Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) 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) The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities was expected to attend the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012. However, on 18th June 2012, the Minister was informed that pairing arrangements in Parliament would not be extended for this trip, and was thus unable to attend.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water did not attend the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).

(2) No.

(3) Yes.

(a) Eleven officers attended.

(b) Including travel time, three officers attended for 15 days; one officer attended for 14 days; three officers attended for 13 days; three officers attended for 12 days; and one staff member attended for five days.

(c) Eleven officers attended.

  (i) Nil.

  (ii) Eleven officers were booked on business class flights, however due to flight availability; some officers were required to travel in economy class and premium economy class.

(4)

1 The government also paid an additional $38,206.73 to assist the attendance of two Indigenous Representatives.