Answers to questions on notice were due 9 July 2010.
Q. No.
|
Hansard
Ref/Written |
Agency/
Program
|
Senator
|
Topic |
View
|
1 |
7 |
RRT |
Humphries |
Has the tribunal set aside any departmental decisions on Sri Lankan and
Afghan cases since the freeze was announced on 9 April? |
(PDF 8KB) |
2 |
15-16 |
MRT/RRT |
Humphries |
You said that people with a low set-aside rate would not necessarily
have that factor dominate the consideration of their reappointment.
You said that a range of factors might contribute to that. If that
were the case you would expect that people with the lowest set-aside
rates would have no greater or lesser expectation of being
reappointed than anybody else. Can we find out whether those with
the lowest set-aside rates have, indeed, been reappointed in the
last round for which decisions have been made? |
(PDF 8KB) |
3 |
19 |
MRT/RRT |
Humphries |
Could I ask you to take on notice the question of the returning
members or members applying for reappointment. Have those with the
five highest set-aside rates been reappointed?
I am talking again about the previous round—the same round that I am
asking about with the low set-aside rates. |
(PDF 8KB) |
4 |
23 |
MRT/RRT |
Humphries |
Provide a table of the general set-aside rates by the tribunals for
the last five years. |
(PDF 11KB) |
5 |
23 |
MRT/RRT |
Barnett |
When was the country information on Sri Lanka last updated? |
(PDF 7KB) |
6 |
24 |
MRT |
Barnett |
Provide the percentage increase on student refusal lodgements this
year. |
(PDF 7KB) |
7 |
29 |
OMARA |
Barnett |
Provide an updated figure for 2009-2010 for the number of complaints
received against registered migration agents by the Office of the
MARA. |
(PDF 6KB) |
8 |
33-34 |
Internal Product |
Humphries |
Provide individual processing times outcomes for individual visa
classes and advise how it has improved on the previous financial
year. |
(PDF 12KB) |
9 |
37 |
Internal Product |
Humphries |
Do you have the figures for the number of people presently in the
establishment of Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6? |
(PDF 6KB) |
10 |
39 |
Internal Product |
Humphries |
Provide efficiency specifics for processing visa applications for each
individual product line. |
(PDF 7KB) |
11 |
40 |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
Provide actual movements in ASL by outcome for 2008-09 and 2009-10. |
(PDF 12KB) |
12 |
40 |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
Provide the headcount for the Department by outcome for 2008-09 and
2009-10. |
(PDF 12KB) |
13 |
40-41 |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
With respect to this financial year and the past two financial years,
can you be more specific as to where the staff reductions in
Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 will be coming from? |
(PDF 7KB) |
14 |
42-43 |
Internal Product |
Humphries |
How many staff are involved in processing IMAs at different locations? |
(PDF 7KB) |
15 |
44 |
4.3 |
Barnett |
Explain the difference between DIAC’s Christmas Island detainee
numbers as at 19 May 2010 of 2,295 and AG’s detainee numbers as at
21 May 2010 of 2,437. |
(PDF 7KB) |
16 |
44-45 |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
In the answer to a question on notice for 30 June 2008, 30 June 2009
and then 31 January 2010 I would like to know where the increase in
departmental staff has come from—the section of the department from
which they come—to Christmas Island. Over the two-year period it has
increased from four to 85, an increase of 81. They have come from
somewhere. I would like to know whence they came. |
(PDF 17KB) |
17 |
46-47 |
1.1 |
Humphries/Barnett |
The budget for 2010-11 demonstrates a decrease of almost $32 million
in administered revenues for the 2009-10 financial year as a result
of eligibility changes to visa revenue. What proportion of the total
of the visa application fee revenue is represented by that $32
million figure?
