Outcome:	2	Question No:	24	
Output:	2.1	
Division/Agency:	Australian Antarctic Division	
Topic:	Japanese Gov – resupply of Antarctic Station	
Hansard Page ECITA:	30 (28 May)	

Senator Siewert asked:
Could you tell me when the negotiations were started (resupply of Japanese Antarctic Station)?

Answer:
Initial discussions between the Australian Antarctic Division and the Japanese National Institute for Polar Research on providing Aurora Australis to assist with the resupply of Syowa station commenced in December 2005.  An MOU was signed in September 2007 to provide a framework for more detailed discussions that are currently underway.

Outcome:	2	Question No:	27	
Output:	2.1	
Division/Agency:	Australian Antarctic Division	
Topic:	Japanese Gov – resupply of Antarctic Station	
Hansard Page ECITA:	40 (28 May)	

Senator Parry asked:
Senator PARRY—Has there been any payment, like a securing payment, any deposit made, concerning the Japanese hiring of the vessel?
Ms Mudie— Not at this point. The MOU is yet to be signed.
Senator PARRY—Will there be a deposit or anything paid upon signing of the MOU?
Ms Mudie—I will have to take that on notice but my assumption would be yes.

Answer:
There is no intention that any deposit be paid. All payments will be made after the event, in this financial year based on the costs incurred by the Australian Antarctic Division in providing the support. These costs could vary considerably based on operational factors (eg ice, weather).

Outcome:	2	Question No:	28	
Output:	2.1	
Division/Agency:	Australian Antarctic Division	
Topic:	Antarctic Tourism	
Hansard Page ECITA:	41 (28 May)	

Senator PARRY—Thank you. If I can come back to the deputy director of the Antarctic Division: is the division advancing the course of tourism or a tourism protocol amongst all the other nations that are part of the Antarctic Treaty?
Ms Mudie—Yes, that is correct.
Senator PARRY—How advanced is that?
Ms Mudie—That will be discussed at the Antarctic Treaty meeting in June.
(a) Senator PARRY—Is there a draft?
Ms Mudie—I will have to take that on notice and will provide that information, if there is such a document.
…
(b) Senator PARRY—You may have to take this on notice. Do you know how many Australians, and indeed others I suppose, from an international perspective, have travelled to the Australian Antarctic base this summer via the new service?
Ms Mudie—I will have to take that on notice.

Answer/s:
(a) 
The Australian Government regards the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty as the appropriate framework for managing the environmental impacts of all Antarctic activities including tourism.  The Government is not aware of any current proposals for a protocol specifically for tourism.  Treaty Parties regularly assess developments in Antarctic tourism, put in place management measures, and consider the need for further management tools.  Australia is active in these discussions.  

(b) 
Passenger numbers on the A319 airlink service in January/February 2008 are as follows:
Total passengers southbound to Antarctica: 69
Total passengers northbound from Antarctica: 76
Total international passengers: 3 
Total aircrew: 12 (total includes 2 international test pilots)

Outcome:	2	Question No:	29	
Output:	2.1	
Division/Agency:	Australian Antarctic Division	
Topic:	Antarctic tourism	
Hansard Page ECITA:	42 (28 May)	

Senator Parry asked:
Senator PARRY—Do you have a cost basis for a passenger? I presume you charge out for scientists who wish to use the service?
Ms Mudie—No, we do not at this point. I would have to get that information. But the aircraft operates and there is a cost for operating the aircraft. We have not done it as a per cent basis.…
Senator PARRY—There is no cost recovery at this point for any scientist, anyone travelling?
Ms Mudie—It depends if they are part of the Antarctic program. I will have to take that on notice.
Senator PARRY—What is the distinction? If they are a part of the Antarctic program, they travel at government expense. If they are not part of the program, they are travelling at government expense.
Ms Mudie—I would have to take that on notice.
Senator PARRY—How many trips have been undertaken so far?
Ms Mudie—Ten in total, but I will double-check that figure,

Answers:
The AAD does not operate on a “cost per passenger basis” and does not charge out for scientists who wish to use the service.

