Answers to Questions

MINISTERIAL TRAVEL

9 The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (12 May 2010) (First Session). Can the Minister for Health state:

1. What was the total cost of any overseas trips undertaken by the minister and staff since 2 December 2008 up to 1 December 2009?

2. What are the names of the officers who accompanied the minister on each trip?

3. Was any officer given permission to take private leave as part of the overseas trip?

4. Was the cost of each trip met by the minister's office budget, or by the minister's department or agency?

5. (a) What cities and locations were visited on each trip; and

(b) What was the purpose of each visit?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women): The Minister for Health has advised:

1. $31,366.54.

2. Mr Christopher Picton, Chief of Staff. Mr Len Piro, Department of Trade and Economic Development (Tokyo component) and Dr David Panter, Department of Health (USA and Canadian component).

3. No.

4. Travel costs for the Minister and his Chief of Staff were met from the Minister's Office budget and travel costs for Mr Piro and Dr Panter were met within their Department's budget.

5. (a) Tokyo, Framingham, Boston, Montreal and Toronto.

(b) The purpose of the Japan component of the trip was to pursue the future of the Tonsley Park site and health programs designed for an ageing population.

The purpose of the North American component of the trip was to meet and build links with some of the world's best medical research centres, further public health cooperation between South Australia and Canada and study new Canadian public and private partnership hospital developments.