Could you provide a breakdown of that revenue with visa types in
both the money and the percentage? |
(PDF 11KB) |
18 |
47 |
1.1 |
Barnett |
Provide a breakdown of the $274 million (the second instalment visa
application charges). |
(PDF 17KB) |
19 |
48 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
Do you have a projection of how many fewer offshore and how many more
onshore student applications? |
(PDF 10KB) |
20 |
55 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
How many labour agreements have been refused outright? |
(PDF 12KB) |
21 |
59 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
What is the current state of advice that would be relevant to
VETASSESS assessors on whether they can travel to Sri Lanka—is it
safe to travel to Sri Lanka or not for these assessments? |
(PDF 7KB) |
22 |
61 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
In relation to 485 visas, provide the number of visa grants by
nationality for 2008-09 and 2009-10. |
(PDF 17KB) |
23 |
61 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
What is the total number of international student visas granted in
2008-09? |
(PDF 7KB) |
24 |
62 |
1.1 |
Barnett |
How many 485 visa applications were declined in 2008-09 and 2009-10? |
(PDF 7KB) |
25 |
62 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
Provide the full performance statistics on the 485 visa in the last
three years. |
(PDF 58KB) |
26 |
62 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
How many international student visas were declined in 2008-09, how
many were approved in 2009-10 and how many were declined in 2009-10,
to date? In respect of these sorts of visas has there been a marked
increase in the decline of international student visas? |
(PDF 7KB) |
27 |
63 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
What is the average waiting time for 485 visas? |
(PDF 6KB) |
28 |
63 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
Has the length in time for processing international student visas
increased since the introduction of the integrity measures? If so,
by how much? |
(PDF 10KB) |
29 |
64-65 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
In relation to the $31.73 million revenue reduction for 2009-10,
provide a breakdown of the 12, 567 reduction in applications by visa
category. |
(PDF 8KB) |
30 |
65 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
For general migration to Australia, you mentioned there was a
reduction in income from $136 million to $101 million expected this
coming financial year. What would we attribute that fall in general
migration to? |
(PDF 12KB) |
31 |
66 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
(1) Is it possible to get for this financial year to date the number
of refusals in these categories? I suppose that if a person applies,
say, for a partner, they can either get accepted—that is, granted a
visa—or they can have their application not considered because a
certain number have already been accepted. In the case of
non-contributory parents the quota is already filled, so they might
be refused. Is it possible to say how many have been refused in
those four categories (partner visas, preferential other category
visas, non-contributory parent visas and contributory parent visas)
you gave me in the year to date?
(2) With respect to those who have been refused, do we have any
indication of how many take appeals to the MRT and how many appeals
are successful? I think we are talking here about 2008-09, if we are
looking at both appeals and outcomes of appeals.
(3) Can you give me any information about how the numbers of
applicants in those various categories for applications compare with
the previous three years? |
(PDF 17KB) |
32 |
67 |
2.1 |
Humphries |
What would be the standard way of dealing with a sponsor from
Afghanistan who wanted to bring children into Australia and who
could not produce any birth certificates? Maybe you could take on
notice just a description of what typically would be the process if
there were a lack of documentation. |
(PDF 7KB) |
33 |
68 |
6.1 |
Humphries |
Excluding humanitarian applicants and those people without another
citizenship to turn to, in the last year how many cases were there
where a person was deprived of Australian citizenship? |
(PDF 6KB) |
34 |
68 |
1.1 |
Humphries |
Would you say that there had been any increase in non bona fide
applications across any of these categories in the last year or so? |
(PDF 7KB) |
35 |
72 |
Internal Product |
Humphries |
Provide an assessment of the resources required by the department to
process the application of an offshore humanitarian applicant
compared to those for an IMA. |
(PDF 7KB) |
36 |
73 |
2.1 |
Humphries |
At which posts have overseas humanitarian and refugee visa grants been
made in the last year and how many were made in each post? |
(PDF 10KB) |
37 |
74 |
Internal Product |
Humphries |
When was the last time we processed a visa in Damascus? |
(PDF 6KB) |
38 |
74 |
Internal Product |
Humphries |
Can you tell me how many Afghans Australia has issued visas to in
2009-10 to date and from which overseas posts? |
(PDF 7KB) |
39 |
75 |
Internal Product |
Humphries |
(1) How many applications were accepted in Pakistan in, say, 2008-09?
(2) What nationalities have been granted visas through that process
and particularly how many from Afghanistan? |
(PDF 9KB) |
40 |
75 |
2.1 |
Humphries |
Has the UNHCR referred any Afghan cases in Pakistan to Australia? If
you establish that there were such cases could you tell me when the
last one was done? |
(PDF 7KB) |
41 |
75 |
2.1 |
Humphries |
How many Afghan refugees, humanitarian applications were accepted and
how many travelled to Australian in 2008-09 and 2009-10 to date? |
(PDF 8KB) |
42 |
75-76 |
2.1 |
Parry |
How many humanitarian refugee visas have been granted out of Indonesia
and Malaysia from the caseload of asylum seekers processed by the
UNHCR from 2008-09 until the year to date, what nationalities were
they and what type of visa were they given? |
(PDF 11KB) |
43 |
76 |
2.1 |
Parry |
How many of the 4,277 onshore protection visa applications were lodged
by people who arrived with visas and were lawful at the time of
application, how many were lodged by people who arrived with visas
but were unlawful at the time of application and how many were
lodged by people who were unauthorised air arrivals? |
(PDF 7KB) |
44 |
76-77 |
2.1 |
Parry |
(1) How many irregular maritime arrivals (IMAs) sought refugee status
in Australia? (2)How many IMAs
lodged protection visa applications?(3) How many visas were granted
in the first instance by the department in each category (onshore
protection visa applications, unauthorised air arrivals and IMAs)?
