Defence Public Affairs Branch employed 65 civilians, 50 military personnel and four contractors.

At 30 June 2011, the Communication and Media Branch employed 60 civilians, nine military personnel and four contractors.

As at 30 June 2011, the Strategic Communication Branch employed 42 permanent military, 21 part-time military and five permanent civilian staff. Of that figure, three staff were employed in administrative/ logistics support roles (one permanent military, one part-time military and one permanent civilian). Within Strategic Communication Branch, 36 positions remain unfilled (four permanent military, 30 part-time military and two permanent civilian).

As at 1 January 2011, outside of the Communication and Media Branch and the Strategic Communication Branch, there were 30 civilians, 12 military and three contractors who provided public affairs support as a part of their regular duties within the Defence groups and services. As at 30 June 2011, there were 36 civilians, nine military personnel and one contractor.

Defence Public Affairs Branch

Key: BRIG: Brigadier, COL: Colonel, EL: Executive Level, APS: Australian Public Service, WO2: Warrant Officer Class 2, CPL: Corporal, LS: Leading Seaman, LTCOL: Lieutenant Colonel, MAJ: Major, WGCDR: Wing Commander, LEUT: Lieutenant (Navy), CAPT: Captain, FLTLT: Flight Lieutenant, LT: Lieutenant (Army), SGT: Sergeant, LCPL: Lance Corporal, AB: Able Seaman, PTE: Private, PO: Petty Officer.

Communication and Media Branch

EL: Executive Level, APS: Australian Public Service, COL: Colonel, MAJ: Major, WO2: Warrant Officer Class 2, SGT: Sergeant, CPL: Corporal, LCPL: Lance Corporal, LAC: Leading Aircraftman, AB: Able Seaman

Strategic Communication Branch

Key: BRIG: Brigadier, COL: Colonel, EL: Executive Level, APS: Australian Public Service, WO2: Warrant Officer Class 2, CPL: Corporal, LS: Leading Seaman, LTCOL: Lieutenant Colonel, MAJ: Major, WGCDR: Wing Commander, LEUT: Lieutenant (Navy), CAPT: Captain, FLTLT: Flight Lieutenant, LT: Lieutenant (Army), WO: Warrant Officer (Navy), SGT: Sergeant, LCPL: Lance Corporal, AB: Able Seaman, AC: Aircraftman, PTE: Private, PO: Petty Officer, CFTS: Continuous Full-time Service, E: or equivalent rank

Employees in other groups and services who provided public affairs support as a part of their regular duties

Key: CMDR: Commander, LCDR: Lieutenant Commander, LEUT: Lieutenant (Navy), SQNLDR: Squadron Leader, FLTLT: Flight Lieutenant

Between 1 January and 30 June 2011 Defence Housing Australia (DHA) had no staff members specifically responsible for the stated functions. DHA has a Marketing Communication Team, comprised of four staff members . The team is responsible for marketing communication and media campaigns to provide product and service information. There is relatively little day-to-day media interest in DHA ' s activities, so an incidental proportion of the team ' s time is involved in responding to media requests.