Revealed: Hidden cost of Premier’s double private jet debacle

The government’s use of a second plane to tail the Premier on a media tour crisscrossing the state for 48 hours had a hefty environmental cost.

• Analysis: Please explain, Premier

The government’s use of a second plane to tail the Premier on a media tour crisscrossing the state for 48 hours generated more in carbon emissions than an average Queenslander does each year.

The private jet caravan again headed back to Cairns on Wednesday morning for the second time since Monday afternoon after an overnight stop in Brisbane – but this time Police Minister Mark Ryan was spotted hopping aboard Steven Miles’ larger plane.

Newly-appointed Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski also again joined the entourage, appearing alongside the government pair in Cairns before the trio jetted to Townsville in two separate planes – landing nine minutes apart – for the third time.

Premier Steven Miles and staff exit a private jet. Pic: Lyndon Mechielsen

The Courier-Mail revealed on Wednesday Queensland taxpayers had paid for two private jets to travel on identical routes to fly Mr Miles, Mr Ryan, Mr Gollschewski and a number of staffers across the state to make a series of crime announcements, just days after the government’s emissions bill was passed.

The smaller of the two planes – the Cessna Citation CJ2+ – is listed as emitting an average of 1.53 tonnes of carbon emissions per hour, meaning the ten and a half hours of flying time since Monday would have emitted about 16 tonnes.

According to the Global Carbon Budget, the average Australian person emits about 15 tonnes of CO2 each year.

Mr Miles on Wednesday defended the itinerary – which saw the group travel from Brisbane, to Townsville, to Cairns, to Townsville, to Hervey Bay, to Brisbane, to Cairns, to Townsville, and back to Brisbane across 48 hours – saying the plan was “based on my desire to make sure I, and the Police Commissioner, and the Police Minister are in regional Queensland as much as we possible can be”.

QLD Premier Steven Miles flies to Cairns in a private jet. Photo: Emily Barker

But asked whether it was hypocritical to take dual planes after spruiking the government’s emission reduction targets and why there was such a need, the Premier said there was a “travelling party”, and that local MPs had also joined for various legs of the trip.

“It’s the only way for this travelling party to spend the kind of time that we have in places like Townsville and Cairns, and I intend to keep doing that,” Mr Miles said.

“Whenever I can travel commercial I do.

“But this week I’m aiming to be in as much of regional Queensland, talking to Queenslanders about what I know is a very important issue to them, and that’s our community safety plan.”

Flights logs show the planes spent a little over two hours in Cairns and about an hour and fifty minutes in Townsville on Wednesday.

Asked whether chartering two private planes to fly the same route was a good use of taxpayer funds, Mr Miles said “I think that (travelling to regional Queensland) is a very important and valuable use of my time”.

Premier Steven Miles holding a press conference at the Cairns Police Beat. Photo: Emily Barker

“Queenslanders right across the state – not just in Brisbane – want to hear exactly what our plan is to keep our community safe, and I intend to keep doing it.”

Deputy Leader Cameron Dick, speaking from Brisbane, also defended the plan saying: “many Queenslanders would think it’s appropriate for the Premier to be travelling to as many parts of the state as possible, as quickly as possible, as efficiently as possible and not spending his time on waiting for aircraft to depart”.

The government has not revealed the cost of the extra plane – similar planes hire for about $6500 per hour – but Mr Dick said the cost of ministerial travel was published in expense reports.

Mr Gollschewski told reporters in Cairns there were “more people than seats on one plane”.

“This is really easy for me, it’s about doing the right thing,” he said.

“These are really big announcements.

“What’s really important for me as the new Commissioner is engaging with the workforce and the community.”

LNP Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie accused the Premier of being “out-of-touch” in taking two private planes on an identical trip during a cost-of-living crisis.

“There’s no excuse for it,” he said.

“Not even Annastacia Palaszczuk was that out of touch.

“Queenslanders can’t afford to pay their bills on the ground, while the Premier is jetsetting on two luxury jets in the sky.”

Both government jets on the tarmac.