(4) How many were refused and how many subsequently appealed in both
2008-09 and the year to date? |
(PDF 9KB) |
45 |
77 |
4.1 |
Parry |
How many failed asylum applicants have been removed from Australia? |
(PDF 6KB) |
46 |
77 |
2.1 |
Parry |
How many places in the humanitarian and refugee program have been
provided to onshore asylum claims, including air arrivals and those
who have arrived unauthorised by boat? Can we have a breakdown of
those figures? |
(PDF 13KB) |
47 |
77 |
2.1 |
Parry |
How many places in the humanitarian refugee program have been provided
to the family members of onshore asylum claimants and unauthorised
boat arrivals and are visas usually provided through the
humanitarian programs or through the family reunion programs? Again,
can we have a breakdown? |
(PDF 7KB) |
48 |
78 |
2.1 |
Parry |
What is the acceptance rate by nationality of onshore protection
claims and how does that compare with acceptance rates in the United
Kingdom and in North America? |
(PDF 12KB) |
49 |
79 |
2.1 |
Parry |
What is the acceptance rate by nationality of protection claims made
by those arriving in an offshore excised place? |
(PDF 6KB) |
50 |
92 |
2.1 |
Hanson-Young |
Could you please inform us as to whether human rights standards and
the protection of human rights are actually referenced in the
agreement with IOM? |
(PDF 8KB) |
51 |
96-97 |
4.1 |
Humphries |
How many of the 480 people who have had negative primary refugee
status assessment decisions have been removed? Provide a breakdown
of the 480. |
(PDF 12KB) |
52 |
97 |
2.1 |
Humphries |
How many of the recently arrived IMAs had previously been refused
refugee status and subsequently removed from Australia? |
(PDF 6KB) |
53 |
97-98 |
2.1 |
Humphries |
Of the irregular maritime arrival cohort, what is the longest serving
detainee whose status has been refused but who has not been returned
to another country yet, i.e. refused by the department or refused
and reviewed but still unsuccessful who have no further avenues for
appeal who are still waiting? |
(PDF 7KB) |
54 |
98 |
2.1 |
Humphries |
Provide a list of the Immigration Advice and Application Assistance
Scheme (IAAAS) panel members and the cost for the last financial
year and the cost for this year to date. |
(PDF 37KB) |
55 |
100 |
2.1 |
Humphries |
Provide a breakdown of the number of people who fall into the various
categories that make up the 13,750 humanitarian places. |
(PDF 12KB) |
56 |
107 |
3.1 |
Humphries |
In the last 12 months has anybody been prosecuted for presenting or
using a false or altered documents? If so, how many? |
(PDF 7KB) |
57 |
113 |
3.1 |
Barnett |
What is the level of expenditure on the education and information
campaigns with respect to anti-people-smuggling messages? |
(PDF 7KB) |
58 |
5 |
4.1 |
Humphries |
Can you say precisely how many staff are currently performing
compliance related activities across the department at this point in
time? Provide a comparison
with the last two financial years. |
(PDF 11KB) |
59 |
6 |
Internal Product |
Humphries |
Provide a breakdown of the immigration workforce at each of
Australia’s overseas posts. |
(PDF 23KB) |
60 |
7 |
4.1 |
Humphries |
Provide the number of compliance related detainees in the onshore
detention network for April 2010. |
(PDF 7KB) |
61 |
7 |
4.1 |
Humphries |
Was a correction published in relation to the article published in the
Australian in April 2010
alleging compliance officers were requested to only detain people
when necessary because of space pressures inside detention centres? |
(PDF 6KB) |
62 |
7 |
4.1 |
Humphries |
What is the current overstay rate of visitors for those granted visas
at the ‘high risk’ posts overseas and how does the rate today
compare with the rate over the last three years? |
(PDF 7KB) |
63 |
10 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
Provide a list of the communicable or notifiable diseases that were
reported on Christmas Island for each of the previous three
financial years. |
(PDF 7KB) |
64 |
10 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
Have there been cases where communicable diseases have escaped from
the centre and moved into the rest of the Christmas Island
population? |
(PDF 6KB) |
65 |
11 |
4.1 |
Parry |
In relation to the illegal worker by industry table, provide details
of category entitled ‘Government administration and defence – one
person’ |
(PDF 7KB) |
66 |
11 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
Provide a copy of the poster that is on Christmas Island explaining
how detainees can make complaints and advise who produced it. |
(PDF 7KB)
(PDF 1951KB)
Arabic
(PDF 807KB)
English
(PDF 808KB)
English
(PDF 934KB)
Ombudsman Multilingual
(PDF 1101KB)
Ombudsman poster design
(PDF 1410KB)
Punjabi |
67 |
11 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
Except for the Red Cross, is the phone number provided on the
complaints poster a local Christmas Island phone number? |
(PDF 7KB) |
68 |
18-19 |
4.2 and 4.3 |
Hanson-Young |
Provide a breakdown of the numbers of people in detention both onshore
and offshore by location and nationality.
