Question Time

STEM Australia Website

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:35): I have a supplementary question. Arising out of the answers by the minister, she said that her staff are monitoring the website. Can she explain how much departmental time was spent on the project monitoring, and can she explain why, even up to now, the links on the site lead to disconnected phone numbers and dead ends? Can her department investigate this matter?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:35): I thank the honourable member for her supplementary questions. I will follow up with the links and rectify anything that does need to be rectified. In terms of monitoring, this is the general vigilance that our public servants issue in relation to services, so it really is part of their everyday activities.

I think you did ask about the total cost of developing the STEM website, comprising information, architecture, development, project management, web development, web text editing, as well as the creative design and marketing strategy, and I am advised that it was approximately $220,000. That is the answer to that question.