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)(a)   The Department of Defence's total expenditure on Hospitality (excluding the Minister's Office) with separate analysis of representational allowances, for the period 1 July 2010 to 31 December 2010, is shown in Table 1. This information has been provided in response to Senate Question on Notice 117-119 which was tabled 22 March 2011.

Official Hospitality is the provision of hospitality to persons other than Defence personnel who are able to assist Defence in achieving its corporate objectives through advice, vocational or business interests or attendance at official ceremonies or functions.

Representational allowances assist Australian Defence Organisation (ADO) members posted on long-term duty overseas to meet the costs of officially entertaining host-country nationals. The sole purpose of providing such hospitality is to enable ADO members to conduct Australian and Defence business more efficiently and effectively.

(1)(b)   Details of each event are provided at Table 2. The number of attendees at hospitality events has been included. Attendee details for events paid from representational allowances are not currently available, but enhanced data collection processes implemented from 1 January 2011 collects the number of attendees at representational events and this will be available for reporting purposes after this date.

(2)   Details of hospitality spend for the offices of the Minister/Parliamentary Secretary are provided at Table 3. This Table correctly reports the costs recorded up to 31 December 2010 for the "34th Squadron thank you function" at $2,795.

Attachments:

Table 1: Summary of Hospitality and Representational Allowance Expenditure For the Period 1 Jul 2010 to 31 Dec 2010.

Table 2: Event Level Detail for Defence, DMO and DHA.

Table 3: Event Level Detail for the Offices of Minister and Parliamentary Secretaries.