(Please note at the hearing an undertaking was given to the Senator
to prioritise the response to this question) |
(PDF 7KB)
(PDF 7KB) Table |
69 |
24 |
4.3 |
Hanson-Young |
In relation to the cases of self-harm on Christmas Island, did any of
those cases result in anybody being removed from the island? |
(PDF 7KB) |
70 |
24-25 |
4.3 |
Hanson-Young |
Confirm that there are no pregnant women currently detained in the
construction camp who are past the date at which they are able to
fly and be removed from the island and confirm a woman whose
pregnancy was more advanced than thought has been removed from the
island. |
(PDF 7KB) |
71 |
25-26 |
Internal Product |
Hanson-Young |
In relation to compensation payouts that the Commonwealth has paid for
either injury or wrongful detention, provide a breakdown of what
money we have had to spend over the last decade, from 2000 to 2010. |
(PDF 8KB) |
72 |
27 |
4.3 |
Barnett |
What is the average period of detention for each of the last three
years? |
(PDF 8KB) |
73 |
28 and 35 |
4.3 |
Barnett/Humphries |
In relation to the $327 million in administered expenses for
2010-2011, what is the average occupancy rate, the average length of
stay in detention and the average cost of the accommodation? |
(PDF 8KB) |
74 |
34 |
4.3 |
Barnett |
How many Sri Lankan IMAs arrived this year and in the previous year? |
(PDF 7KB) |
75 |
39 |
4.3 |
Barnett |
For this financial year provide the costs that apply to each of the
categories that make up the administered expenses. |
(PDF 13KB) |
76 |
41 |
4.3 |
Barnett |
What are the capital rebuild costs and DIAC staffing costs of the
incremental costs for 2010-11? |
(PDF 8KB) |
77 |
41 |
4.2 and 4.3 |
Barnett |
What are the budget paper figures for staff on Christmas Island and
other detention centres as at 30 June 2011? |
(PDF 12KB) |
78 |
42 |
4.3 |
Barnett |
Provide the IMA figures used to prepare the estimates for 1999 and
2000. |
(PDF 7KB) |
79 |
49 |
4.2 |
Humphries |
What is the average space per person provided for in the detention
standards? |
(PDF 7KB) |
80 |
49 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
What is the actual outcome of occupancy in the Christmas Island IDC?
To what extent is the standard being breached? |
(PDF 7KB) |
81 |
50 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
How many detainees who were granted a permanent protection visa have
departed Christmas Island by month, including July, in the current
financial year? |
(PDF 8KB) |
82 |
54 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
In relation to the $143.8 million for capital funding for additional
immigration detention facilities, provide a breakdown for the Curtin
facility. |
(PDF 8KB) |
83 |
54 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
What will be the estimated operating costs of the Curtin facility once
it is operational at stage one? |
(PDF 7KB) |
84 |
54-55 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
In relation to the Curtin facility, what will the staffing be once it
is operational at stage one? How many staff will there be,
particularly how many DIAC staff and Serco staff? |
(PDF 12KB) |
85 |
56-57 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
(1) How much is it costing to house IMAs in hotels on a monthly basis?
(2) Do the arrangements include the cost of meals for the
detainees?
(3) Do they use private cooking facilities in the hotels? Is there
any capacity provided for them to cook for themselves? |
(PDF 7KB) |
86 |
57-58 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
There were reports of asylum seekers and crew members off boats
arriving on the mainland, I think in Darwin, wearing facemasks—the
little cloth sort for shielding sneezes and things like that. Is
that true and would they have been supplied with those facemasks by
the department? |
(PDF 7KB) |
87 |
58 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
How many people have been transferred in the financial year to date to
Darwin hospital with illness? Have any IMAs been transferred to
Darwin hospital with serious illnesses? |
(PDF 8KB) |
88 |
59 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
How many extra staff has Serco engaged as a result of the additional
responsibilities of the extra sites? Where are those extra staff
working? |
(PDF 7KB) |
89 |
59-60 |
2.1 |
Humphries |
There was a report about the transfer of 34 detainees from Christmas
Island to Villawood on 5 April, that you described, Minister, as
being on a negative pathway. So they had been refused refugee status
and they were, as you put it, in the process of being sent home or
sent away. What has happened to those 34 people? Have they now left
the country? Provide more precision than a number. |
(PDF 12KB) |
90 |
61 |
2.1 |
Humphries |
Thirty four were transferred to Villawood on 5 April and 89 detainees
were also transferred to Villawood on 27 March. So all of this group
had their claims rejected and were said to be on a negative or a
removal pathway. According to DIAC, as at 17 May there were still
122 IMAs at Villawood. Have all these people had their refugee
status refused? |
(PDF 7KB) |
91 |
61 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
Is it not true that under the previous government detainees who had
been rejected were not transferred to the mainland except for things
such as medical emergencies? When their claims had been rejected
they were then removed off the island; they were not housed on the
mainland before they were sent home? |
(PDF 7KB) |
92 |
63-64 |
4.2 |
Humphries |
The committee has received a document that I think is from DIAC headed
Immigration detention statistics summary,
which sets out, as
at 7 May 2010, all the places of immigration detention and the
break-up between men, women and children in each place. Can we have
an update of that, please? Provide the information with place of
detention by nationality. |
(PDF 7KB)
(PDF 7KB) Citizenship
Table
(PDF 19KB)
Detention Statistics Summary |
93 |
64 |
3.1 |
Humphries |
How long is it currently taking for ASIO to make security assessments
of offshore entry persons? |
(PDF 7KB) |
94 |
65 |
3.1 |
Humphries |
(1)How many IMAs in the course of this financial year have had ASIO
security checks?