This has always been the case for use of assets, such as RV Aurora Australis.   The AAD has for many years prioritised its requests for use of Antarctic facilities by researchers up to two or three years ahead of the intended research period.  Projects are assessed against criteria determining their contribution to Australia’s Antarctic scientific research objectives, and prioritised in order of merit.  The AAD then offers and provides assistance in the form of transport to and from Antarctica, food and lodgings in Antarctica and the necessary in-Antarctic support (transport, field guides, communications, medical, etc) to enable the projects to be successfully undertaken.  Research being undertaken in Antarctica is primarily conducted by scientists within the AAD, other government agencies, or universities and other Australian research institutions. Researchers from overseas represent a small, but important proportion of researchers in Australia’s Antarctic program.

There is no cost recovery for anyone travelling to Antarctica.  They are supported on a merit priority basis as described above. 

The number of flights so far are as follows:

Overflight of Wilkins Runway {test flights (1) or ‘turnarounds’ due to deteriorating weather (2)} - Total:  3

Landing trips to Wilkins Runway:  9

Landing trips to McMurdo Station (United States Antarctic Program) runway (test flights):  2

Outcome:	2	Question No:	30	
Output:	2.1	
Division/Agency:	Australian Antarctic Division	
Topic:	Leasing of Aircraft	
Hansard Page ECITA:	43 (28 May)	

Senator Parry asked:
Senator PARRY—Let us get this very clear. We are wet leasing an aircraft—
Mr Borthwick—I think it might be best—and this is subject to commercial-in-confidence—
Senator PARRY—I am not asking dollars.
Mr Borthwick—No, but I think, because of the competitiveness of the international aviation market, when we got this plane it was a remarkably good deal for the Antarctic Division. If we cannot answer these detailed questions now, I think, subject to that commercial-in-confidence thing, we will set out all the terms in a comprehensive way for you. That might be the best, because there is certainly nothing that we want to hide here. If we can also advertise the plane by this medium—
…Senator PARRY—Okay, thank you. You can provide that on notice.
Mr Borthwick—We will give you the details of the arrangement, because I think it was a very favourable arrangement at the time.

Answer:
In the 2005-06 Budget the Australian Government provided funding of $46.4m over four years for the implementation of an Australian/Antarctic airlink. The AAD signed a contract with Skytraders Pty Ltd on 19 December 2006 to operate the Australian/Antarctic air link. The purpose of the contract is to provide air services during the Antarctic summer months.  

The intercontinental flights utilises an Airbus A319-115LR aircraft leased by Skytraders.  The contract with Skytraders is a cost plus contract and accordingly Skytraders charges back to the AAD all of the costs incurred in providing the services. The lease and contract will operate until March 2012, with the AAD having an option over an additional five year extension.  Costs that have been identified as rechargeable costs to the AAD under the contract are:
-	Aircraft Lease  
-	Aircraft insurance
-	Aircraft maintenance 
-	Aircraft modifications (where approved by AAD) 
-	Aircraft operational costs (navigation and landing charges, communications costs, fuel, weather services, parking and/or hangarage)
-	Spares operational equipment and tools (including their storage and maintenance)
-	Operational staff
-	Training
-	Cold climate uniforms
-	Travel and accommodation (for contract, planning and operational requirements)
-	Overhead costs 

The AAD engaged the Australian Government Solicitor to provide advice on the contractual arrangements and negotiations. Aviation consultants were engaged to provide specialist aviation advice.  

In order to offset year-round lease and operating costs Skytraders is expected to undertake third party charter work approved by the AAD during the Antarctic off-season period. Revenue obtained from any charter work will be split between the AAD and Skytraders, with the AAD’s share going to reduce the costs of the services provided. In addition, the charter of the aircraft by other Government departments may provide a further reduction in expenditure from a whole of government perspective. Under the contract there is provision for other departments to deal directly with AAD or contract services directly from Skytraders.

