Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 8:10:41 to 8:14:39
Discussion on the cost-sharing formulas between the Commonwealth and states under the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA) and the National Management Agreement for H5 in wildlife.
Topics: Biosecurity, Government spending
Speakers: Senator Paul Scarr, Justine Saunders, Dr Beth Cookson, Christie Sawczuk, Unknown Speaker
>> Understood. But I'm trying to get a put a peg in the ground in terms of how much funding is unexpended that's been
>> it's a small quantum. We have we've used much of the preparedness funding that we
were allocated. But in terms of the other funding that's been provided since the outbreak,
>> since the outbreak, once again, we are close. So if I and my colleagues will correct me if I'm wrong, in fact, I might call Christie in terms of the expenditure aspects. But for example, under the national management agreement, um all jurisdictions committed to $30 million to respond
>> in total in aggregate.
>> That's correct. With
>> And when did that occur?
>> That was part of the initial N national management agreement when it was entered into. There was a commitment to $30 million. It would have been approximately 12 months ago.
>> Oh, 12 months ago.
>> Right. But we only we only started using the funding this year once HPH H5 arrived in the country.
>> Okay. So, how much of that's left?
>> So, I can't give you a clear picture because it's been allocated the $30 million has been allocated, but it's being been extended to jurisdictions to spend. So, I couldn't comment on the how far progressed they are, okay, in exhausting the funding that's been allocated.
>> Has it all been committed? >> That's correct. Okay. All right. So that's
>> that's been committed and if we needed
jurisdiction the next um
>> and under the EADRA once again I'd have to confirm with colleagues how much is being spent.
>> Yes. So the commitment for under the YADRA um is currently at $26.9 million. So it's a similar funding agreement. It's cost shared between the Commonwealth and the jurisdictions. Um that has been based on indicative budgets provided by each of the response jurisdictions. Um and um the expenditure is being monitored um through our um national management group. >> Um they're meeting um towards the end of this week. My understanding is that um some of those jurisdictions um are reaching about 70 to 80% um of what's been allocated at the individual jurisdiction level. Now they would be the ones that um have had the um most intense responses to date. So Victoria for example um and may be seeking um some additional budget um under those cost sharing agreements um some of the others um based on the expenditure reports they've provided um have not spent um that much and they still have remaining budgets.
>> Okay. Can you take on notice and perhaps provide some details with respect to what the current status is with respect to each jurisdiction? How much has been spent of that amount? Is that possible?
We'll take the notes and we'll provide what we can.
>> Okay. Uh any other Were there any other programs you referred to?
>> No. Well, as I said, there's a series of small programs and it might be as easy as if I took that on notice.
>> Okay. Why don't you take that on notice? Why don't you take that on notice? But at this point in time, uh you haven't there's no outstanding request for additional funds.
>> No, that's correct, Senator. >> Okay. we've been able to respond to the to the needs of jurisdictions.
Do you know in in terms of the amount that is um that's allocated as I understand it for the national management agreement for H5 in wildlife? How much did the states and territories
Um there's a cost sharing formula that was applied under that and once again I'll have to get the percentages.
>> So Christie s that first assistant secretary bio security strategy and reform division under the national management agreement state and territories pay 50% of
>> okay
>> of the um amount um which is then calculated based on proportion of their population.
>> So it's 50% of the 30 million. So it's 15 million. >> Yes. And it's worked out on a proportionate basis by area or population.
>> By population.