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 Prime Minister, upon notice, on 21 November 2012:

(1) Did the Prime Minister 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.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's questions:

(1) Yes, 3 days

(2) Yes

(a) 9.

(b) 8 staff from the Prime Minister's Office attended for 3 days and 1 staff member from the advance team in the Prime Minister's Office attended for 12 days.

(c) 8 staff members accompanied the Prime Minister on the RAAF aircraft and 1 staff member travelled business class on a commercial carrier.

(3) Yes

(a) 3 staff from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet attended.

(b) 2 departmental staff members attended for 3 days and 1 departmental staff member from the Ceremonial and Hospitality Branch's advance team attended for 12 days.

(c) 2 departmental staff members accompanied the Prime Minister on the RAAF aircraft and 1 departmental staff member travelled business class on a commercial carrier.

(4) Costs of official travel by the Prime Minister and ministerial staff are met by the Department of Finance and Deregulation. Costs incurred by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet were:

Airfares for commercial flights - $10,427.21

Accommodation (including meals and office set up) - $26,723.52

Transport (including ground transport arrangements) - $3,674.68

Visas and travel doctor - $504.35