Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

1. Under the Kokoda Initiative Safety Package, Australian Government funding of $2,034,298 AUD was provided to the Kokoda Track Authority, a Special Purposes Authority of the Kokoda and Koiari Local-level Governments, to upgrade Owers’ Corner Road to all weather capability.

2. Under the Kokoda Initiative, Australian Government funding of $374,000 AUD has been allocated to maintain Owers’ Corner Road for the 2012-13 financial year.

3. Under the Kokoda Initiative, the budget for Australian Government funding for the Kokoda Initiative Safety Package activities, including improving the Kokoda airstrip, is $5.13m AUD.

4. Under the Kokoda Initiative Safety Package, Australian Government funding between 2009 and April 2012 to the Kokoda Track Authority of $723,211 AUD has been spent on activities to improve the Kokoda airstrip, and a further $22,279 AUD has been spent on delivering and installing airstrip safety equipment to the Kokoda airstrip and five other airstrips in the Kokoda region.

5. The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (the department) is unaware of any plans to upgrade the airstrip to support Dash-8 aircraft.

6. Under the Kokoda Initiative, the total Australian Government funding provided by the department to the Kokoda Track Authority to support operating the Boroko office during the period 2009-2012 was $46,667.09 AUD. Any additional costs for operating the Boroko office during this period are the responsibility of the Kokoda Track Authority.

7. a. The department does not have information on all Papua New Guinean personnel who have visited Australia between 2009 to 2012.

b. See answer to 7 a.