Review of the 2005 budget, draft 2006 budget and forecast budget for 2007

This paper is presented for the Commission’s consideration and sets out the projected outcome of the budget for 2005, a draft of the 2006 budget and an indicative forecast for the 2007 budget. The presentation is in the format determined by the Commission at its 2002 Meeting.

The expenditure for 2005 is not expected to exceed income after bringing forward the surplus of A$103 200 from 2004. The relocation of the Secretariat to new premises, which include a dedicated meeting facility, will result in some one-off expenditures which cannot be quantified accurately at the time of preparing this budget.

General Services Staff salary increases in 2004 also had the effect of an increase in the Staff Assessment Levy. The increase in the Staff Assessment Levy together with an increase in income from Interest will offset some of the additional salary cost. The balance of the increase can be met from the surplus brought forward from 2004. A surplus of A$57 400 will be carried forward to 2006 and recorded as income for that year.

With the C-VMS now a key CCAMLR activity, the Commission may wish to revisit the budgetary implications of implementing the C-VMS in that contributions will increase beyond zero real growth for this function only to the extent previously identified by the Commission in 2003 (CCAMLR-XXII, paragraph 3.36). In 2004 and 2005 the C-VMS was funded from cost substitution savings achieved as a result of allocating new and exploratory fisheries expenditure against the income received from new and exploratory fisheries application fees. The 2006 budget has been framed on the basis of this cost substitution continuing, without any increase to Members’ contributions arising from C-VMS expenditure.

With the relocation of the Secretariat to new premises the rent will continue to be paid by the Australian and Tasmanian governments. Payments will be made through the Commission’s accounts and will be reflected in the annual financial statements at the end of 2005. As this will be cost-neutral to the Commission, the receipt and payments have been ignored in the preparation of the review of the 2005 Budget, the 2006 Draft Budget and the Forecast Budget for 2007.

There is no overall increase in the 2006 Budget anticipated in respect of the current tasks to be undertaken by the Secretariat.