Taxpayers slugged after Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth call in RAAF jet to get her out of Ceduna

One of SA’s most senior politicians has been ferried home from the Far West Coast on a scrambled air force jet – and taxpayers have been billed thousands.

Taxpayers have been billed thousands of dollars for a scrambled chartered air force “ghost” jet to ferry one of South Australia’s most senior politicians home from the Far West Coast.

Federal Cabinet Minister Amanda Rishworth last week visited Ceduna, 400 km northwest of Port Lincoln, with two advisers, for community talks, service visits and to commit $17m for economic work.

But after their 5pm Friday flight to Adelaide was cancelled almost 90 minutes before takeoff, the Royal Australian Air Force was authorised to fly a “ghost plane” almost 1500km from Canberra, over concerns the group would be stranded.

Social Services Minister and southern suburbs MP for Kingston Amanda Rishworth. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

The Social Services Minister and southern suburbs MP for Kingston, 44, and her advisers, flew 38 minutes to Adelaide on the RAAF “special purpose aircraft”, which landed at 10.35pm.

Officials refused to reveal the public bill but insisted air force chiefs approved it after considering a formal Social Services Department request.

Defence Department records show a similar four-hour return Canberra to Ceduna trip in 2020 cost taxpayers almost $17,000.

Former Families and Social Services Minister, SA Liberal Senator Anne Ruston, 59, chartered that trip when Covid hit commercial services, during negotiations with Senator Rex Patrick, 55, to gain support for the controversial cashless debit card.

Ms Rishworth, 44, was notified at 3.20pm of her cancelled Rex flight.

The minister had been visiting Ceduna on SA’s west coast. Picture: iStock

Despite a fight outside the pub she visited at 7pm, officials denied security was considered as the RAAF request occurred just before 6pm.

Senior government sources said all options were “exhausted”, including an eight-hour drive to Adelaide or a four-hour trip to Port Lincoln but hire cars were unavailable.

The next Rex flight was 7pm last Sunday.

Officials said a commercial charter was also unavailable, which would have cost between $3000 and $7000.

None of the travelling party had personal items to stay. The town also had a large funeral, in which guests, including from interstate, travelled to.

Ms Rishworth, who has successfully scrapped the cashless debit card, had several weekend electorate and ministerial commitments before needing to travel to Canberra for parliament and cabinet.

Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth having a giggle with Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney during Question Time in the House of Representatives Parliament House in Canberra last Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

But the local federal Liberal MP, Rowan Ramsey, 66, criticised the Hallett Cove-based mother of two young sons.

“She took an opportunity to get a RAAF plane out of here, when locals can’t do that,” he said.

“She saw first-hand the results of taking away the cashless debit card, which is more social unrest, an increase in alcohol and an increase in violence.”

Flight records show her RAAF five-hour round trip left Canberra at 7.27pm on Friday, November 25.

Rowan Ramsey, the Liberal MP for Grey. Picture: Supplied

The plane, with two pilots and a crew member, had a 44 minute stopover at Adelaide Airport before leaving empty to Canberra at 11.19pm, records show.

While Adelaide Airport’s plane noise curfew is imposed between 11pm and 6am, federal law exempts “vital” services such as emergency flights, military aircraft and freight planes.

Ms Rishworth did not answer detailed questions on her RAAF flight. But in a statement, she said the trip – not detailed on her social media – fulfilled a promise earlier this year to visit.

“I had a number of positive meetings with Ceduna leaders about the budget funding commitments we made for vital community services,” she said.

“Our commitment to boosting economic development and supporting jobs, including the creation of a cultural hub, is central to the Albanese Labor Government’s support of communities like Ceduna.”

A Defence spokesman refused to comment for “security reasons”.