Gary Humphries (ACT, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Materiel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, upon notice, on 19 September 2012:

In regard to the 2012-13 financial year:

(1) What is the net financial effect on the department's budget of: (a) the original 1.5 per cent efficiency dividend; (b) the additional 2.5 per cent efficiency dividend; and (c) other savings measures as introduced in the 2012-13 Budget papers.

(2) What measures or strategies are being considered to ensure continued operation within the budget and efficiency dividend targets of the department.

(3) What percentage of total expenditure is represented by staff costs.

(4) Is a net reduction in: (a) staff; and (b) consultants and/or contractors, expected for the financial year; if so, can a quantitative total for each reduction be provided.

(5) How many: (a) voluntary redundancies; and (b) involuntary redundancies, are expected to be executed.

(6) What is the current distribution of full-time equivalent staff across classification bands.

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

The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

(1) (a)

(b)

(c) While no other savings measures were introduced for Finance for the 2012-13 Budget, in response to my announcement on 25 September 2012, Finance is further containing air travel as far as practical and identifying further savings in contractors and consultants, recruitment advertising and printing costs (by making greater use of online publications).

(2) Through targeting non-staff areas, natural attrition and through structural changes, without the need for a round of either compulsory or voluntary redundancies.

(3) 34.3%

(4) Total staff numbers are expected to reduce as follows:

Total Departmental contractor expenses are expected to decrease as follows:

Total Consultants are expected to reduce as follows:

(5) Finance is not planning a round of voluntary or involuntary redundancies.

(6) Actual full-time equivalent staff across classification bands as at

30 September 2012 (excluding casual staff):