Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 28 June 2012:

With reference to the Kokoda Track:

(1)   When did the Papua New Guinean Government request the term ‘Track’ be used when referring to the Kokoda Trail.

(2)   Was the request an initiative of the Papua New Guinean Government or the Australian Government.

(3)   Who is the head of the PNG National Taskforce.

(4)   Was the Australian War Memorial consulted in the decision to change the official name; if so, what was the response.

(5)   Was the Returned and Services League of Australia or any other ex-service organisation consulted prior to the decision being made; if so, what was the response.

(6)   What was the annual remuneration package, including salary and allowances, for the Chief Executive Officer of the Papua New Guinea Kokoda Track Authority (PNG KTA), Mr Rod Hillman, for the period 2009 to 2012.

(7)   What was the annual remuneration package for all other Australian personnel attached to the PNG KTA, for the period 2008 to 2012.

(8)   In relation to the Special Envoy on Kokoda appointed by the former Prime Minister, Mr Kevin Rudd: (a) who was appointed to this position; (d) did the individual receive any payment; if so, what are the details of the remuneration package; and (c) what have been the outcomes of the appointment.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

(1)   The term ‘Kokoda Track’ was adopted for the implementation of the Kokoda Initiative on the basis of the Papua New Guinean Government’s use of the term in establishing the Kokoda Track Authority to oversee the management of the Track; by nominating Papua New Guinea’s ‘Kokoda Track and Owen Stanley Ranges’ to the World Heritage Tentative List, as well as using the term in the Papua New Guinea-Australia Joint Understanding on the Kokoda Track and Owen Stanley Ranges.

(2)   The use of the term ‘Track’ is the preference of the Papua New Guinean Government.

(3)   The Secretary of the Papua New Guinean Department of Environment and Conservation.

(4)   There was no such decision. See the answer to Q1 above.

(5)   There was no such decision. See the answer to Q1 above.

(6)   The annual salary for Mr Rod Hillman from 2009-2012 aligned with the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities’ Enterprise Agreement at the Executive Level 2 level. Mr Rod Hillman’s allowances during this period aligned with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Conditions of Service for Papua New Guinea.

(7)   Four Australian personnel were attached to the Kokoda Track Authority, a Special Purposes Authority of the Kokoda and Koiari Local-level Government, during different periods between 2008 and 2012 and remunerated indirectly by the Australian Government through a local service provider. Their remuneration packages aligned with the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities’ Enterprise Agreement at the time and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Conditions of Service for Papua New Guinea based staff. These included one Executive Level 2 level package and three Executive Level 1 packages at different times during the period.

(8)   (a) Mr Sandy Holloway AO;

  (b) Yes. The Special Envoy’s remuneration was $1980 AUD (GST inclusive) for a full day, or for periods less than a day, $275 AUD (GST inclusive) per hour

  (c) Development of, and securing Papua New Guinea agreement to, both the first and second Joint Understandings between the Papua New Guinean and Australian governments to protect the Kokoda Track; development of the Kokoda Safety Package; and securing Papua New Guinean Government funding of approximately $8.5 million AUD over five years to support the Kokoda Initiative.