(2) How many have received negative assessments?
(3) Are there any cases in which ASIO has changed its assessment in
the light of later information or for any other reasons? |
(PDF 7KB) |
95 |
65 |
4.3 |
Humphries |
How many people are arriving as IMAs without documentation at the
moment? |
(PDF 7KB) |
96 |
67 and 72 |
2.1 |
Humphries/Barnett |
Which other countries have put a freeze on the processing of asylum
claims as was said in April? |
(PDF 7KB) |
97 |
70 and 73 |
2.1 |
Barnett/Humphries |
Provide key references that show the current situation in respect of
the safety, security and avoidance of persecution of the Hazara
people in Afghanistan. |
(PDF 14KB) |
98 |
71 |
4.3 |
Barnett |
What is the estimated additional cost in delaying the processing and
holding of the Afghani and Sri Lankan irregular maritime arrivals
that we currently have? |
(PDF 7KB) |
99 |
71 |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
How many Afghanis and Sri Lankans have been issued visas by Australia
at overseas posts in the past year? Can you advise which posts, what
kinds of visas were issued? |
(PDF 7KB)
(PDF 7KB)
Afghan Table
(PDF 11KB)
Sri Lanka Table |
100 |
72 |
2.1 |
Barnett |
When was the last time Australia processed a protection visa from
either Afghanis or Sri Lankans onshore or offshore and advise where
it was done? |
(PDF 11KB) |
101 |
72-73 |
2.1 |
Barnett |
(1) Is the department aware whether the UK, the US, Canada, New
Zealand or other resettlement countries have visaed Sri Lankans and
Afghans in the last two financial years?
(2) Have those countries refused to process onshore asylum claims
from Sri Lankans and Afghans? |
(PDF 7KB) |
102 |
74 |
2.1 |
Humphries |
As well as the international organisations, we have the advantage in
this country of having a substantial population of expatriates. Has
DIAC or anyone else in the government used those communities to
verify the information that you receive from other sources? |
(PDF 7KB) |
103 |
76 |
4.2 |
Barnett |
Provide a copy of the checklist document that is used when
communicating with key stakeholder groups when establishing
detention facilities or using a local city motel, for example. |
(PDF 9KB) |
104 |
80 |
4.1 |
Humphries |
Take the three or four most common countries of repatriation and
provide the most common routes taken for taking people back there. |
(PDF 7KB) |
105 |
81-82 |
2.1 |
Humphries |
Confirm the $140,000 grant to the Refugee Council of Australia comes
within Outcome 2. |
(PDF 7KB) |
106 |
83 |
6.1 |
Humphries |
How much of the $9.7 million in additional funding to counter violent
extremism and the threat of home gown terrorism in the Australian
community will be coming from the Immigration and Citizenship
portfolio? |
(PDF 7KB) |
107 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
(1) How many permanent staff have been recruited since the additional
estimates (Feb 2010)?
(2) What level are these staff? |
(PDF 10KB) |
108 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
How many temporary positions exist or have been created since the
additional estimates (Feb 2010)? |
(PDF 7KB) |
109 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
Since the additional estimates in February 2010, how many employees
have been employed on contract and what is the average length of
their employment period? |
(PDF 6KB) |
110 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
(1) Have staffing numbers been reduced as a result of the efficiency
dividend and/or other budget cuts?
(a) Since the efficiency
dividend was introduced?
(b) Since additional
estimates?
(2) If so, where and at what level?
(3) Are there any plans for staff reduction?
If so, please advise details ie. reduction target, how this
will be achieved, services/programs to be cut etc. |
(PDF 14KB) |
111 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
If your Department/agency has been identified in the budget as
delivering further efficiencies (savings), how will these be
delivered? (for example, if
the budget papers say ‘improvement to strategic work practices’ or
similar, what are these and how will they be delivered? |
(PDF 12KB) |
112 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
What changes are underway or planned for graduate recruitment,
cadetships or similar programs?
