Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 70
Division/Agency:	Natural Resource Management Policy Division
Topic: 	Water Quality

Hansard Page ECITA:	141

Senator Wong asked: 

I ask you to refer to the Senate question on notice which, I think, was answered on 10 February and clarify whether the projects there were funded from the trust or from other sources.

Answer/s:
The water quality management projects referred to in Question on Notice 60 and 61 were all funded by the Natural Heritage Trust.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 71
Division/Agency:	Natural Resource Management Policy Division
Topic: 	Natural Resource Management

Hansard Page ECITA:	142

Senator Wong asked: 

I move now to natural resource management. What financial commitments, as opposed to budget allocations, have been made under the NHT in the 2004-05 budget and for the two out years – 2005-06 and 2006-07?
Can you also indicate, similar to my question on notice 60, how much of the NHT in each of those financial years is committed for water quality improvement projects - excluding planning and monitoring.

Answer/s:
The following financial commitments have been made under the Trust in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07.

Commitments	2004-05
$M	2005-06
$M	2006-07
$M	
National Investment Stream	33.33 	12.30 	6.60 	
Regional Investment Stream	154.48 	152.73 	149.58 	
Total	187.81 	165.03 	156.18 	

The National Investment Stream commitments include those projects with actual contracts signed and investments announced in the budget.

The Regional Investment Stream commitments include the three year bilateral agreements with the States and Territories and the Natural Heritage Ministerial Board approved Regional Competitive Component Round 1 projects announced in 2003-04 that have out year funding and Regional Competitive Component Round 2 projects announced in 2004-05 that have out year funding.

For the financial years 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 the Australian Government has approved to date $6.5m, $9.3m and $8.7m respectively for Water Quality improvement projects, excluding planning and monitoring projects. 

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 72
Division/Agency:	Natural Resource Management Policy Division
Topic: 	Natural Resource Management

Hansard Page ECITA:	142

Senator Wong asked: 

How much of the NHT in each of those financial years is currently not committed? 

Answer/s:
The budgets for 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 have been fully allocated, but of the $310m, $310m and $300m respectively that has been allocated for these years, $122.19m in 2004-05, $144.97m in 2005-06 and $143.82m in 2006-07 is not formally committed.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 73
Division/Agency:	Natural Resource Management Policy Division
Topic: 	Natural Resource Management

Hansard Page ECITA:	143

Senator Wong asked: 

Actual commitments, as opposed to allocated funding, is in excess of $250 million, and you can provide to me on notice, I presume reasonably soon, how much over the $250 million the actual commitments are currently.

Answer/s:
It is normal practice, at the beginning of each financial year, to over commit funds as experience shows that not all funding will be spent during the financial year due to projects being delayed, partially completed or not commencing. 
This was the case in 2002-03 and 2003-04. The final NHT expenditure for 2003-04 is $249.962m.