Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) manages the efficiency dividend through early allocation of internal budgets to Groups and States and linking business planning to available resources. Some examples of specific strategies to reduce costs include promoting video conferencing and reducing air travel where practicable, the introduction of Voice over IP telephony services,

turning off IT equipment to produce power savings and consolidating property holdings.

(2) The two most expensive hospitality functions were the SES Recall Day ($19,021.50)—catering costs including morning and afternoon tea, lunch and dinner—$17,525 and refreshments including alcohol—$1,496.50; and the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians ($3,510), catering costs—$2,520 and refreshments—$990. There was no alcohol provided.

(3) The interest charge of $425.25 was for Chartered Air Services and relates to the late payment of two invoices, one for $8,100 and the second for $6,075. These invoices were paid late as a result of being misplaced between FaHCSIA and the Department of Finance and Deregulation.

(4) The savings of $10,497 were achieved through a rationalisation of FaHCSIA's property portfolio which is continually monitored to identify savings and efficiencies.

(5)(a) For the financial year 2008-09, FaHCSIA undertook 291 new consultancy contracts with a combined total value of $37.3 million (GST inclusive). For the financial year 2009-10, FaHCSIA undertook 271 new consultancy contracts with a combined total value of $33.4 million (GST inclusive).

A listing of FaHCSIA's contracts (including consultancies), valued at $10,000 or more, is publicly available on the AusTender website and it includes the name of the consultant, the subject matter of the consultancy, the duration and cost of the arrangement and the method of procurement.

  (b) Staffing numbers for the previous three financial years were as follows: