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Ambassador for First Nations People

View on aph.gov.au (opens in a new tab)
Status: Answered, finished
Asked by: Senator Jessica Collins
Portfolio: Foreign Affairs and Trade
Agency: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Round: 2026-27 Budget estimates
Question No: 163
Asked: 3 June 2026
Answer due: 23 July 2026

Question

1) Can the department confirm the total cost to taxpayers of travel undertaken by the Ambassador for First Nations People and the Office for First Nations International Engagement since the Ambassador's appointment, including international travel, domestic travel, accommodation, allowances and staff travel? 2) For that expenditure, what has actually been achieved? Not meetings attended or speeches delivered, but tangible outcomes for first nations Australians? Has this work helped to bridge the gap for First Nations Australians domestically? 3) How many First Nations businesses, communities or organisations have directly benefited from the Ambassador's overseas travel, and how is that being measured? 4) 7.What strategy, plan or framework has guided the Ambassador's travel and international engagement since the role was created? 5) 8. One of the aims of the office is to "develop a strategy for a First Nations approach to foreign policy." Has this occurred? After spending and travelling so much, has there been a strategy developed? 6) 9. It was also reported that a Darlinghurst-based consultancy is being paid $266,000 to provide support for that strategy? Can you confirm that for us? And can you also provide an update as to where it is up to? 7) 10. If that strategy or framework has not been finalised, how can the department assess whether hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel has delivered value for money?

Answer

Please see attached answer

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