Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Fair Competition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 22 March 2012:

(1) Has permission been sought for a domestic pet to travel on a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) VIP flight by the Prime Minister or any minister; if so, can details of each such flight be provided, including the:

(a) date; and

(b) departure and arrival points.

(2) Has a domestic pet been listed on a flight manifest for a RAAF VIP flight by the Prime Minister or any minister; if so, can details of each such flight be provided, including the:

(a) date; and

(b) departure and arrival points.

(3) For each flight where permission was sought for a domestic pet to travel on a RAAF VIP flight with the Prime Minister or a minister; or, where a domestic pet was at any time listed on a flight manifest for a flight involving a minister or the Prime Minister, can details be provided for each flight where the domestic pet did not subsequently travel, including the:

(a) date; and

(b) departure and arrival points.

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:

Since 2007, Air Force is not aware of any domestic pet being carried on a RAAF VIP flight. Since 2007, no Prime Minister or Minister has sought permission for a domestic pet to be transported on Special Purpose Aircraft flights. Should such a request be received and approved, however, no flight manifest details are kept as pets would be treated and carried as cargo.