Outcome:	1	Question No:	55	
Output:	1.2	
Division/Agency:	Director of National Parks	
Topic:	Uluru Buffel Grass	
Hansard Page ECITA:	89	

Senator Milne asked:
(a)	I am trying to establish whether there is any other mechanism for dealing with it other than physical removal and whether there is any scientific work going on. It seems to me that we are fighting a losing battle on several of these weed fronts. Is there anything promising in the scientific pipeline about being able to have a more permanent solution?
(b)	In terms of your comment that as you eradicate it around the rock itself, around Uluru, it is moving further out, how fast is it moving, apart from 80 on a gravel road?

Answer/s:
(a)There are no known promising solutions to the buffel grass problem in the scientific pipeline applicable to the Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park environment.  The experience in the Park is helping to inform the development of South Australia’s buffel grass management plan. There is a current research project on buffel grass control being conducted through the Desert Knowledge CRC.

(b) Between 1991 and 2003, the amount of land surrounding Uluru impacted by buffel grass increased from 105.96 hectares to 350.75 hectares (331% increase). Buffel Grass spreads more quickly in disturbed areas and therefore, since 2003, control and monitoring efforts have focused primarily on the land surrounding Uluru and Kata Tjuta, as these areas are the most disturbed. The rate of spread of the grass is slower on the undisturbed areas away from the monoliths. 

Outcome:	1	Question No:	56	
Output:	1.2	
Division/Agency:	Director of National Parks	
Topic:	National Parks – Australian National Botanic Gardens	
Hansard Page ECITA:	Written Question on Notice & 
90 (28 May)	

Senators Birmingham and Parry asked:
(a)	Can the Director of National Parks (DNP) provide a list of visitor numbers to the Australian National Botanic Gardens since 1996?
(b)	Revenue for the Gardens is derived from parking fees in the car parks.  What was the revenue since 1996 (real and nominal, if available)?
(c)	Has the Director issued traffic infringements for cars parked without paying for parking?  How many infringement officers are employed for this purpose?
(d)	When special events are held at the Gardens, cars often park outside the Gardens due invariably to the lack of available space.  Has any study been undertaken to determine the effectiveness or otherwise of paid parking at the Gardens?
(e)	What are the key issues impacting upon the Gardens?
(f)	When is the water recycling project due for completion?
(g)	What is the water saving strategy?  What problems is the Director facing in developing a water saving strategy, and in the implementation of the project?  Are local suppliers engaged?
(h)	Did the Director seek an exemption from the application of the one-off two per cent efficiency dividend?
(i)	If so, why did the Director feel it needed to apply for this exemption, to whom did it apply and was the exemption granted?
(j)	If the efficiency dividend applies, how will the Director manage the funding cut and what, if any, programs will be cut to accommodate it?  Can the Director outline the source [e.g. the Minister, the Department of Finance and Deregulation] of any suggested savings measures? 
(k)	Is the Director budgeting for an operating loss and, if so, is it because of the application of the efficiency dividend?

Answers:
(a)	Annual visitor numbers to the Australian National Botanic Gardens since 1996:
•	1996: 	330,516
•	1997:	325,024
•	1998:	352,749
•	1999:	320,731
•	2000:	327,915
•	2001:	385,450
•	2002: 	394,834
•	2003:	394,634
•	2004:	459,843
•	2005:	445,586
•	2006:	487,113
•	2007:	508,895
•	2008 (Jan – June):    255,016

(b)	Parking meters were introduced at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in November 1998. The revenue from parking fees in the car parks at the Australian National Botanic Gardens for the period November 1998 to June 2008 was $1,061,052 (GST exclusive). Net income from parking fees, after the deduction of costs for collecting the parking fees, for the same period was $634,510 (GST exclusive). 

(c)	 The Director has not issued traffic infringements but has issued warning notices, for cars parked without paying for parking at the Australian National Botanic Gardens.  There are no infringement officers employed for this purpose.

(d)	There has been no study undertaken to determine the effectiveness or otherwise of paid parking at the Australian National Botanic Gardens.