If reductions or increases are envisaged please explain
including reasons, target numbers etc. |
(PDF 7KB) |
113 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
Government Advertising
(1) What communications programs has the Department/Agency
undertaken since additional estimates and what communications
programs are planned to be undertaken?
(2) For each program, what is the total spend?
(by ‘communications program’ it is meant communication of a
government message to the public – possibly by advertising (print,
television etc), possibly through the erection of signs, plaques
etc, or through other mediums.
The recent (current) Government TV advertising campaign on
health reform and specific health initiatives are examples, BER
signage is an example, advertising on the Government’s proposed new
tax system would be another example.)
(3) A breakdown of how much was spent/is planned to be spent
on each program/initiative should be provided. |
(PDF 7KB) |
114 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
(1) What is the Department's hospitality spend FYTD?
(2) Please detail date, location, purpose and cost of all events. |
(PDF 12KB) |
115 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
(1) For each Minister/Par Sec's office, please detail total
hospitality spend FYTD.
(2) Please detail date, location, purpose and cost of each event. |
(PDF 6KB) |
116 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
Board Appointments
(1) What is the gender ratio on each board and across the portfolio?
(2) What is the gender ratio of appointments made to boards since
the Government came to office in November 2007? |
(PDF 7KB) |
117 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
Grants
Has the Department complied with interim requirements relating to
the publication of discretionary grants? |
(PDF 8KB) |
118 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
(1) Has the Department/agency received any advice from the Government
or any other source on how to respond to FOI requests?
(2) How many FOI requests has the Department received?
(3) How many have been granted or denied?
(4) How many conclusive certificates have been issued in relation to
FOI requests? |
(PDF 7KB) |
119 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
(1) What was the cost of Ministers travel and expenses for the
Community Cabinet meetings held since additional estimates?
(2) How many Ministerial Staff and Departmental officers travelled
with the Minister for the Community Cabinet meeting?
(3) What was the total cost of this travel?
(4) What was the total cost to the Department and the Ministers
office? |
(PDF 13KB) |
120 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
(1) What is the total number of Reviews both completed and ongoing
in the portfolio/agency or affecting the portfolio agency since
November 2007?
(2) Please provide a breakdown of reviews completed since the
government came to office (only those commenced after the current
government came to office) including
(a) when those reviews were
provided to Government,
(b) estimated cost of
producing each review (and total cost), and
(c) if the Government has
responded to the review or information about when the Government has
indicated it will/will not respond to the review.
(3) How many reviews are ongoing?
(4) How many reviews have been completed since additional estimates?
(5) What further reviews are planned in the portfolio/agency?
Senator Barnett has provided the following definition of a
Review:
'A review is to be defined as a formal examination of a particular
Departmental or agency responsibility which is suitable for public
release which is conducted by or commissioned by the Department or
agency.’
|
(PDF 15KB) |
121 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
(1) How many consultancies have been undertaken or are underway since
November 2007? Please
identify the name of the consultant, the subject matter of the
consultancy, the duration and cost of the contract, and the method
of procurement (ie. open tender, direct source, etc).
(2) Please also include total value for all consultancies, including
figures for total spending on consultancies and also value of
contracts awarded? Provide
total figures since November 2007 and a breakdown on these figures
for FY 2008/09 and 2009/10 FYTD.
(3) Is the Department/agency up to date with its reporting
requirements on the Government’s tenders and contacts website?
Are the figures available on that site correct?
(4) How many consultancies are planned for this calendar year?
Have these been published in your Annual Procurement Plan
(APP) on the AusTender website and if not why not? In each case
please identify the subject matter, duration, projected cost and
method of procurement as above, and the name of the consultant if
known. |
(PDF 8KB) |
122 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Barnett |
(1) Has the portfolio/agency paid its accounts to
contractors/consultants etc in accordance with Government policy in
terms of time for payment (ie. within 30 days)?
If not, why not, and what has been the timeframe for payment
of accounts? Please provide a
breakdown, average statistics etc as appropriate to give insight
into how this issue is being approached.)
(2) For accounts not paid within 30 days, is interest being paid on
overdue amounts and if so how much has been paid by the
portfolio/department agency for the current financial year and the
previous financial year?
(3) Where interest is being paid, what rate of interest is being
paid and how is this rate determined? |
(PDF 8KB) |
123 |
Written |
2.1 |
Hanson-Young |
What support will Australia provide to countries of first asylum for
the care, integration or other benefit of asylum seekers and
refugees?
– E.g. Will
Australia provide support for alternatives to detention? For
education for children? For employment or other social support? |
(PDF 8KB) |
124 |
Written |
2.1 |
Hanson-Young |
(1) How does Australia participate in IOM’s governance?
(2) How does the government ensure that IOM’s work, particularly
work specifically funded by Australia in Indonesia, meets
Australia’s human rights obligations?
