Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, , 4:18:17 to 4:20:15
Discussion regarding the costs associated with maintaining internal plants and flowers across the NDIA's 149 national offices as part of property portfolio management.
Topics: Government spending, Procurement
Speakers: Chris Gatenby, Matthew Swainson
And I just want to ask a question, um, a budget estimates uh the NDIA responded to a quan from Senator Hume about the amount of money spent on maintaining um internal plants and flowers. I just want to check that I've interpreted that correctly. It's um quon ending in 279. The answer states that the NDIA spent 31,965 and 8 cents. We got that down to the cent. Um over the three months from January to March 26 on maintaining internal plants and flowers. Is that accurate?
Um Senator, that is that is the response from the quantity. I would observe that we uh we've got 149 offices nationally. Uh some of those are standalone NDIA offices. Some of them are co-located with Services Australia. So uh that's the number of respondents of the quant, but you know, we've got a number of uh as I said, 149 offices. 149 offices we administer nationally.
What's the annual spend for maintaining internal plants and flowers?
Uh we'll get that number for you, Drew, of course.
Um, obviously at a time when well we're looking to reign in spending wherever we can and make some efficiencies. Is that an area that the agency is looking at uh for the longer term in terms of expenditure reductions or Senator,
we are looking for efficiencies right across our property portfolio and program. Um as I mentioned earlier, we are deeply committed to uh managing the agency within the budget envelope that we've been provided with. Uh and that is one of a number of areas we are looking for. Um To achieve savings and efficiencies for the agency. So right across our property portfolio.
Thank you. And just a follow up question to the uh the commission in relation to office upgrades. The question on note as ending two four five.