(e)	Key issues presently impacting on the Australian National Botanic Gardens include:
a.	Increasing general operational costs including, costs of contracts for asset maintenance, capital works, security and cleaning services. In particular, there have been significant increases in water and electricity charges.
b.	The ability to be able to adequately fund important programs in the gardens, including: landscape and living collections maintenance and management, asset maintenance, education and ex-situ conservation programs.
c.	The capacity to undertake national leadership in development of climate change and biodiversity research and education programs that contribute to increasing community awareness and conservation of Australia's biodiversity.
d.	Managing the ANBG site in response to climate change issues including
i.	Providing adequate water to keep the living collection alive.
ii.	Managing the impacts of severe storms (for example the hail storm in March 2007) on the living collections infrastructure and operations at the ANBG. Forecasts are for more frequent and severe storms in the future.
iii.	Managing fire and emergency preparedness activities and the possibility of warmer dryer times leading to a more constant state of preparedness.
iv.	Managing pests and diseases including Armallaria luteobubalina, a root rot fungus impacting on large areas of the Gardens. Climate change could bring about more favourable conditions in Canberra for pest and diseases in the future.
e.	Resources required to mitigate safety issues for the staff and public within the ANBG.
f.	Completing the redevelopment of the Old Nursery Site which has remained undeveloped since the construction of the new nursery in 2004.

(f)	The ANBG water infrastructure improvement project will be completed in stages. Stage 1 (separation of irrigation system from buildings) is expected to be complete by April 2009. Stage 2 (design of non-potable system) will be complete at about the same time, with construction to follow. Construction is expected to take 6 -12 months (ie completion by early 2010).

(g)	Water saving strategies the ANBG has implemented include:
•	Development of a draft water management improvement strategy;
•	The  purchase and installation of a central computerised irrigation control system, automatically responsive to rainfall events;
•	Trial use of soil moisture sensors to validate water application;
•	Installation of rain water tanks to top up ponds;
•	Reuse of runoff water from the new nursery site;
•	Reuse of water from the pond system to water surrounding garden beds;
•	Installation of some drip systems to appropriate select garden beds;
•	Installation of ball valves to stop low end water drainage from sprinklers;
•	Installation of the latest technology irrigation emitters;
•	Installation of dual flush toilet systems and waterless urinals;
•	Installation of composting toilets in the new nursery facility;
•	Installation of fogging systems in the rainforest to increase humidity and reduce transpiration, leading to an overall reduction in irrigation water for plants;
•	Hand watering individual plants in both the gardens and nursery where required. This avoids wholesale irrigation application to other plants which may not require the same amount of water;
•	Creating depressions in garden beds for water harvesting;
•	Designing gardens to include plants and plant communities with similar environmental requirements leading to easier management and less water usage.

Challenges facing the Director in implementation of a water saving strategy include:
•	Availability of resources to finalise and implement the strategy;
•	Competing priorities within the Gardens;
•	Aspects of the water management improvement strategy will require changes in some of the approaches to collection management. A collection review process which will facilitate this has only recently been commenced;
•	Obtaining approval for a water entitlement from the ACT government and approval from the NCA to abstract water from Lake Burley Griffin to irrigate the gardens with non-potable water;

The ANBG has used standard Australian Government project management and procurement practices. Requests for Tender for stage 1 and 2 were advertised on Austender. Local suppliers were engaged to assist with specifications, tendering and recommendation of the preferred service provider for the next phase of the projects. 

(h)	The Director did not seek an exemption from the application of the one-off two per cent efficiency dividend.

(i)	Not applicable.

(j)	The internal allocations of the 2008-09 budget within the Director of National Parks is still being finalised and will include the efficiency dividend. There have been no suggested savings measures by the Minister or the Department of Finance and Deregulation.

(k)	The Director is not budgeting for an operating loss in 2008-09.

Outcome:	1	Question No:	57	
Output:	1.2	
Division/Agency:	Parks Australia	
Topic:	Australian National Botanical Gardens	
Hansard Page ECITA:	90 (28 May)	

Senator Parry asked:
Just going back to the car parking issue of infringement notices and monitoring or policing of that, how does that contract system work? Do you get any revenue from the contract system?
Mr Cochrane—We get the parking revenue from it minus the costs of administering it.
Senator PARRY—So is there a net loss or gain?

Answer:
In the financial year 2007/08 there was a net gain of $109,950 (GST exclusive) from parking meters at the Australian National Botanic Gardens.