– Are human
rights among the “interests” that the government advocates in its
participation in IOM’s governance?
(3) What specific demands has
Australia made to IOM regarding the protection of human rights of
individuals, particularly asylum seekers and refugees, within
its care?
– Standards of
detention?
– Ensuring non-refoulement? |
(PDF 15KB) |
125 |
Written |
3.1 |
Hanson-Young |
(1) Does government consider asylum seekers among those likely to
threaten the national interest, whose entry must be prevented under
Program 3.1?
(2) Does “capacity building” include building capacity to identify
and address protection needs of asylum seekers and refugees? |
(PDF 14KB) |
126 |
Written |
2.1 |
Hanson-Young |
Outcome 4 strategies and initiatives include “To strengthen
the migration and border management capabilities of governments in
the Asia-Pacific region and parts of South Asia and the Middle
East.”
This same objective appears under Program 4.3
(Offshore Asylum Seeker Management).
(1) How does this
objective relate, in concrete terms, to the
management of asylum seekers?
(2) Which specific countries does this concern, and with which
government departments in those countries is the Australian
government currently working to “strengthen migration and border
management capabilities”?
(3) What activities or programs does the government have in place or
intend to commence regarding strengthening of migration management
in those countries?
(4) How is this indicator consistent with the Sri Lankan and Afghan
asylum processing freeze which requires unreviewable and indefinite
detention for all asylum seekers of those nationalities?
Will the government now amend that policy to ensure it meets
this objective? |
(PDF 10KB) |
127 |
Written |
2.1 |
Hanson-Young |
(1) Identify the amount of funding to IOM broken down by project,
outcome and detention or transit facility.
(2) Explain how the government proposes to maintain oversight and
accountability for the way in which IOM spends Australian funds to
provide care and support to irregular migrants, and in particular,
for ensuring protection of the human rights of asylum seekers and
refugees. |
(PDF 14KB) |
128 |
Written |
2.1 |
Hanson-Young |
(1) What are facial identification techniques and for what purpose is
the government training Indonesian immigration officials to employ
them?
(2) What training is the Australian government providing to
Indonesian immigration officials to identify individuals with
protection needs, and to prevent returning or unlawfully detaining
individuals with such needs (such as refugees)? |
(PDF 8KB) |
129 |
Written |
2.1 |
Hanson-Young |
Payment to IOM to establish an additional immigration
detention and transit facility in Indonesia, under item deliverables
(p.55 of the portfolio budget statement)
Provide all details, and a copy of the agreement relating
to this new facility
(a)
What is the sum of the payment?
(b)
Where will the facility be located?
(c)
Who will be responsible for administering the
facility?
(d)
What will the facility’s capacity be?
(e)
What factors did the government take into
consideration in determining the location of the facility?
(f)
To what extent will the Australian government
be involved in the operation and maintenance of the facility?
(g)
How does the government propose to ensure that
the facility complies with Australia’s human rights obligations and
Australia’s detention principles?
(f)
Will children be detained in the facility? |
(PDF 13KB) |
130 |
Written |
4.3 |
Hanson-Young |
What restrictions are there on members of the community visiting the
asylum seekers being detained in Brisbane (in both the transit
centres and motels)? |
(PDF 7KB) |
131 |
Written |
4.1 |
Hanson-Young |
(1) How many women in the sex
industry have been removed and repatriated since 1 July 2009?
(transferred to FaHCSIA)
(2) How many women in the sex
industry have been identified as possible victims of trafficking
since 1 July 2009? How many women have agreed to being identified as
victims of trafficking since 1 July 2009?
(transferred to FaHCSIA)
(3) How many victims of
trafficking have been referred to the Support for Victims of People
Trafficking Program? (transferred to FaHCSIA)
(4) What support does DIAC
offer to identified victims of trafficking who do not agree to be
identified as victims and who stay at the sex industry establishment
at which they have been found?
(5) How many BVFs have been
granted since 1 July 2009?
(6) How many criminal justice
stay (trafficking) visas (CJSV) have been granted since 1 July 2009?
(7) What has happened with
trafficked persons who do not agree to cooperate with police and
access the CJSV? Were they returned home or able to access other
visas?
(8) What follow-up is
conducted of women who have been repatriated? Have any of these
women been re-trafficked?
(9) How many victims of
trafficking have been offered the Witness Protection (Permanent)
visa? What definition of 'cooperation' was used to satisfy this
criterion of eligibility for the visa?
(10) How much time has
elapsed, on average, from when a victim is first identified till
they are granted the Witness Protection visa, since 1 July 2009?
(11) Please provide a
breakdown of how many of each trafficking-related visa have been
issued in each State, since 1 July 2009.
(12) Have guidelines or
procedures been developed and implemented in relation to the visa
sub-categories? Where can these be found?
