STATE/LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICE

In reply to Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (2 July 2008).

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy): The Office for State/Local Government Relations has advised:

The $67,000 difference between 2007-08 estimated outcome and 2008-09 budget is entirely due to enterprise bargaining increases.

The $40,000 difference between 2007-08 Budget and 2007-08 estimated outcome is mainly due to:

$20,000 enterprise bargaining increases;

$27,000 increase to provide administrative support to the Outback Areas Community Development Trust, Local Government Grants Commission and the Office for Southern Suburbs. This amount was fully recovered from these offices.

The above was slightly offset by a $5,000 decrease due to a reduction in the payroll tax rate.

The 2008-09 budget for employee expenses ($2,944,000) covers 32.3 FTE employees:

10 FTE employees for minister Rankine's office; and

22.3 FTE employees for the Office for State/Local Government Relations.

The amount of annual leave and long service leave that has been accrued by minister Rankine's office and the Office for State/Local Government Relations is:

Annual leave $191,525

Long service leave $396,942