Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

I table a response to the question taken on notice during question time on 12 November 2018 asked by Senator Farrell relating to Tourism Australia and seek leave to have the document incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

Dear Mr President

I write with regard to a question I took on notice from Senator Farrell during Question Time on Monday, 12 November 2018, regarding the publication of contracts from Tourism Australia on the AusTender website.

Further to my letter of Tuesday, 13 November 2018, I can advise the Senate that the procurement reporting obligations in effect at the time of these contracts were outlined in the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines, 2005 (CPGs) and the January 2005 Guidance on Procurement Publishing Obligations (the 2005 Guidance).

The 2005 Guidance explicitly required that contracts for goods and services procured overseas and used overseas "must NOT be reported on AusTender" (pages 18 and 19, paragraph 6.3). The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) Report of 2008 itself states: "... most of Tourism Australia's procurement activities are exempt under the CPGs because they involve the procurement of property or services outside Australia for consumption outside Australia, or the procurement of Government advertising services," (page 43, paragraph 2.5).

Tourism Australia has advised my Department that these contracts were for services that were provided overseas. As such, I can advise that the contracts complied with the reporting obligations in place at the time.

I once again note that the 2008 ANAO report referred to by Senator Farrell in his question did not raise any concerns relating to non-reporting of the contracts audited.

I have copied the letter to Senator Farrell.

Kind regards

Mathias Cormann

Minister for Finance and the Public Service

23 November 2018