Outcome:	Outcome 2	Question No:	31	
Output:	Output 2.1	
Division/Agency:	Australian Antarctic Division	
Topic:	Maintenance of Antarctic Runway	
Hansard Page ECITA:	44 (28 May)	

Senator Parry asked:
Senator PARRY—Do you have any idea what the annual maintenance costs on the Antarctic runway are? Are they expensive?

Answer:
The budget cost of operating Wilkins Runway this season, 2008/09, will be $1.1M.  
This figure does not include depreciation costs of plant, equipment and camp facilities. 

Outcome:	2	Question No:	32	
Output:	2.1	
Division/Agency:	Australian Antarctic Division	
Topic:	Tottenham Glacier	
Hansard Page ECITA:	46 (28 May)	

Senator Allison asked:
Senator ALLISON—Part of the division is, for instance, examining the Tottenham Glacier, which I understand is near Casey which, according to your reports a couple of month ago, is losing ice at—and has done—10 metres over the last 15 years.
Ms Mudie—A very specific scientific response will be required for that. Could I take that on notice and provide you with that information.
Senator ALLISON—Okay. I am sorry, I am trying to get a grasp of who is in the division and what sort of work they are doing on this issue. If we can start there. Is there a subgroup? Are there officers whose job it is to monitor ice sheets and glaciers in both our areas and beyond in the Antarctic?
Ms Mudie—Yes, there is, but those officers are not present at estimates today. So I would have to take that on notice.
Senator ALLISON—Okay. What size is the workforce that is doing this?
Ms Mudie—Again, it is a scientific area within the division, and some of that is done collaboratively with the CRC and with UTAS and some of that is done internally. I would have to get the figures of exactly how many are working on that particular area for you.

Answers:
The glacier in question is the Totten Glacier and is located to the east of Casey, extending inland. It is correct that the Totten Glacier is losing ice – the actual figure produced by AAD scientists (N Young) is a lowering of 10 metres over the period 1987-2003.

The AAD has a group of 19 glaciologists in its Ice, Oceans, Atmosphere and Climate program.  The group is based within the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC at the University of Tasmania in Hobart. Their research is heavily collaborative and engages external researchers and postgraduate students from Australian universities and overseas institutions. This group’s research is focussed principally on climate science and they cover three key areas: the continental Antarctic ice sheet; the sea-ice in the zone surrounding Antarctica; and the records of past climate extracted from ice cores. 

The continental ice sheet research includes monitoring the ice sheet using satellite remote sensing, in conjunction with surface observations and airborne sounding. 

This work is concentrated within the Australian Antarctic Territory but extends to the entire continent. The observational program is augmented by modelling studies that seek to understand the mechanisms driving change and to predict future responses.

Outcome:	2	Question No:	35	
Output:	2.1	
Division/Agency:	Australian Antarctic Division	
Topic:	Antarctic Treaty Meeting	
Hansard Page ECITA:	47 (28 May) 	

Senator Allison asked:
Senator ALLISON— … My question is…would the Antarctic Division be in favour of these restrictions, both on heavy oil in case of accidents and the tighter restrictions on sewage and other discharge, and strengthening?
Senator ALLISON—What position will you take to that meeting?
Ms Mudie—I would have to take that on notice. Dr Press is not here so I would have to take that on notice and get an answer.

Answers:
(a)	Australia supports efforts to improve safety and environmental practices associated with Antarctic shipping.  

(b)	The position taken to the Antarctic Treaty meeting was that Australia strongly supports the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty which, in Annex IV, regulates prevention of marine pollution.  Australia’s position was that all Parties to the Treaty should thoroughly implement the provisions of the Annex.  Australia also supported the review process in place for the Annexes to the Protocol, which will allow the Parties to consider whether circumstances have changed since the adoption of the Annex and which warrant additional protections.  Australia supported past Antarctic Treaty decisions to ask the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to investigate mechanisms for restricting the use of heavy fuel oil in Antarctica.  Australia also supported the adoption of IMO guidelines for shipping in ice-covered waters.