David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, Minister representing the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel and the Minister representing the Minister for Defence Material, upon notice on 20 August 2012:

(1) For the period 1 January to 30 June 2012, for each agency within the responsibility of the Minister, how much was spent on media monitoring.

(2) As at 1 January and 30 June 2012:

(a) how many staff, uniformed and civilian, full-time and part-time, were employed in public relations and/or the media in the department or each agency within the responsibility of the Minister;

(b) what were the position levels of these staff; and

(c) how many of these staff were (i) permanent, (ii) temporary, or (iii) contractors?

Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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

(1) The Department of Defence spent $417,767.13 (GST inclusive) and the Defence Housing Authority spent $25,736.55 (GST inclusive) for the period 1 January to 30 June 2012 on media monitoring.

(2) (a) The majority of staff engaged in public affairs roles within the Department of Defence are located in the Communication and Media Branch and the Strategic Communication Branch.

As at 1 January 2012 the Communication and Media Branch employed 48 civilians, 6 military personnel and 4 contractors.

As at 30 June 2012 the Communication and Media Branch employed 50 civilians, 8 military personnel and 4 contractors.

Communication and Media Branch is responsible for day to day media operations, both nationally and regionally; collation and distribution of Defence imagery and video; and producing the Navy, Army and Air Force newspapers and the Defence magazine.

As at 1 January 2012 the Strategic Communication Branch employed 31 permanent military, 16 part-time military and 6 permanent civilian staff.

As at 30 June 2012 the Strategic Communication Branch employed 29 permanent military, 28 part-time military and 10 permanent civilian staff.

Strategic Communication Branch undertakes strategic communication planning and provides advice to commanders at the military strategic, operational and formation headquarters levels. It also delivers military public affairs training and preparedness functions; as well as assigned military public affairs personnel, who deploy at short notice for short duration tasks to obtain imagery and video to report on Defence personnel serving in Australia and overseas.

In addition, as at 1 January 2012, outside the Communication and Media and Strategic Communication Branches there were a further 48 civilians, 22 full-time and 4 part-time military staff who provided public affairs support as part of their regular duties within the Defence Groups and Services.

As at 30 June 2012 there were 43 civilians, 18 full-time and 6 part-time military staff who provided public affairs support as part of their regular duties within the Defence Groups and Services.

(b) and (c) Communication and Media Branch

Strategic Communication Branch

1 Media/public relations are only one aspect of this appointment, which also includes responsibility for oversight of select special ADF projects.

2 Media/public relations are only one aspect of this appointment, which also includes responsibility for implementation of select special ADF projects.

3 Includes 1 x EL1 transferred from MSC Division during the period. This position is responsible for management of the ADF Parliamentary Program and does not work on media/communications specific tasks.

4 Includes 1 x WO2 that is posted for duty within Preparedness, Plans and Training Directorate.

5 This member is employed in a supply management role, not media and public relations. This member is also reported under Administrative/Logistic Support as a Reserve SGT.

Personnel outside of the Communication and Media Branch and the Strategic Communication Branch who provided public affairs support as a part of their regular duties within Groups and Services