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Centenary of Federation: Cost of United Kingdom Celebrations

From Australian Parliament Hansard

(Question No. 2596)
Title: Question on Notice: Centenary of Federation: Cost of United Kingdom Celebrations
Date: 26 February 2001
Database: Senate Hansard
Questioner: Faulkner, Sen John (ALP, New South Wales)
Responder: Hill, Sen Robert (Minister for the Environment and Heritage, LP, South Aust)Page: 21937
Proof: Yes
Question_no: 2596
Source: Senate
Type: Question on Notice

Senator Faulkner asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 25 July 2000:
In relation to the Centenary of Federation celebrations held in the United Kingdom in early July 2000:

• (1) What was the total cost of the preparations for and implementation of those celebrations, including arrangements for the Prime Ministerial party.
• (2) What was the total marginal cost of those arrangements to the post, and to the portfolio.
• (3)
  (a) Which officers from the portfolio travelled with the Prime Ministerial party,
  (b) how many Australia-based officers were also in the United Kingdom for this visit and
  (c) what was the cost of this travel and travel allowance.
• (4) Did the High Commission:
  (a) engage extra staff;
  (b) engage consultants;
  (c) lease equipment or vehicles;
  (d) lease office accommodation or other venues; or
  (e) undertake any other expenditure in relation to this visit.
  If so, can you please provide details of those arrangements and the final costs for each component.
• (5)What was the expected or budgeted cost for entertainment and functions during that visit, including:
  (a) hire of venues;
  (b) functions consultants;
  (c) hire of other equipment;
  (d) entertainment, musical or other;
  (e) food;
  (f) alcoholic and other beverages; and
  (g) the cost and details of any other expense.
  
  
  
• Senator Hill, The Minister for Foreign Affairs has provided the following answers to the honourable senator's question:
  
  
• (1) Costs to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade associated with arrangements for and facilitation of Australia Week and the official visit amounted to $261,923.
• (2) As with other official visits the cost to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of arrangements for Australia Week and the Prime Minister's visit were a part of portfolio running costs, which were not supplemented for this purpose.
  (3)
  (a) Mr Michael L'Estrange, then High Commissioner-Designate to the United Kingdom, travelled with the Prime Ministerial party.
  (b) One A-based officer on a short-term mission provided support during the preparation and facilitation of arrangements for Australia Week.
  One technical officer (A) provided technical security services as happens during all overseas visits undertaken by the Prime Minister.
  A second technical officer (B), on secondment to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, was recalled to duty also to provide technical security services to the Prime Minister during the visit.
  (c) Michael L'Estrange: $14,226 - travel, travel allowance and accommodation Technical Officer A: $12,451 - travel allowance and accommodation. No travel costs were incurred as the officer was assigned to provide services to another
  European post and had to travel via London.
  Technical Officer B: $5,476 - travel allowance and accommodation. The officer was on secondment to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and no travel was required.
  A-based officer: $5,794 (Travel only)
  (4)
  (a) Yes, three additional locally-engaged staff were contracted to assist with preparations for and facilitation of Australia Week events and to assist with arrangements for the official visit at a cost of $46,536.58.
  (b) No
  (c) Item 4(d) refers to equipment hire. The costs of additional vehicles leased for the official party were borne by the Department of Finance and Administration.
  (d) As with all Prime Ministerial visits, offices were established in the relevant hotel for the duration of the visit. The cost of office hire was $15,356.25. Equipment hire in association with the visit amounted to $2,709.19 [see5(c)]. These costs were absorbed into the Post's normal operating costs.
  (e) Costs, including accommodation and living allowance, arising from the short-term mission to London undertaken by the A-based officer [see 3(b)]: $78,412
  Hotel accommodation for High Commission staff assigned to service the Prime Minister, the official party, the media delegation, to provide 24 hour staffing of the Prime Minister's office and to facilitate arrangements for the official
  functions and receptions held during Australia Week: $20,316.40
  Hire of a photographer for the duration of Australia Week: $4364.63
  General services including portage, exhibition lighting set-up and removal, set-up, pull-down and clean costs for temporary offices and receptions: $13,391.30
  Costs associated with the franking of mail: $491.60.
  Standby engineers to ensure compliance under OH&S requirements for large-scale public events and receptions, and for electrical and airconditioning maintenance: $3,730.63
  Costs arising from public affairs activities associated with the Australian Business in Europe luncheon: $3258.63
  Costs associated with the Prime Minister's reception at Australia House: $656.17
  Costs associated with cultural activities held in association with Australia Week were as follows:
  Performing Australia Music Competition Launch: $1,566.20
  Polly Borland Photographic Exhibition: $15,068.21
  Costs associated with the Westminster Abbey service: $2651.83
  Costs associated with an exhibition of paintings by Arthur Boyd: $13,728
  Costs associated with the refurbishment of the grave of Yemmerawanyea, who returned to the UK with Admiral Phillip and died in 1794: $1,006
  (5)The Department can only answer in respect of the High Commission, for which the answer is as below.
  (a) Nil
  (b) Nil
  (c) Hire of audio and video link between three rooms of the High Commission for the Prime Minister's reception, $2,709.19 [This cost is included in the response
  to Item (4)(d)].
  (d) Nil
  (e) Nil
  (f) Provision of Australian wine for reception after the Westminster Abbey service, $732.14. No other expenditure for alcohol. Cost of other beverages (soft drink, orange juice, water) provided for the Prime Minister's reception
  was negligible.
  (g) Nil.

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