Foreign Affairs and Trade

Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement — funding to facilitate negotiations

Expense ($m)

	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade	-	-	-	-

The Government provided funding of $3.4 million in 2003-04 to facilitate negotiation of the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA).

The funding enabled the Government to host a number of Congressional delegations to help build up support for the AUSFTA. Funding was also provided to retain United States legal counsel to provide legal advice on the implications of various aspects of the AUSFTA under United States law.

Nauru — maintenance of a temporary Consulate-General

Expense ($m)

	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade	0.6	-	-	-

The Government will provide $0.6 million to continue Australia’s diplomatic presence in Nauru in 2004-05. The operation of the temporary Australian Consulate is in accordance with the commitment made in the Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Nauru in relation to the accommodation of unauthorised boat arrivals.

Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

Expense ($m)

	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
Australian Agency for International Development	-	-	-	-

The Government will provide an additional $1.0 million to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat to help implement the reform agenda agreed by Forum leaders, based on the report of an Eminent Persons’ Group. The Eminent Persons’ Group stressed the need to pool scarce regional resources, to restructure the Secretariat and to focus the Forum’s attention on the key issues of governance, security, economic growth and sustainable development.

This measure is being fully absorbed within the existing resourcing of the Australian Agency for International Development, and is in addition to Australia’s annual funding to the Secretariat.

Papua New Guinea deployment

Expense ($m)

	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
Australian Federal Police	146.2	170.3	168.2	169.7
Australian Agency for International Development	-	-	-	-
Total	146.2	170.3	168.2	169.7
Related capital ($m)
Australian Federal Police	1.1	17.6	0.5	0.5

The Government will provide $1.056 billion over five years (including $122.5 million in 2003-04) for the deployment of personnel to assist Papua New Guinea in the areas of policing, law, justice, economic reform and border management under the Enhanced Cooperation Programme. This programme was announced by the Government at the Australia-PNG Ministerial Forum in December 2003.

This measure provides $766.3 million (including capital funding of $49.4 million) over five years to the Australian Federal Police to provide management, infrastructure and capacity building assistance to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. The capital funding will provide the Australian Federal Police with the equipment necessary to fulfil their capacity building role.

This measure includes funding of $289.6 million over five years ($30.2 million in 2003-04, $67 million in 2004-05, $64.1 million in 2005-06, $64.1 million in 2006-07, and $64.1 million in 2007-08) which will be absorbed from within the existing resources of the Australian Agency for International Development. This funding will provide for the deployment of Australian economic, fiscal, justice and border control officials to strengthen fiscal, economic and law and justice governance in Papua New Guinea.

Solomon Islands — Regional Assistance Mission

Expense ($m)

	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
Australian Federal Police	93.9	-	-	-
Australian Agency for International Development	66.7	-	-	-
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade	4.5	-	-	-
Total	165.1	-	-	-

The Government will provide $165.1 million in 2004-05 for its continuing programme of assisting the Solomon Islands Government in the restoration of law and order and to support broad ranging reforms in the Solomon Islands. These reforms are aimed at strengthening legal and economic institutions and re-building the Solomon Islands’ economy to underpin improved standards of living.

Australia’s commitment includes contributions from the Australian Agency for International Development, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Federal Police. Personnel from the Department of Finance and Administration and the Treasury have also been deployed to assist in budget stabilisation and the economic recovery of the Solomon Islands. These personnel have been funded through Australian Agency for International Development for these activities.

Trade facilitation — New Opportunities — New Exporters Programme

Expense ($m)

	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
Australian Trade Commission	1.7	1.5	1.5	1.4

The Government will provide $19.6 million over four years to help Australian exporters to capitalise on the emerging trade opportunities arising from the conclusion of Free Trade Agreements with Singapore, Thailand and the United States as well as China’s accession to the World Trade Organisation.

The Government will provide the Australian Trade Commission additional funding of $6.1 million over four years to meet the cost of this measure. The remaining expenses ($13.5 million over four years) will be absorbed from within the existing resourcing of the Australian Trade Commission.

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