Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Treasurer, upon notice, on 14 June 2011:

Given the imminent release of the updated Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD] Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises which provides the Government with a timely opportunity to make a significant investment in promoting the guidelines among Australian businesses that operate overseas, and to consider the institutional arrangements, independence of and resources available to the Australian National Contact Point.

(1) What additional resources will be made available to the National Contact Point to promote the updated guidelines among Australian businesses operating overseas and among other stakeholders.

(2) Will the Government commit to understanding the institutional arrangements of other national contact points and commit to a public process that seeks to strengthen the institutional arrangements of the Australian National Contact Point; if not, why not.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) A communications strategy is being developed and will be implemented to promote the updated guidelines amongst multinational enterprises operating in or from Australia. Appropriate resources will be applied to implementing this strategy.

(2) The Australian National Contact Point, a senior Treasury officer, recently met with other National Contact Points (notably from the UK and Netherlands) at the annual meeting of National Contact Points at the OECD to garner a more direct understanding of the different institutional arrangements of other national contact points. Following further consideration of the advice received on the various models for National Contact Point in other OECD and adhering countries, the NCP will revamp consultation processes with multinational enterprises and other interested parties.