Lundy, Sen Kate

Senator Lundy: The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question: (1) (a) The net financial effect on the department's budget as a result of the original 1.5 per cent efficiency dividend is: Appropriation Source 2011–12 $'000 2012–13 $'000 2013–14 $'000 2014–15 $'000 2015–16 $'000 Departmental Appropriation Decrease (6 051) (12 168) (13 852) (16 056) 0 (b) The net financial effect on the department's budget as a result of the additional 2.5 per cent efficiency dividend is: Appropriation Source 2011–12 $'000 2012–13 $'000 2013–14 $'000 2014–15 $'000 2015–16 $'000 Departmental Appropriation Decrease 0 (28 142) (28 350) (28 863) (29 225) (c) The net financial effect on the department's budget as a result of other savings measures as introduced in the 2012–13 Budget papers are: Savings Measure 2011–12 $'000 2012–13 $'000 2013–14 $'000 2014–15 $'000 2015–16 $'000 Savings due to reduced workload of the Independent Protection Assessment Office 0 0 (4 626) 0 0 Virtual English Tuition for Migrants - 15% Fund Reduction 0 (21) (21) (21) 0 Seasonal Labour Mobility Program - 15% Funding Reduction 0 0 (128) (115) (142) Total of Savings Measures 0 (21) (4 775) (136) (142) (2) The department has a robust business planning and budgeting process to enable it to respond to Government budget and funding announcements. To further strengthen the focus on being cost conscious across the organisation, our dedicated Resource and Finance Committee is strategically and critically examining the department's financial outlook. In addition, in 2011–12 and 2012–13, DIAC has examined the following areas to deliver savings: Capital Work Program ICT Initiatives Office accommodation expenses Legal Services (3) The percentage of total expenditure represented by staff costs is 54%. In 2011–12 staff benefits amounted to $799.345 million of DIAC's total departmental expenditure of $1 481.722 million. (4) As reported in the Immigration and Citizenship's Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS) for 2012–13, the Department is expecting a net increase of 32 Full Time Equivalent staff. A small reduction in consultants and/​or contractor costs is considered likely in line with the decrease in supplier expenses also reported in the 2012–13 PBS. (5) The department's position continues to be there is no need for any widespread voluntary redundancies (involuntary or otherwise) at this stage, if at all. (6) The current distribution of full-time equivalent staff across the classification bands is outlined in the table below. Data has been sourced as at 31 August 2012. Classification Total FTE Cadet 10.00 Graduate 45.00 APS 1 14.25 APS 2 33.01 APS 3 831.67 APS 4 1,536.49 APS 5 1,413.44 APS 6 1,782.28 Public Affairs Officer 1 6.00 Public Affairs Officer 2 7.00 Public Affairs Officer 3 15.59 Legal Officer 34.62 APS Level 1-6 TOTAL 5,729.35 Executive Level 1 1,417.29 Executive Level 2 496.35 Medical Officer 2 6.63 Medical Officer 3 2.53 Medical Officer 4 1.00 Principal Legal Officer 18.67 Senior Legal Officer 55.07 Senior Public Affairs Officer A 3.00 Executive Level 1-2 TOTAL 2,000.54 SES Band 1 88.00 SES Band 2 18.88 SES Band 3 5.00 SES TOTAL 111.88 SECRETARY 2.00 Grand Total FTE (as at 31 August 2012) 7.843.77