From the inception of parking meters at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in November 1998 to June 2008 there has been a net gain of $634,510 (GST exclusive).

Outcome:	1	Question No:	58	
Output:	1.2	
Division/Agency:	Director of National Parks	
Topic:	Australian National Botanical Gardens	
Hansard Page ECITA:	91 (28 May)	

Senator Lundy asked:
How much of the Australian National Botanic Gardens’ resources are applied for the parts you are responsible for in that partnership (CPBR) with CSIRO? 

Answer:
As part of the partnership with CSIRO in the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (CPBR) the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) in 2007/08 contributed $333,600 (GST exclusive) in operational funding and the equivalent of $1,048,645 in salaries for ANBG staff working in the CPBR.

Outcome:	1	Question No:	59	
Output:	1.2	
Division/Agency:	Director of National Parks	
Topic:	Virtual herbarium and online initiative	
Hansard Page ECITA:	91 (28 May)	

Senator Lundy asked:
Could you also take on notice to provide the committee with information about the virtual herbarium and the online initiative? I was particularly interested in that and the role that it plays in drawing together the national collection and making it searchable.

Answer:
Australia’s Virtual Herbarium (AVH) is a world-first, web-based botanical database containing comprehensive and detailed information on Australia’s native plants. The project was initiated in 2001 as a collaborative effort between the Australian Government, State and Territory herbaria and the private sector. Additional funding provided by the Australian Government from the Natural Heritage Trust and by private philanthropists enabled phase 2 of the AVH to proceed until 30 June 2008. 

A Board of Trustees comprising government and non-government members oversees the funds to support the project. Following establishment of the AVH Trust funding was provided jointly by the Commonwealth ($5,000,000), private donors ($890,000), the State and Territory herbaria ($3,810,000) and interest on funds ($140,000) to the total value of $9,840,000. 

The AVH now has on-line approximately 98% of the vascular (higher) plant specimens collected in Australia and held in major Australian herbaria. Incorporation of enhancements such as images, descriptions and identification tools also continues as information becomes available. Information from AVH is now being used by a wide range of government, private sector, research, and community users to achieve a diversity of environmental objectives eg: 
•	effective prevention through the early warning system for invasive weed species;
•	more effective land use planning through better informed decision-makers and land managers;
•	improved access and reliable data for research and practical applications such as landcare, the biotechnology industry, mining, agriculture and biosecurity;
•	improved access to comprehensive accurate data on Australian native plants to assist in conservation planning and prioritisation; and
•	better conservation and management of Australia’s native plants. 

The project’s success is evident in the steady increase in the number of web hits to the AVH website including State/Territory web portals of the AVH. There has also been a steady increase in the number of direct requests to herbaria to assist in specialised plant specimen research utilising AVH data. The success of the AVH project has directly led to the development of the Atlas of Living Australia, which is based on the AVH initiative and experience.

With the completion of phase 2 of the AVH, the Board of Trustees has agreed to continue to support the project and to continue to raise and distribute funds for purposes consistent with the original Trust deeds. Future development of the project could include incorporating the significant university and regional herbaria collections in the AVH; developing improved tools for accessing and searching the database; and broadening the scope of the AVH to complete the inclusion of non-vascular (lower) flora such as algae, mosses, lichen, fungi. 

Outcome:	1	Question No:	60	
Output:	1.2	
Division/Agency:	Director of National Parks	
Topic:	National Landscapes partnership with Tourism Aust	
Hansard Page ECITA:	92 (28 May)	

Senator Lundy asked:
Could I ask for some more information about the National Landscapes partnership with Tourism Australia.  What does that involve and what resources does it allow you to access in Tourism Australia, or what is the combined effort constituted of.

Answer:
The partnership is identifying Australia’s 20 top superlative nature experiences for international marketing to the Brand Australia target market.  68% of inbound visitors seek a nature experience.  Until this program there has been no national strategic approach to nature/heritage tourism beyond ‘Reef, Rock and Opera House’.  Oversight of the program is by a committee that includes the Australian Tourism Export Council, the Tourism and Transport Forum, Ecotourism Australia, Indigenous Tourism Australia and the World Commission on Protected Areas.

