Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, in writing, on 21 November 2012:

(1) Did the Minister and/​or Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water attend the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil in June 2012; if so, for how many days.

(2) Did any ministerial staff attend; if so: (a) how many staff; (b) for how many days did each attend; and (c) how many staff travelled: (i) first class, and (ii) business class.

(3) Did any departmental staff attend; if so: (a) how many staff; (b) for how many days did each attend; and (c) how many staff travelled: (i) first class, and (ii) business class.

(4) Can a full breakdown be provided of all costs associated with attendance at Rio+20 including, but not limited to, flights and accommodation.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) 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 Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities was expected to attend the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012. However, on 18th June 2012, the Minister was informed that pairing arrangements in Parliament would not be extended for this trip, and was thus unable to attend.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water did not attend the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).

(2) No.

(3) Yes.

(a) Eleven officers attended.

(b) Including travel time, three officers attended for 15 days; one officer attended for 14 days; three officers attended for 13 days; three officers attended for 12 days; and one staff member attended for five days.

(c) Eleven officers attended.

  (i) Nil.

  (ii) Eleven officers were booked on business class flights, however due to flight availability; some officers were required to travel in economy class and premium economy class.

(4)

1 The government also paid an additional $38,206.73 to assist the attendance of two Indigenous Representatives.