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

asked the Ministers representing the Minister for Defence, the Minister representing the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel and the Minister representing the Minister for Defence Materiel

With reference to the department and all agencies within the Minister's portfolio:

(1) What was the total cost of allowances for government employees or contractors working at sea for the 2010-11 financial year.

(2) What is the daily allowance for working at sea.

(3) How many days in total were spent at sea in the 2010-11 financial year.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1)   The total cost of allowances for Department of Defence employees and contractors working at sea for the 2010-11 financial year is as follows:

  (a)   Australian Public Services – approximately $149,000; and

  (b)   Australian Defence Force (ADF) –

     Defence is unable to answer this question due to the difficulties extracting data from Defence's legacy ADF pay systems. To answer this question accurately would involve the redirection of significant resources from business as usual tasks and the PMKeyS Technical Refresh Project.

     The ADF allowance structure is also complex. There are several different allowances (with different tiers) used for working at sea

(2)   The daily allowance for working at sea is at Attachment A(available from the Senate Table Office).

(3)   The total days spent at sea in the 2010-11 finance ancial year are as follows:

  (a) Australian Public Services – 1,128; and

  (b)   Australian Defence Force – as above.