Portfolioquest Ionno Senator Broadtopic Questiontext
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PortfolioQuest Senator BroadTopic QuestionText WrittenHans ProofHansardPage ionNo ard 1 Eric Abetz Trade statistics for Tasmania Senator ABETZ: … Can I be provided with details of the substantial growth in exports from my home state of Tasmania over the last year or so? Does anybody have those figures? Hansard Page 52 2 Alex Gallacher Programs to support regional Senator GALLACHER asked about: … Who Mr Boyer spoke to regarding the decision to provide $45 million from the Building Better Regions Fund to support tourism infrastructure. Do they have Hansard Page 54 infrastructure names and titles...? 3 Alex Gallacher Beyond Tourism 2020 Senator GALLACHER: … Are there publicised committee terms of reference [Beyond Tourism 2020 Steering Committee]? Hansard Page 57 Steering Committee Mr Boyer: There are no published terms of reference. I can give you some information, though, if you're interested, as to the things the minister has asked the committee to look at in particular. Senator GALLACHER: Ok—if we could get that on notice... Could you please provide an update on what it's been asked to look at, and what progress it's made to date. 4 Alex Gallacher Tourism Access Working Senator GALLACHER : On how many occasions has that working group met in the past year [Tourism Access Working Group]. Hansard Page 58 Group Mr Boyer: Off the top of my head—I can correct myself on notice—I believe it's met once, but that was only a matter of two weeks ago. Senator GALLACHER: Okay—subject to clarifaction... Perhaps on notice, could you advise the stautory attendees from the government? ... Are you able to shine any light on what are the most significant opportunities arising out of this engagement? My Boyer: I might take that on notice Senator. What I might be able to do is to provide something on notice about the broad responsibilities of the committee and the sorts of issues that are discussed. 5 Eric Abetz Export opportunites Senator ABETZ: … But the TPP-11 we hope for will also then enhance the export opportunites for producers in the state of Tasmania? Hansard Page 60 Tasmania Mr Putt: Senator, could I take that on notice. 6 Claire Moore Australia Week in China Senator MOORE: So the '17-'18 allocation [for Australia Week] has been carried forward? Hansard Page 61 Ms Ralston: That's right. Senator MOORE: What about the 2.8 that was in '18-'19? Ms Ralston: I might just check… We might just take that on notice. Senator MOORE: ... Did you have an evaluation of the previous Australia Week in China events? ... How did it stack up? Ms Ralston: ... I think we can provide that to you on notice. Senator MOORE: Take it on notice... how much export and investment have previous Australia Week in China events generated? Have you been tracking that? ... do you maintain an evaluation mechanism post the event to gather that information? Ms Ralston: ... we'll have some information for you on notice. 7 Alex Gallacher Australian Tropical Medicine Senator GALLACHER: How much has been taken out of the Australian Tropical Medicine Commercialistion Grants Program? Hansard Pages 63-64 Commercialistion Grants Mr O'Meara: About $1 million… It was over two years, I believe. Program Senator GALLACHER: As a proportion of the $6.6 million, how much is that? So it's $1 million in total. Mr O'Meara: Correct. Senator GALLACHER: Over how many years? Mr O'Meara: I don't have the detail here. I can come back to you on that, on notice. Senator GALLACHER: ... How many grants have been delivered so far? Ms Ralston: I think there are 11 projects that either have been successfully completed or are in progress now. Senator GALLACHER: All right. Perhaps on notice you could just give us some detail on that so that we can see... 8 Claire Moore Landing Pads - Locations Senator MOORE: … We'll put on notice when they [the Landing Pads] were announced. Can you explain why the physical location was selected for each Landing Pad and what criteria were taken Hansard Pages 64-65 into account when deciding to establish the location of a Landing Pad within a particular city. ... Why were those five chosen? Mr Putt: There are many reasons for that. I wonder if I could take that on notice and give you more detail on that. Senator MOORE: You certainly can ... Also, was there a set standard criteria? Was there a core criteria and then other things taken into account—so a standard, basic approach and then there would be other things? Mr Putt: I would like to come back to you with more specifics. Mr Hazlehurst: At the