(13) What training is offered
to the members of DIAC's Sexual Servitude taskforce? Did they
receive training on the new visa regime? Is this training shared
with the AFP?
(14) What reviews are
conducted of the Sexual Servitude's Taskforce's work, to establish
that they are always asking potential victims of trafficking
appropriate questions, and are using respectful and culturally
appropriate language and body language?
(15) What monitoring does
DIAC conduct of schools aimed at international students to ensure
that fake or rogue schools are not being used by traffickers to
facilitate access to student visas? |
(PDF 22KB) |
132 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Macdonald |
(1) Could the Department list
how many contracts it currently has with a company named Serco, a
company named Sodexho, a company named Sodexo and a company named
Serco Sodexho Defence Services Pty Ltd?
(2) Could the Department
supply the same information with any other company of which the
Department is aware, is associated with any of those named
companies?
(3) In relation to each
company, please list the nature of the contract, and the principal
location of where the contract work is being carried out.
(4) Is the Department aware
of any business relationship between any or all of the four
mentioned companies?
(5) In relation to each of
the four companies, is the headquarters and registered office of the
companies in Australia? If
not in what country is the registered office of the four mentioned
companies?
(6) In relation to each of
the companies could the Department please indicate the value of the
contracts entered into with all or any of those companies? |
(PDF 9KB) |
133 |
Written |
1.1 |
Crossin |
(1) In relation to permanent residency and citizenship for 410 visa
holders, and actively seeking such a pathway towards permanent
residency being achieved, is their any update on this for 410 visa
holders and their situation
and status that could change in the not too distant future?
(2) At the Additional
Estimates hearing of this Committee on 9 February you stated that
the main argument against a case for permanent residency for 410
visa holders was one of cost. However, a proper case must analyse
potential additional tax revenue as well as potential costs,
otherwise it cannot be considered a balanced case. 410 visa holders
are currently temporary residents, and the foreign income of all
temporary residents is taxed not in Australia, but in the country of
origin. The bulk of the retirees’ income is from pensions derived
from their countries of origin. With permanent residency this
foreign income would become taxable in Australia, producing
significant additional tax revenue which would mitigate most, if not
all, of the health costs involved.
(a) How many reports, and from which organisations, have you and
your Department received on the potential costs and potential
additional revenue?
(b) What are the projected costs and potential additional tax
revenue identified in each report? |
(PDF 8KB) |
134 |
Written |
Internal Product |
Birmingham |
(1) Please list every building occupied by the Department.
(2) For each building:
– Has an
energy efficiency audit been undertaken?
If so, what rating was achieved and what action has been
taken to improve energy efficiency as a result of any audit
undertaken? |
(PDF 29KB) |
135 |
Written |
6.1 |
Fifield |
(1) How much funding over the
forward estimates has been allocated to the Diversity and Social
Cohesion program outlined on page 264 of Budget paper no. 2?
(2) With the Diverse
Australia program being integrated into the new Diversity and Social
Cohesion program (Budget paper no. 2, pg 264), will the main
elements of the Diverse Australia program continue?
Those being community grants, emerging issues funding, and
Harmony Day.
(3) Incorporating the changes
outlined on page 264 of Budget paper no. 2, how much funding over
the forward estimates has been allocated to the Diverse Australia
program, or the services and grants it previously delivered?
(4) How much funding over the
forward estimates has been allocated to deliver the ‘community
grants’ and ‘emerging issues funding’ sections of the Diverse
Australia program?
(5) Are there any plans to
change the eligibility requirements of the ‘community grants’ or the
‘emerging issues funding’ grants offered under the Diverse Australia
program?
(6) What has been the total
expense of the Diverse Australia program over the past 4 years? |
(PDF 8KB) |
136 |
Written |
1.1 |
Trood |
(1) Although the Minister is on
record as stressing that he is personally supportive of a pathway to
permanent residency and citizenship for 410 visa holders, and
actively seeking such a pathway, no actual concrete progress towards
permanent residency has yet been achieved.
There have been piecemeal enhancements to the visa, which
have been welcomed by 410 visa holders, especially last year’s
increase in the visa renewal period from four to ten years.
However, not one of these enhancements has brought permanent
residency any further forward.
What steps does the government intend to take to provide a pathway
to permanent residency for 410 via holders?
(2) At the Additional
Estimates hearing of this Committee on 9 February the Minister
stated that the main argument against you putting forward a case for
permanent residency for 410 visa holders was one of cost.
(a) Has the government
commissioned any studies or analysis on the costs of giving
permanent residency to 410 visa holders?
(b) If so, in relation to
each report, please advise when it was commissioned, and the
conclusions of each report in relation to the projected costs of
extending residency to 410 via holders.
(c) Do the reports assess
possible tax revenue generated for the Commonwealth by taxing 410
visa holders should they become resident in Australia?
What is the estimate of this revenue? |
(PDF 8KB) |