March Labour Force
April 11, 2002Auditor-General report; interest rates; Inter-generational Report; asylum seekers
April 16, 2002
NO.014
2002-2003 BUDGET – MEDIA LOCKUP ARRANGEMENTS
The Treasurer will deliver the 2002-2003 Budget at 7.30 pm AEST on Tuesday
14 May 2002. The usual lockup arrangements will again be available for media
organisations and will be centralised in Canberra, based in the main Committee
Room area in Parliament House. The lockup will begin at 1.30 pm AEST and conclude
when the Treasurer begins his Speech.
As usual, security considerations are paramount in the lockup arrangements.
To obtain entry to the lockup, media representatives must sign and have
witnessed by a Treasury official the necessary ‘Form of Undertaking’. Attendees
will be required to produce proof of their bona fides as an employee of a media
organisation prior to signing the Undertaking and thereupon will gain entry
to the lockup. A copy of the Undertaking format is attached for information.
Any breach in the letter and spirit of the Undertaking and in the use of the
lockup facility will be regarded most seriously. Your particular attention is
drawn to the fact that breaches of the terms of the Undertaking may be in contravention
of section 79(3) of the Crimes Act 1914, a copy of which is also attached.
Note also that an important requirement of the Form of Undertaking stipulates
that Budget information is not to be broadcast by any media outlets
before the Treasurer conveys it to Parliament.
| NO PROVISION FOR ENTRY CAN BE MADE FOR OTHER GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS.
|
As in past years, arrangements may be made for secure landlines to group headquarters
of approved major print organisations for SUB-EDITING PURPOSES ONLY.
Entry to these sub-lockups is restricted to sub-editorial staff only – JOURNALISTS
ARE NOT PERMITTED. These arrangements involve the establishment of a secure
area on the news organisations’ premises which is supervised by Commonwealth
staff for the duration of the Canberra lockup. Any communication between the
Canberra lockup and the sub-lockups will require security encryption – absolutely
no transmission will take place without encryption.
As usual, participating organisations will bear the full cost of the arrangements.
The Budget Speech and other major documents (including the Budget Overview
and Economic Outlook) will be electronically available at the lockup. The electronic
version can be saved on disk in any available format. Prior arrangements are
to be made with Treasury as shown below.
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By 26 April 2002 (at the latest): would you please provide: Peter Coan, (Manager, Liaison Treasury) by fax (02) 6263 2992 or email peter.coan@treasury.gov.au with:
and Matt Osmond (Facilities Manager, Voice Comms. Treasury) on (02)6263 3863 or (02)6263 2869 (fax) with:
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General
A plan of the Committee Rooms with designated space allocation will be displayed
in the Press Gallery several days before the lockup. Due to the limited space
available in Parliament House, organisations should restrict their representation
to minimum, essential employees only.
Please be advised that all lockups will be conducted in a non-smoking environment.
Parliament House regulations also do not permit the bringing of alcohol into
the lockup area.
You are reminded of the terms and conditions for entry to the Budget lockups.
We particularly remind prospective attendees that:
| CELLULAR/DIGITAL TELEPHONES, PAGERS OR HANDSETS OR ANY OTHER UNAPPROVED
EQUIPMENT THAT IS CAPABLE OF TRANSMITTING A SIGNAL ARE NOT ALLOWED WITHIN THE LOCKUP. |
Storage facilities for such equipment will be available at the lockup entrance.
There will be no contact outside the lockup other than with the use of approved
secure communication links. As mentioned above, any breach of the undertaking
will be regarded most seriously.
Copies of the Budget and associated documents will be on sale at all Government
Book Shops at 7.30 pm (AEST) on Tuesday 14 May 2001. Information will also be
on the Internet (www.budget.gov.au)
at 7.30 pm.
Any general questions relating to the lockups should be directed to Peter Coan
or Ray Gavin at Treasury on (02)6263 3736 or(02)6263 3077, respectively.
NIKI SAVVA
MEDIA ADVISER TO THE TREASURER
PETER COAN
MANAGER, LIAISON (TSY)
CANBERRA
12 April 2002
********
FORM OF UNDERTAKING
I, …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(Print Full Name)
of……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
(Print Full Address)
a representative of………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(Print Full Name of Media Organisation)
and deriving the main component of my income in the media industry, accept
the courtesies extended to me in relation to early perusal of the (YEAR) Budget
Speech and related documents in full understanding of the conditions under which
they are offered.
These are that I will not:
(i) allow the documents or their content or any part thereof made available
to me to find their way into hands other than those of my principals and my
immediate assistants before 7.30pm AEST on Tuesday DATE; or
(ii) make or permit any publication, written or by other means, of any
facts, statements, opinions or the like contained in the Budget Speech or related
documents, prior to the Treasurer commencing the delivery of the Budget on the
night of Tuesday DATE, with the exception that radio and television stations
may broadcast progress news bulletins (as distinct from commentary) provided
that none of the contents of the Budget is revealed until the Treasurer himself
has conveyed it to the Parliament or otherwise disseminated its contents; or
(iii) bring into the lockup cellular/digital telephone equipment or any
other equipment capable of transmitting information to outside the lockup other
than that specifically approved by the Department
of the Treasury or its authorised agents.
I understand that in return for being afforded early access to the Budget
Speech and related documents, it is my duty to treat all such documents and
the information they contain as secret until 7.30 pm AEST on
DATE I further understand that if, before that time, I communicate any such
document or information to any person other than my principals or immediate
assistants who are authorised to participate in the lockup, I shall render myself
liable to criminal proceedings.
I have read this Undertaking and section 79(3) of the Crimes Act 1914
( a copy of which is reproduced overleaf)
and I have taken reasonable steps to ensure that my principals are made fully
aware of these conditions.
Signed: …………………………………………………………………………
Witness: ………………………………………………………………………….
Date:
EXTRACT FROM CRIMES ACT 1914
‘Official Secrets…
79.(3) If a person communicates … prescribed information, to a person,
other than:
(a) a person to whom he is authorised to communicate it; or
(b) a person to whom it is, in the interest of the Commonwealth or
a part of the Queen’s dominions, his duty to communicate it;
or permits a person, other than a person referred to in paragraph (a)
or (b), to have
access to it, he shall be guilty of an offence.
Penalty: Imprisonment for 2 years.’