time, these were decisions of the government. These were not matters that were left to Austrade to determine. So we'll come back to you with what we can on notice. Senator MOORE: ... I would imagine there was no expression of interest process: it was a decision taken on whatever basis the minister decided met the need. But was there a public process at all, talking about what they were hoping to do and where they'd be likely to be: you can take it on notice. Mr Hazlehurst: I don't recall one. This occurred during, as you would recall, the lead-up to and then the period after the announcement of the National Innovation and Science Agenda. Senator MOORE: Yes, 2015-16. Mr Hazlehurst: We can go back to our records and provide an answer on those. Senator MOORE: Whatever we can get on what the basis of the decision was. PortfolioQuest Senator BroadTopic QuestionText WrittenHans ProofHansardPage ionNo ard 9 Claire Moore Landing Pads - Results Senator GALLACHER: ...[The Tel Aviv Landing Pad has] been in operation for a while now. Are we seeing any result coming out of it? Hansard Page 65 Alex Gallacher Mr Putt: We have cohorts that go on all the landing pads, and we do customer satisfaction after that. On top of that, I've got real examples of real outcomes Linda Reynolds from companies that have gone to these areas and got real market results. Senator GALLACHER: Perhaps on notice that would be really interesting reading, if nothing else. Mr Putt: Sure. CHAIR: If you could break that down by state as well that would be helpful. Senator MOORE: Is there standard information about what the landing pads are responsible for doing? What metrics does Austrade use to measure the success of the landing pad in meeting its objectives? Is that the kind of thing you want to take on notice, Mr Putt, or is that something you can tell us? Mr Putt: I'm happy to take it on notice but ... Senator MOORE: Have you seen distinct differences? They are five distinctly different communities. You won't be able to give me this in detail, but have there been discernible differences in the way they operate? Mr Putt: I think there has, and I would like to take that on notice and provide more detail. 10 Claire Moore Landing Pads - Payments to Senator MOORE: Can you detail the amount of money Austrade has paid to WeWork, covering the 90-day residency period per landing pad, broken down by location and how much every Hansard Page 67 WeWork financial year since 2015-16? ... Mr Putt: Would you mind if I take that on notice? 11 Claire Moore Landing Pads - Sprint to Senator MOORE: Is there information about that Sprint to Landing Pads program on your website ... Can we get some information from you about the background to that and the cost? ... Can we Hansard Pages 67-68 Landing Pads campaign get some information on the cost of that [Sprint to Landing Pads Program], the format and whatever kind of review process you have that? Dr Fahey: We'd be happy to. 12 Claire Moore Landing Pads - Program Senator MOORE: Is there a plan to do a more formal review [of the Landing Pad Program] —a standard public sector review of the whole program? Hansard Page 68 review Dr Fahey: I'm not sure whether that was part of the funding in the initial stages. Senator MOORE: Can we get that on notice as well? 13 Linda Reynolds Lithium, rare earth and tech CHAIR: I have a couple of questions ... it's about our lithium, rare earth and tech metal industries and the opportunities we've now got to export ... Are you also looking at electrochemical Hansard Pages 68-69 metal industries processing [in the Future Smart Strategies Report]? … Obviously once you've processed, for a lot of these minerals, including lithium, you look to take it down the value chain of electrochemical processing ... Are you looking at the book end of the value chain process, or is the study going through all five stages? Mr Putt: … I think our report is looking at that, but I would want to put it on notice to make sure my facts are specific. CHAIR: ... In terms of other tech metals and rare earths, Australia also has a large chunk of many of these nationally strategically important minerals ... Is this review going to have a look at not just the economics—this might be going out of Austrade's area—but is there anyone else, maybe at DFAT or elsewhere, looking at the strategic considerations for Australia in terms of having these metals that are so strategically important in the twenty-first century? Mr Putt: This report won't cover that. CHAIR: Could you take that on notice? Or I might put it on notice for DFAT to see whether anyone else is aware of that.