Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for the Status of Women has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) For the period 1 August 2010 – 29 September 2011, Office for Women has spent $1,819,446.89 GST inclusive on consultancy services.

(2) A listing of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) 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. (a) For each consultancy contract, FaHCSIA does not keep a central register on the rationale for the project and its intended use. Obtaining this information would consume a high level of resources. (b) FaHCSIA uses consultancy contracts where skills are currently unavailable in-house, where there is a requirements for collection of quantitative/qualitative statistical information, where there is a requirement for independent or impartial research/assessment by an independent organisation, where there is a requirement for specialist/professional expertise, or when a consultant is recognised as an expert in the field and is uniquely able to provide the required services.