Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the Honourable Senator's question:

(1) and (2) (a) and (b) The Government provisioned an additional 1,556 civilian personnel (in Defence and the Defence Materiel Organisation, including Australian Public Service staff and contractors) for 2011-12 under the White Paper, as reflected in the publication The Strategic Reform Program: Making It Happen and updated at Table 2.14 of the Defence Annual Report 2010-11. This provision applied on both 1 January and 30 June 2012.

The workforce data detailed in both publications are based on approved allocations at the time of publication and reflect full-time equivalent average numbers. Using the full-time equivalent (FTE) approach, Defence counts full-time and part-time service as one overall average quantity.

This workforce has been allocated across all Defence Groups to implement a range of White Paper initiatives including the Defence Capability Plan.

These Australian Public Service personnel ranged from junior to senior officers on an as needed basis according to the particular White Paper initiatives being actioned.

Because of the breadth and depth of the White Paper initiatives, the number of personnel varied throughout the specified period and it is not possible to provide a specific total referenced to each White Paper initiative.