House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2007-10-17 Daily Xml

Contents

Answers to Questions

TRADE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

In reply to Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (29 June 2007). (Estimates Committee A).

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations): The Department of Trade and Economic Development (DTED) has advised the following:

The increase in supplies and services of $829,000 between the 2006-07 Budget and the 2007-08 Budget (misquoted as $823,000 in the question) is due to the approval of the Australia-India Trade Conference (of $449,000) and a reclassification of expenditure from Grants and Consultants to Supplies and Services.

The decrease in Grants and Subsidies of $451,000 between the 2006-07 Budget and the 2006-07 Estimated result (misquoted as $411,000 in the question) is due to the following:

once-off saving in the South Australia Business Ambassadors Network (SABAN) program due to the timing of the new funding arrangements;

savings in the Market Access Program (MAP) due to timing variations on acquittals; and

a reclassification of expenditure to Supplies and Services and Employee benefits and costs as a result of the appointment of the Tradestart advisors as employees of DTED.

The increase in Employee benefits and costs of $558,000 between the 2006-07 Estimated Result and the 2007-08 Budget is due to the following:

Additional employee costs associated with the Australia-India Trade Conference;

The full year impact of new Tradestart employees as per the new agreement with the Commonwealth; and

Transfer of a position in the DTED to assist in managing the increasing activity of international trade related activities.

DTED's budgeted establishment of Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) at 30 June 2007 was 197.00.

The average FTEs for the year to 30 June 2007 was 164.81, amounting to a shortfall of approximately 32 FTEs from the budgeted establishment due to vacancies.

During 2006-07, DTED engaged the services of contractors amounting to an equivalent of 39 FTEs to manage and maintain departmental services associated with the level of vacancies and to provide occasional supplementary “temp staff” services. This represents 19 per cent of total FTEs. In addition to this, the Department engages contractors to provide services in its overseas offices.

The 2006-07 budget for contractors and temp staff in program 4 (International Market Development) is $1.674 million, with the majority of this budget ($1.395 million) allocated to the overseas offices.