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

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, 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.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) The net financial effect on the department's budget is as follows:

(a) $1.040m

(b) $2.809m

(c) $0.523m for 15 per cent reduction to the departmental resource component for new measures.

(2) The Department has not identified any specific strategy to implement savings from the efficiency dividend targets. The Department faces a significant decline in operating funding from 2011-12 to 2012-13 due to the closure of a range of energy efficiency programs administered by the Department. The Department is currently working to reduce its workforce by around 33% by June 2013. This will be achieved through natural attrition, review of existing contracts, increased opportunities for flexible working arrangements and voluntary redundancies. The supplier expenses associated with supporting a larger workforce will commensurably reduce. Given the size of the downsizing exercise faced by the Department, the impact of the increase in efficiency dividend is not being considered separately.

(3) Staff costs represent 58% of the Department's budget in 2012-13 as reported in the Department's 2012-13 Portfolio Budget Statements.

(4) (a) $32.6 million

(b) $7.3 million

(5) (a) 48

(b) nil

(6) The current distribution of full-time equivalent staff across the classification bands as at 13 September 2012 are as follows: