Taxpayers billed almost $100,000 for week-long government jaunt to Europe
SOUTH Australia is in the midst of a jobs crisis and most of us have had to tighten our belts. But the people meant to serve us — politicians, councillors and bureaucrats — are sucking us dry with their spending.
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- 250 people leave SA for trade mission
TAXPAYERS were billed almost $100,000 to send a delegation of seven senior government officials led by Jay Weatherill on a week-long European sojourn, new figures show.
Government documents reveal that earlier this year the Premier, and two advisers, spent more than $5400 for two nights at a luxury London hotel that promises “feather and down duvets with finest Frette linen”.
The seven-night trip’s public cost was $98,067.17, which also included expenses for Environment Minister Ian Hunter, an aide and two department chiefs, to attend a climate change conference.
The World Summit for Climate and Territories brought the globetrotting group of South Australians together in Lyon, in France’s south east, during the European summer in June and July.
The Premier, who was accompanied by chief of staff Daniel Romeo and spin doctor Jarrad Pilkington, made the keynote address. Mr Hunter was joined by chief of staff Tom Mooney, head of the Department of Environment Sandy Pitcher, and Julia Grant, the department’s executive director for Water and Climate Change.
The World Summit bills itself as “the principal gathering of subnational and local governments and other non-state actors in the lead up to COP 21, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, scheduled for Paris next month.
Jonathan Pickering, from the Centre for Deliberative Democracy & Global Governance at the University of Canberra, said climate change would cost much more if international action stalls “so responsible investment in climate diplomacy is good value for taxpayers”. But he also said governments “need to be accountable for what they spend on travel”.
In a statement to The Advertiser, Mr Weatherill’s spokesman said “as a leading jurisdiction in climate policy, we sent the necessary officials to best represent our state”. But the Premier’s office declined to justify why Mr Pilkington, one of Mr Weatherill’s two personal press advisers, travelled despite no media activities planned.
Prior to the summit, the Premier’s group spent two nights in Britain “to meet with key businesses for potential investments in the state”, according to documents lodged with the Department of Premier and Cabinet. Credit card statements published under the government’s proactive disclosure program, show Mr Weatherill and his two advisers spent $5418.63 at the One Aldwych hotel, which describes itself as “a luxury five-star independent hotel in Covent Garden”.
The statements also indicate the party dined at The Delauney, a restaurant, which, according to its website, boasts of a “superb” room, “panelled, spacious, with generous gaps between tables and the sense of theatre, energy and professionalism”.
The trio then spent a night in Paris, where they met with submarine builder DCNS and nuclear energy company Areva. Following the Summit, they visited Italy for two nights “to lead a delegation of South Australia’s Italian Community and Industry leaders, and engage with regional government officials”.
All up the Premier, Mr Romeo and Mr Pilkington spent $46,693.20 on the seven-night trip. Mr Hunter’s four-person party visited Belgium before the summit and travelled to Denmark afterwards.
Mr Hunter and Mr Mooney accrued almost $26,000 in costs, while Ms Pitcher and Ms Grant had $25,000 in expenses.
In the Danish capital, the group attended more climate change meetings with officials from organisations, including Copenhagen Council, Energinet, House of Green, Ramboll and a European Commission Joint Programming Initiative. The group also attended a climate change conference hosted by the Bavarian Government.
Mr Hunter insisted the meetings would “help inform the development of the state’s new climate change strategy”. “SA is recognised internationally as a leader in attracting renewable energy investment and adapting to climate change,” he said.
European extravaganza
WHO
Premier Jay Weatherill
Mr Weatherill’s chief of staff Daniel Romeo
Senior media adviser Jarrad Pilkington
Environment Minister Ian Hunter
Mr Hunter’s chief of staff Tom Mooney
Sandy Pitcher, chief executive, Department of Environment
Julia Grant, executive director, Water and Climate Change, Department of Environment
WHEN
PREMIER’S GROUP
London: June 28-30
Paris: June 30-July 1
Lyon: July 1-3
Italy: July 3-5
MR HUNTER’S GROUP
Belgium: June 29-July 1
Lyon: July 1-3
Copenhagen: July 3-5
WHY
All seven visited Lyon, France, to attend the World Summit, Climate and Territories. The Premier’s group visit to UK and Italy was to “promote the state”.
Mr Hunter’s group visited Belgium and Denmark for climate change meetings.
HOW MUCH
Mr Weatherill, Mr Romeo and Mr Pilkington — $46,693.20
Mr Hunter and Mr Mooney — $25,914.79
Ms Pitcher and Ms Grant tallied $25,459.18
TOTAL $98,067.17
WHAT
The Government has not provided a full, itemised list of expenses but The Advertiser has discovered the following costs:
$5418.63 paid for Mr Weatherill, Mr Romeo and Mr Pilkington at London luxury hotel One Aldwych.
$18,465.31 for flights for Ms Pitcher and Ms Grant.
Thousands of dollars in meal expenses — including $218.17 at London restaurant The Delauney and $291.80 at Lyon eatery Fuxly — claimed by Mr Weatherill’s staff.
Source: State Government
STAFF DINE OUT, RATEPAYERS FORK OUT
Miles Kemp
CITY ratepayers are funding council staff wining and dining at exclusive city lunch spots and for football tipping equipment despite a review of their credit card excesses this year.
New figures show dozens of Adelaide City Council credit cards, normally used for essential council equipment and stationery, are being flashed at hotels and restaurants to pay for bills of up to $2254.
Almost $200 was spent by one holder of a card to buy “footy tipping software”.
The Advertiser has seen credit card receipts for the year to August, which show almost $66,000 was spent on food, fun, gifts and high-end accommodation.
That spending is expected to accelerate towards the end of the year after last year’s figures revealed an average $464 was spent on plastic for each council Christmas party. Card holders spent money on an average of four Christmas events each day in several weeks leading up to Christmas last year, spending almost $27,000, including two purchases in the week before Christmas at Tiffany and Co. That cost ratepayers $810.
Chocolates and flowers were a popular credit card item this year with executives spending up to $250 at a time at Haigh’s Chocolates and $70 on flowers.
One flower enthusiast spent $784 on blooms in 2014-15. But no amount was too small for the executives to put on the card, including single coffee purchases for $4.
Tens of thousands of dollars in spending on “essential” items at supermarkets, electronics, hardware and furniture stores have not been included.
The spending was exposed by Xenophon Team MLC John Darley, who used the Freedom of Information Act to extract the credit card receipts, and is lobbying for a capping of council rates in South Australia to reduce local government spending.
“Everyone is concerned about the high cost of rates and taxes about the place, and if this is the way they spend their money it is no wonder people are concerned,’’ he said. “One of the worst problems is the councils say they have to have their own CPI because council bills go up more than the ratepayers bills go up, but not these credit card expenses.
“Adelaide City Council needs to look again at these credit card bills because it is not good enough.’’
The new spending comes after the council publicly criticised The Advertiser this year over its reporting of questionable credit card spending.
Council officials maintain the spending is mostly legitimate. A council spokeswoman said there had been progress on the review’s six recommendations, including re-educating staff on proper processes to ensure they followed rules.
New documents show one of the biggest bills was for the Concubine Restaurant where revellers paid $1600 for food and alcohol, while an Earl of Aberdeen Hotel receipt was for $2150.
The $198 bill for the footy tipping software escaped the attention of KPMG auditors, despite the cost being incurred months before the audit began. Ironically the KPMG audit, released in July, made findings which were more critical of The Advertiser for exposing the rorts, than the money spent.
Councillor Anne Moran, who questioned credit card abuse in April, prompting an audit, was “angry and outraged” yesterday after assurances from administrators spending would be curbed.
She said it was now obvious that inappropriate spending on credit cards had become entrenched and needed an overhaul.
“There is the smell of minor corruption about this, and that is the sort of thing that can bring a council down,” Ms Moran said.
“There is clearly contempt for the elected body which has raised this as a problem and the rest of the council workers.
“We were assured this would stop and it makes me angry and outraged that action has not been enough to stop it.’’
Lavish lifestyle
DECEMBER 2014
1st: Tiffany and Co $810, Jamie’s Italian Adelaide $403, Kay’s Kitchen $566 and $1171, Stamford Plaza Adelaide $2567.
4th: Walkers Arms Hotel $232.
5th: Skycity Casino $755, Tynte Flowers $171, Bacchus Wine Bar $725, River Torrens Cafe $110.
8th: Ladle Of Love $100.
9th: Griffins Head Hotel $659, Hotel Wright Street $380.
10th: Corporate Platters $462, Springfresh Salads $355, Specialty Food $562, Cut Lunch $483.
11th: Earl of Aberdeen Hotel $2150, Ibis Hotel Adelaide $352, Hotel Flamingo $510.
12th: Buckingham Arms $173 $230, Walkers Arms Hotel $156, Gallery $323, Earl of Aberdeen $166, Concubine $298, Gilbert St Hotel $327.
15th: Komplete Food Services $1440, Stag Hotel $127.
16th: It’s Simply Delicious $276, Mumbai Bicycle Club $178, Walkers Arms Hotel $26 and $343.
17th: Hackney Hotel $683, Cowandilla Charcoal $612, Al Pacino’s Pizzeria $1000, Grange Hotel $180.
18th: Buckingham Arms $376, $255 and $318, Pizza E Mozzarella $165, West Adelaide Football Club $347.
19th: Kent Town Hotel $70, Australia Pizza House $64, Buckingham Arms Hotel $144, Street Adelaide $619, Concubine $1600, Hackney Hotel $626 and $394, KFC City Cross $325, Pranzo $182, the Strand Cafe Restaurant $450.
22nd: Soho Restaurant $72, The Wine Underground $406, Hackney Hotel $90, Adelaide Bowling Club $34, $375, $546.
23rd: Andre’s Cucina and Polenta Bar $223.
TOTAL CHRISTMAS FOOD AND ALCOHOL BILL:$26,932
DOWNER’S $120,000 FOOD BILL
Simon Benson
IT was billed as a formal lunch in honour of Justice Minister Michael Keenan to be held at Australia House in London last November.
The host was Australia’s high commissioner to London, Alexander Downer.
There would have been nothing unusual about it — and the cost to taxpayers at $997 not deemed overly excessive — had Mr Keenan actually turned up.
The mysterious luncheon and the missing guest of honour was just one of more than 65 dinners and lunches listed in official documents as being hosted by Mr Downer last financial year, racking up a total catering bill of almost $120,000.
Others included an $800 dinner with then Treasurer Joe Hockey and a $1200 lunch with Liberal Senator and Senate President Stephen Parry, held at the private residence Stoke Lodge.
BHP boss Andrew McKenzie also enjoyed the taxpayer funded hospitality, with Mr Downer hosting a $2500 dinner for the high-paid CEO.
Then there was the $4500 summer garden party and the $3500 staff Christmas party.
According to departmental documents obtained under Freedom of Information, Mr Downer hosted 45 catered events at his private residence. The rest, including an $8500 reception for the Australian Cricket Team, were held in the mission’s main building, Australia House.
According to the documents, The Foreign Affairs and Trade Department requires: “explanation of how the function/expenditure furthers post objectives. Remember: In order to be admissible functions must be of specific value to Australia …”
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek would not say whether $120,000 a year in catering costs was excessive for the sought-after diplomatic posting.
But she said Mr Downer “had some explaining to do”.
“In the course of their duties promoting Australia’s interests, our diplomats will incur some costs,” Ms Plibersek said.
A spokesperson for the department said that “all overseas Heads of Mission receive an allowance for representational activity.
PUBLIC SERVANT’S $7000 trip
David Nankervis
A PUBLIC servant flew business class return on a trade mission to China, costing taxpayers almost $7000.
The trip was approved despite then Manufacturing Minister Tom Kenyon admitting the expense “does not appear to be in accordance’’ with public service travel policies.
When planning the trip to China in December 2013, the former head of the manufacturing department, Geoff Knight, sought the minister’s approval for manufacturing department public servant Narelle Slivak to “accompany’’ him in the business class section of the Qantas plane.
Documents obtained under Freedom of Information reveal how Mr Kenyon wrote that Mr Knight could travel business class because the request was in accordance “with public service travel policies’’ for department chief executives — but Ms Slivak’s travel was not in accordance. Despite the policy, Mr Kenyon did not block the request.
Opposition spokesman Stephan Knoll, who obtained the documents, criticised the expense.
“At a time when the Government is negotiating tight wage rises for hard working public servants this example of waste does not respect taxpayers’ money,’’ he said.
A spokesman for the department said the “Chief Executive (at the time) provided an explanation to the Minister’s office about why he approved the flight upgrade’’.