Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No:  29
Division/Agency:	Natural Resource Management Programmes Division
Topic:	NHT/NAP
Hansard Page ECITA:	Written Question on Notice

Senator Kim Carr asked:
For the Natural Heritage Trust, the National Action Plan on Salinity and Water Quality and any other natural resource management programs in the Department, provide the projected uncommitted Commonwealth financial contribution for administered and departmental items for 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 and the amounts spent for administered and departmental items for 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05.

Answer/s:
The Department of the Environment and Heritage and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry have a cross-portfolio arrangement for the administration of the Natural Heritage Trust and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. The Department of the Environment and Heritage receives the annual appropriation for the Natural Heritage Trust. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry receives the annual appropriation for the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. Information on the natural resource management programs can be found at:
www.nrm.gov.au/index.html.

National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality
Questions on the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality and any other natural resource management programs administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry should be directed to that department.

Natural Heritage Trust 
The whole of the 2007-08 Natural Heritage Trust budget of $310 million is obligated or otherwise forward committed, contractually or otherwise. Funding for the Natural Heritage Trust currently ceases on 30 June 2008.

The Natural Heritage Trust funds spent on administered and departmental items are identified as “Actuals” in the annual reports of the Natural Heritage Trust available at www.nht.gov.au/publications/#annual-reports. The departmental expenditure is identified as “Administration”. The accrual expensed funds under the Natural Heritage Trust were: 

$227.7 million administered and $22.2 million provided to the department for administrative costs both internal and external (total $249.9 million) in 2002-03, $227.5 million administered and $22.48 million provided to the department (total $249.98 million) in 2003-04, and $282.49 million administered and $25.12 million provided to the department (total $307.61 million) in 2004-05.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No:  30
Division/Agency:	Natural Resource Management Programmes Division
Topic:	NHT/NAP
Hansard Page ECITA:	Written Question on Notice

Senator Kim Carr asked:
List all programs or sub-programs that go to make up the Natural Heritage Trust and the National Action Plan on Salinity and Water Quality in the 2006-07 Portfolio Budget Statement. List all other natural resource management programs administered jointly or fully by the Department.

• For each of those programs in (1) what are the most recent estimates of program spending or revenue 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 and what were the outcomes for each in 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06?

• For each of those programs in (1) what are the dollar amounts for 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 that are obligated or otherwise forward committed, contractually or otherwise?

Answer/s:
The Department of the Environment and Heritage and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry have a cross-portfolio arrangement for the administration of the Natural Heritage Trust and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. The Department of the Environment and Heritage receives the annual appropriation for the Natural Heritage Trust. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry receives the annual appropriation for the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. Information on the natural resource management programs can be found at:
www.nrm.gov.au/index.html.

National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality
Questions on the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality and any other natural resource management programs administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry should be directed to that department.

Natural Heritage Trust 
The 2006-07 Portfolio Budget Statement lists the Natural Heritage Trust as a single administered program managed by the Department (refer pages 36 and 39). The Trust is nominally divided into four programme areas: Landcare; Bushcare; Coastcare; and Rivercare.

The Natural Heritage Trust revenue or budget in the forward years is $310 million in 2006-07 and $310 million in 2007-08. The extension of the Natural Heritage Trust ceases on 30 June 2008. 

Program spending at the end of November from the 2006-07 Natural Heritage Trust budget is $94 million of accrual expensed funds. No funds have been spent from the 2007-08 budget. 

The outcomes of the Natural Heritage Trust are provided in the annual reports of the Natural Heritage Trust and the annual regional programme reports available at: www.nht.gov.au/publications/#annual-reports. The accrual expensed funds, which are identified as “Actuals” in the Natural Heritage Trust annual reports, were $249.9 million in 2002-03, $249.98 million in 2003-04, $307.61 million in 2004-05 and $312.17 million in 2005-06.

The dollar amounts that are obligated or otherwise forward committed, contractually or otherwise under the Natural Heritage Trust are $303.7 million for 2006-07 and $310 million in 2007-08. The 2005-06 budget has been spent in full. Funding to the Natural Heritage Trust currently ceases on 30 June 2008.