NO.016

2003-2004 BUDGET – MEDIA LOCKUP ARRANGEMENTS

The Treasurer will deliver the 2003-2004 Budget at 7.30 pm AEST on Tuesday

13 May 2003. The usual lockup arrangements will again be available for media

organisations 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 may 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.

Please note there are some minor modifications to the Undertaking this

year, including specifying the need to remain in the lockup until the Treasurer

begins his Speech.

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.

As in past years, arrangements may be made for secure landlines to group headquarters

of the approved major print organisations for SUB-EDITING PURPOSES ONLY.

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 their own costs of participation

and attendance.

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 follows:

General

A plan of the Committee Rooms with the usual designated space allocation will

be displayed in the Press Gallery several days before the lockup. Due to

will be essentially the same as in 2002.

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:

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

Info Shops at 7.30 pm (AEST) on Tuesday 13 May 2003. 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

(02)6263 3736 or Ray Gavin (02) 6263 2794 at Treasury.

CANBERRA

2 April 2003

ATTACHMENT

**NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT IS A SAMPLE ONLY**

FORM OF UNDERTAKING

and deriving the main component of my income in the media industry,

ACCEPT the privileges extended to me in relation to early perusal of the XXXXXX

Budget Speech and related documents (‘the Budget documents’) and, in return

for those privileges;

STATE that I understand and accept that the Budget documents and the information

they contain (‘Budget information’) are secret until 7.30 pm AEST on Tuesday

XXXXXX (‘the Budget Speech commencement’); and

UNDERTAKE as follows:

• I will not leave the lockup before the Budget Speech commencement without

  the permission of a Treasury official.

• I will not make or permit any publication, written or by other means, of

  any facts, statements, opinions or other information contained in the Budget

  documents, prior to the Budget Speech commencement.

• I will not broadcast or place on the internet or otherwise disseminate

  publicly any Budget information during the period between the Budget Speech

  commencement and the point in the Budget Speech when that information is revealed

  by the Treasurer to the Parliament, or is otherwise publicly disseminated

  by the Treasurer.

• I will not give, convey, communicate or otherwise disclose the Budget documents

  or their content or any part thereof to any person before the Budget Speech

  commencement, except to another person who is also participating in the lockup.

• I will not bring into the lockup computer equipment, cellular/digital telephone

  equipment or any other equipment capable of transmitting information to outside

  the lockup unless that equipment has been specifically approved by a Treasury

  official.

I UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT that if, before the Treasurer reveals Budget information

to the Parliament or otherwise disseminates that information, I provide any

Budget document or communicate any Budget information to any person other than

persons who are also participating in the lockup, I shall render myself liable

to criminal prosecution.

I have read this Form of 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 the above named media organisation is made fully aware of these

conditions, including the consequences of a breach of this Undertaking.

I ACKNOWLEDGE that should I breach this Undertaking:

• I may be prohibited from taking part in the lockup in future years; and
• other representatives of the above named media organisation may be prohibited

  from taking part in the lockup in future years.

Signed: …………………………………………………………………………

Date:XXXXXX

Witness: ………………………………………………………………………….(Treasury

Official)

ATTACHMENT

EXTRACT FROM CRIMES ACT 1914

‘Official Secrets…

than:

1. a person to whom he is authorised to communicate it; or
2. 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

Penalty: Imprisonment for 2 years.’