Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, , 17:18 to 21:08
Minister Watt provides context for the current spending by comparing pre-COP costs to historical expenditures for APEC and G20 summits under previous governments.
Topics: Government spending, Travel and event costs
Speakers: Hon Murray Watt, Varun Ghosh, Hon Sarah Henderson, David Higgins, Unknown Speaker, Mr. David Higgins
spent on media marketing.
>> We're going to do this in a simple way. The minister is entitled to provide an answer. This answer hasn't gone on too long just yet. So,
>> over $9 million was spent on media, marketing, and communications by the Howard government when they hosted APE in 2007. So that's nearly five times.
>> Sorry, Minister. Just I'll I'll pause you and come back to you in a moment. Senator Henderson.
>> Look, on direct relevance, I was asking the official about a breakdown of these costs. So I would ask that if the minister if the minister wanted to make any contribution and the to be fair to the official, he was halfway through his answer, Minister. So if the official could please be allowed to finish the
official to finish his answer
>> and all right, let's I understand the point of order. I understand the point the minister's made as well. My read of it was that the official had concluded his answer and the minister was providing context afterwards. If there's an opportunity now to let the minister finish and then if the official wants to add anything as well, we can do that and then we'll come back to you. Senator Henderson,
>> it needs to be directly relevant.
>> Well, it's a broad test of relevance. If you want me to narrow that today, I'm very happy to. But um but it is relevant to provide context to an answer. Minister.
>> Yes, I would like.
>> Thanks, Chair. Since since I've since I've been given a moment to finish my what I was saying, as I was saying, I think it's important to compare the costs that were incurred with this event with costs that have been incurred by in similar events hosted by former governments. I've given the figure the comparative figure for media, marketing, and communications for the APEC conference hosted in 2007 under Prime Minister Howard. If we're talking about total costs of events, um the figure that's been given this morning is around $34 million for the pre-OP event, noting that some of that money will be recouped. Uh that compares to $400 million which was spent when the Abbott government hosted G20 in Australia in 2014, $330 million when the Howard government hosted APEC in Australia in 2007. When it comes to hotel costs, and we've had figures on that, around $20 million was spent on hotels for the G20 hosted by the ABBA government in 2014, which is obviously more than double what was spent on venues and accommodation for the pre-OP. Around 17.8 million was spent on hotels and venues for APEC in 2007, which again is more than double what was spent on venues and accommodation.
>> Minister, with respect, that is not directly relevant to the questions that I asking. If I could just be allowed to complete the questions on
>> I finish what I was saying.
>> Thank well I'm sorry I'm asking reminding you that you need to be directly relevant if you are going to intervene. If I could just
>> I think that's the role of the chair.
sensitivity about these costs. forth. I'm just going to come in again.
Senator please stop talking over the top of me as well. >> The Senate has endorsed the following test of relevance for questions at estimates hearings. Any questions going to the operations or financial positions of departments or agencies which are seeking funds in estimates are relevant for the purposes of estimates hearings. Um that is a broad test of relevance as I've expressed at each one of these hearings that I've chaired. The minister is entitled to also put a context to an answer or add to an answer that an official has given. I think this is going to work most efficiently if we uh just allow those answers to come out and if they go far too long which that didn't um then I will intervene but otherwise let's try and keep this back and forth questions and answers. Mr.
Higgins, what were the costs for accommodation? If you could break that
>> Um, okay, if you give me a moment. So um we