Gary Humphries (ACT, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Materiel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, upon notice, on 29 November 2010:

Since 14 September 2010, for each Minister and any Parliamentary Secretaries within their portfolio:

(1 Do the Minister and Parliamentary Secretaries have access to a departmental credit card; if so, can a copy be provided of all bank statements.

(2) (a) How many mobile devices are provided to the Minister's office; and (b) what is the total spend on mobile devices for each office to date.

(3) At what level is each staff member employed in the office.

(4) What has been the total cost of travel for the Minister and Parliamentary Secretaries.

(5) What has been the total travel for all staff, by office.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

All figures provided are GST exclusive.

(1) The Minister and Parliamentary Secretaries do not have access to a departmental credit card.

(2) (a) As at 29 November 2010, there was 1 mobile phone, 11 Blackberrys, 13 mobile broadband devices and 2 iPads allocated to Minister Macklin and the Minister's staff.

There was 0 mobile phones, 4 Blackberrys, 6 mobile broadband devices and 0 iPads allocated to the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers and the Parliamentary Secretary's staff.

There was 0 mobile phones, 4 Blackberrys, 4 mobile broadband devices and 0 iPads allocated to the Parliamentary Secretary for Community Services and the Parliamentary Secretary's staff.

(2) (b) Between 14 September 2010 and 10 December 2010 (the end of the nearest monthly accounting period), the total spend on Minister Macklin's office mobile devices was $10,239.95.

The total spend on the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers and the Parliamentary Secretary's staff mobile devices was $1,888.52.

The total spend on the Parliamentary Secretary for Community Services and the Parliamentary Secretary's staff mobile devices was $1,728.13.

(3) The employment of staff under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 is administered by the Department of Finance and Deregulation. On 19 October 2010, the Department of Finance and Deregulation tabled with the Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee, Government Personal Positions as at 1 October 2010.

(4) The costs of official travel by Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and accompanying staff employed under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 are largely paid by the Department of Finance and Deregulation. As such, with the exception of those costs listed below, the information sought will be tabled by the Special Minister of State in the last sitting week of June 2011 in his six-monthly report on Parliamentarians Travel Paid by the Department of Finance and Deregulation.

For the period 14 September to 29 November 2010 the total cost of short-term transport (such as hire cars and taxis) for Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and accompanying staff was $415.96.

(5) The Special Minister of State will respond on behalf of other Ministers.