2002-2003 Budget – Media Lockup Arrangements

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2002-2003 Budget – Media Lockup Arrangements

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.

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:

  • a full list of the organisation’s employees’ names and

    positions seeking access;

and

Matt Osmond (Facilities Manager, Voice Comms. Treasury) on (02)6263

3863 or (02)6263 2869

(fax) with:

  • All secure data, voice or fax lines requirements.

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.’