Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No:  32
Division/Agency:	Marine and Biodiversity Division
Topic:	Whales
Hansard Page ECITA:	14-15

Senator Wong asked:
Is there any other program expenditure identified in the PBS which relates to whales
other than the $191 million?

Which are what?

Answer/s:
Total funding for whales (excluding related research investments) in 2006-07 is $435,350. This includes the transfer of $191,000 (not $191 million) from the Australian Antarctic Division.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No:  33
Division/Agency:	Marine and Biodiversity Division
Topic:	Appropriations by Output
Hansard Page ECITA:	ECITA 15

Senator Wong asked:
What is the budget appropriation for all programs for the current and subsequent three financial years, the actual expenditure to date in each of those programs and the equivalent program’s actual expenditure in the previous three financial years.

Answer/s:
Budget appropriations for all programs now within the Marine and Biodiversity Division for the current and subsequent three financial years are:

	2006-2007	2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	
	$’000	$’000	$’000	$’000	
Output 1.2	6,052	4,064	4,715	869	
Output 1.3	16,802	16,577	10,713	11,357	

The Marine Division was created on 1 July 2004 from various elements within the Department and expanded to include Biodiversity as of 8 February 2007. Actual expenditure can be provided only for the current financial year and the two previous financial years during which the Division existed. Expenditure for the current financial year is to 29 March 2007.

	2004-2005	2005-2006	2006-2007	
	$’000	$’000	$’000	
Output 1.2	4,473	5,887	5,261	
Output 1.3	16,683	16,636	10,484	

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No:  34
Division/Agency:	Marine and Biodiversity Division
Topic:	Whales
Hansard Page ECITA:	ECITA 16

Senator Wong asked:
Senator WONG—Are you able to give me figures for (whales slaughtered in Australian waters) 2006?
Dr O’Connell—We will take that on notice.
Senator WONG—You do not have them here?
Dr O’Connell—I do not have the figures directly. We can find out probably quite quickly, but they would be the overall figures that Japan took in that year, I think, in the Antarctic.
Senator WONG—I have asked you to take on notice for 2006. I actually would like to know how many whales have been killed as part of the government of Japan’s scientific whale program within Australian territorial waters, including Australia’s Antarctic whale sanctuary, since 2000, if you are able to provide that on
notice.
Dr O’Connell—Yes. We can take that on notice. As I say, there would probably be some of the take in the Antarctic for each of those years..

Answer/s:
In the 2005-2006 season, Japan took 856 minke whales and 10 fin whales in Antarctic waters. There is no available breakdown of how many whales were taken within Australia's Antarctic Territory.

In the 2006-2007 season, Japan took 505 minke whales and 3 fin whales. Japan was not operating in Australia's Antarctic Territory during this period.

Japan has taken 4,005 minke whales and 13 fin whales in Antarctic waters since 2000 as part of their scientific whale program, not exclusively in Australian waters.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No:  35
Division/Agency:	Marine and Biodiversity Division
Topic:	Whales
Hansard Page ECITA:	17-18

Senator Wong asked:
There is no indication of where they will take these whales from? You said they are now currently in the Ross Sea. Is there an indication of the amount of time, the proportion of time or the proportion of whales they might take from Australia’s Antarctic whale sanctuary?

Does the plan indicate approximate take in particular areas?

Do you have that?

Are you able to tell us what the proposed take is for Australian waters?

Answer/s:
Japan’s plan for the 2006-07 whaling season was to take up to 935 Antarctic minke whales and up to 10 fin whales in waters south of 60 S, east of 130 E, west of 145 W, excluding the 200 mile zones of foreign countries. This area does not take in any part of the Australian Antarctic whale sanctuary.

The proposed take for the Australian waters in the 2006-07 season is zero.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No:  36
Division/Agency:	Marine and Biodiversity Division
Topic:	Whales
Hansard Page ECITA:	21

Senator Wong asked:
On the government’s position, the legal advice to which you refer was sought by Attorney-General’s in the context of that case, not by this department?

Answer/s:
The Attorney-General was asked to make a submission to the Federal Court about potential international law issues arising in the case of Humane Society International (HSI) v Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha (KSK). The case was referred to the Attorney‑General’s Department and the Australian Government Solicitor prepared the submission. Following clearance by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Water Resources and the Attorney-General’s Department, the submission was filed in the Federal Court. The submission, which is publicly available, deals principally with questions of jurisdiction in international law and how those matters intersect with and affect the enforcement of domestic law, relevantly the EPBC Act.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 37
Division/Agency: 	Marine and Biodiversity Division
Topic: 	Whales	
Hansard Page ECITA: 	28

Senator Webber asked:
Who is developing the children’s website for the Department?

Answer/s:
Catalyst Interactive Pty Ltd, based in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney - 
an Australian owned, Quality Endorsed Company (AUS/NZ ISO9001:2000) and a Government Endorsed Supplier for the design and development of multimedia e‑learning computer products and services.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No:  38
Division/Agency:	Marine and Biodiversity Division
Topic:	Regional Assessment
Hansard Page ECITA:	26

Senator Siewert asked:
Senator SIEWERT—What is the timeline for the north-west one for stakeholder engagement?
Ms Petrachenko—It would be about nine to 12 months. Again, the difficulty is getting all of the scientific information together. That is what we are concentrating on for the next six months. Then we go into the development of the profile. I will also be talking to the WA government about this to get their views on how to approach the various stakeholders.
Senator SIEWERT—Is there a funding allocation for the north-west one?
Ms Petrachenko—Yes, there is. I do not have it at my fingertips. I will have to take that on notice.

Answer:
The funding allocation for the North-west Marine Bioregional Plan for 2006-2007 is $1,358,547.