Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Minister representing the Treasurer, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Minister representing the Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, Minister representing the Minister for the Arts, Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister representing the Minister for Defence, Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Minister representing the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Minister representing the Attorney-General, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Minister representing the Minister for Resources and Energy, Minister representing the Minister for Tourism, Minister representing the Minister for Trade, Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Minister representing the Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister representing the Minister for Human Services, Minister representing the Minister for Justice, Minister representing the Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare, Minister representing the Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Sport, Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness, Minister for Small Business, Minister representing the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Minister representing the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Minister representing the Minister for Indigenous Health, Minister representing the Assistant Treasurer, Minister representing the Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, Minister representing the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Minister representing the Special Minister of State for the Public Service and Integrity, Minister representing the Special Minister of State, Minister representing the Minister for Defence Materiel, Minister representing the Minister for Privacy and Freedom of Information and the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs, upon notice, on 25 July 2011:

(1) How many staff in each office have duties relating to working with the media; and can a breakdown be provided of the media duties each staff member performs; and at what level is each staff member with media duties paid.

(2) What is the rationale for having more than 1 staff member with media duties.

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

The Special Minister of State has supplied the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

I am advised of the following:

(1) Documents detailing the number and classifications of personal staff positions allocated to each Minister and Parliamentary Secretary, including Senior Media Adviser and Media Adviser positions, were tabled by the Department of Finance and Deregulation at its Budget Estimates hearing on 26 May 2011. The documents are available at:

http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/fapa_ctte/estimates/bud_1112/finance/tableddoc02.pdf.

This information is regularly tabled at each Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration hearing, and is publicly available on the Parliament of Australia Senate website at www.aph.gov.au/SENATE/estimates/index.htm.

(a) The allocation of ministerial staff positions is based on the requirements of individual portfolios. The assignment of particular duties to individual staff members is a matter for Ministers and their chiefs of staff.

(b) The salary range for Senior Media Adviser and Media Adviser positions is set out in the Commonwealth Members of Parliament Staff Enterprise Agreement 2010-2012. This document is available at:

http://www.finance.gov.au/parliamentary-services/docs/Final_EA_2010_2012-With_Signatures.pdf.

(2) The allocation of ministerial staff positions is based on the requirements of individual portfolios. The assignment of particular duties to individual staff members is a matter for ministers and their chiefs of staff.