The Committee responds to region based invitations to assess a candidate on the Committee’s potential site list.  A strong regional partnership between tourism, national parks and local government is an essential precursor to engagement.  For a potential candidate Tourism Australia will fund a destination branding project to clearly identify the world class nature experience on offer.  If the candidate is confirmed as a National Landscape it is necessary to undertake master planning to ensure the necessary visitor facilities, services and information are delivered.

Parks Australia’s interest in the program is to enhance the role of sustainable national park based tourism can play in the social and economic well being of regional Australia.  As well as promoting the involvement of state and territory park agencies, Parks Australia’s contribution is to bring the perspective of sound visitor management practices to the National Landscape assessment and operational processes.

The first 8 National Landscapes were announced at the Australian Tourism Exchange in Perth on 15 June 2008 being the Australian Alps, Kakadu Region, Red Centre, Flinders Ranges, Great Ocean Road, Australia’s Coastal Wilderness (SE NSW – Vic), the Greater Blue Mountains and the Mt Warning Border Ranges Region (The Green Cauldron).

Outcome:	1	Question No:	62	
Output:	1.2	
Division/Agency:	Director of National Parks	
Topic:	Parks Administration	
Hansard Page ECITA:	Written Question on Notice 	

Senator Birmingham asked:
(a)	Has the Director made in the last six months any request, in accordance with the Financial Management and Accountability Act, for Regulation 10 Authority from the Finance Minister?  If so, why was this authority sought?  
(b)	What is the total number of permanent staff employed on a: (i) full-time basis? (ii) part-time basis? (iii) part-time equivalent basis?
(c)	How many employees are employed on contract and what is the average length of their employment period?
(d)	What are the base and top level salaries of: (i) APS level 1 to 6 officers? (ii) Executive level officers? (iii) Senior Executive Services officers? (iv) Equivalent officers employed?
(e)	How many officers are employed at executive level and SES level?
(f)	How many permanent staff have been recruited since 26 November 2007?  What level are these staff?
(g)	How many temporary positions exist or have been created since 26 November?
(h)	Since 26 November, how many employees have been employed on contract and what is the average length of their employment period?
(i)	Does the Director monitor the media?
(j)	How much has been spent on media monitoring to date this year?
(k)	Is any information provided to the Minister?
(l)	How many employees are engaged in positions responsible for public affairs, media management, liaison with the media and media monitoring?
(m)	What are the APS classifications of these positions?
(n)	What is the current operating budget for these media-related sections?
(o)	What appointments have been made by the Government (through Executive Council, Cabinet and Ministers) to Statutory Authorities, Executive Agencies and Advisory Boards?
(p)	What are the respective appointees’ credentials?
(q)	How many vacancies remain to be filled by Ministerial (including Cabinet and Executive Council) appointments?
(r)	How long have the positions been vacant?
(s)	What grants which have been approved by Ministers from within their portfolio?
(t)	Has the Director received any advice on how to respond to freedom of information (FOI) requests?
(u)	How many FOI requests has the Director received?
(v)	How many have been granted or denied?
(w)	How many conclusive certificates have been issued in relation to FOI requests?

Answers:
(a)	The Director of National Parks is a Commonwealth authority for the purposes of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (CAC Act) and therefore does not operate in accordance with the Financial Management and Accountability Act.  

(b)–(h)	The Director of National Parks is assisted by staff employed by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.  No staff are directly employed by the Director of National Parks.  The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts has responded to a similar written question on notice (number 23) incorporating those staff that assist the Director of National Parks.

(i)–(k)	The monitoring of media is a service that is provided by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts under a Service Delivery Agreement to the Director of National Parks.  The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts has responded to a similar written question on notice (number 18) regarding the media monitoring activity.

(l)–(n)	The Director of National Parks is assisted by staff employed by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.  No staff are directly employed by the Director of National Parks.  The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts has responded to a similar written question on notice (number 18) incorporating those staff that assist the Director of National Parks.

(o)–(r)	The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts has responded to a similar written question on notice (number 19) which incorporates appointments related to the Director of National Parks.

(s)	There have been no grants related to the Director of National Parks that have been approved by the Minister.

(t)–(w)	Responding to freedom of information (FOI) requests is a service that is provided by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts under a Service Delivery Agreement to the Director of National Parks.  The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts has responded to a similar written question on notice (number 20) regarding FOI’s.