Question No: 6
Hansard Ref: ECA 108 & 109
Topic: Kimberley Broadband Solutions project - Oversight Responsibility & Commonwealth Involvement

Senator Ludlam asked:
It is still a Commonwealth funding provision, so you have just handed the funds to the Western Australian Government and you provide no further oversight of whether it is spent in the manner intended?

Is there no further Commonwealth involvement at all? Should I just refer all of these questions to the Western Australian Government?

Answer:
Funding recipients were required to provide regular reporting on the achievement of project milestones over the period of the funding agreement. On completion of the project, a technical audit by an independent consultant confirmed that all sites were ready and commissioned for use.

The project is complete and all project milestones have been met. There is no further Commonwealth involvement.

All further questions should be referred to the Western Australian Government.

Question No: 7
Hansard Ref: ECA 109
Topic: Kimberley Broadband Solutions - Deed

Senator Ludlam asked:
Does the department retain a copy of the project deed signed by the Western Australian Government for the Kimberley Broadband solutions project?

Is that something that you would be able to provide for the committee?

Answer:
Yes, the department does retain a copy of the project deed.

Yes, copies of the deed and deed variation are attached.

Question No: 8
Hansard Ref: ECA 109
Topic: Kimberley Broadband Solutions project - National Office of the Information Economy Discussion Paper Recommendation re the Coordinated Communications Infrastructure Fund (CCIF)

Senator Ludlam asked:
Can you provide for the committee an official response from the Commonwealth Government as to whether that recommendation is formally -

Question Clarified 27 March 2009:
Has the Commonwealth government responded to the recommendation made by the National Office for Information Economy about regular and ongoing monitoring of each CCIF funded project to ensure compliance with milestones outlined in the project funding deed?

Answer:
The National Office of the Information Economy Discussion Paper proposed regular and ongoing monitoring of individual projects to ensure compliance with the milestones outlined in the project funding deeds. The guidelines for the Coordinated Communications Infrastructure Fund included these provisions.