Senator JOYCE—This is a question for Mr Paterson. I have some queries regarding some items that were noted on the additional estimates. I have one reply on notice back, and it was well set out. I thank you for that. It diligently pointed out where the amounts arrived from. However, I refer you to your answer of how this $110,000 disappears off the budget department balance sheet and then miraculously reappears in the forward estimates. Your answer was:

A variance of $110,000 relates to the acquisition, disposal and changes in valuations heritage and cultural assets …

It does not give a reference to the particulars of what make up that amount. Why is that? Is this just a qualitative statement like, ‘I will get to the end of the week and I will pay you what I think is appropriate.’?

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Mr Paterson—Just as a point of clarification, it is not in relation to the department’s balance sheet and it was not a response from the department, but from the agency.

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Senator JOYCE—It is a budgeted departmental balance sheet.

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Mr Paterson—But it is in with the agency for AIATSIS, which is an independent statutory authority. The officers are here to respond to your question. I am not ducking your question, but just making the point for the record that it is not about the balance sheet of the department.

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Senator JOYCE—I would like to look at that. All I want is the answer.

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Dr Taylor—I will have to ask our chief financial officer.

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CHAIR—Can you repeat that?

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Senator JOYCE—What happened to the $110,000?

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Dr Taylor—I will ask the CFO to answer that.

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Mr Hobson—I am sorry, I did not hear your question.

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Senator JOYCE—What does it pertain to? In any amount that you have on a set of books there has to be a quantifying calibration or a list that pertains to what makes up that amount. In this one I do not see that. All I see is a discussion piece on what that amount relates to. To be quite honest, I think it is just a simple mistake, but if it is a simple mistake people should just say so and not try to beat around the bush.

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Mr Hobson—The issue relates to the fact that it is to do manuscripts and paper documents, which we obtain and put into storage. We have put some value on them. Until such times as they are sorted and indexed by people back at the institute, we are unable to give a proper figure as to what that relates to.

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Senator JOYCE—It relates to the fluctuation in the valuation. When you came up with the figure for the initial valuation you would have had a list or an inventory of the items that came to that amount, then you would have had another inventory of items that came to a different amount and then you would have had another inventory of items that came to the third amount, which surprisingly enough was exactly the same as the first amount. The differentiation between those two inventories of items is the detail that I want.

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Mr Hobson—I will have to take that on notice and get that information for you.

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Senator JOYCE—I do not want to have to come back to each budget estimates asking the same question, so let’s fix it up.

Senator JOYCE—Just before you go, I have made heaps of mistakes myself. If it was a mistake, just come back and tell us it was a mistake. I understand that completely, just do not beat me about the bush.

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Mr Hobson—I personally have not but I certainly would.

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Senator JOYCE—Thank you for that.