Steven Miles jet controversy: Minor change would have meant only one plane needed

Flight details from a controversial Steven Miles crime policy tour through Queensland earlier this year have sparked questions over whether the inclusion of a film crew was behind the need for a second jet.

Premier Steven Miles and his entourage would have fit into a single luxury jet during his April crime policy tour if just one or two staff members had been made to fly commercial, documents reveal.

Flight manifestos obtained by the Opposition through Right to Information have for the first time revealed how many politicians, police officials, and other passengers were spread across the two ­private jets.

And it shows Mr Miles, Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski, Police Minister Mark Ryan, other ministers and police officials could have fit on one jet rather than be spread across two planes if just one or two staff members were axed from the list.

Premier Steven Miles and staff exit a private jet, VH-VKX, at the Government Air Wing, Brisbane Airport. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

But taxpayers are still in the dark as to how much renting two luxury jets cost, with Mr Miles expected to be grilled on the controversial trip when he fronts budget estimates on Tuesday.

There is also little clarity on exactly who flew each leg of the five-day cross-Queensland trip, with the Opposition questioning if members of a film crew were on board throughout to produce a video spruiking the government’s community safety plan.

Taxpayers forked out for the two jets between April 22 and April 26, with Mr Miles zipping between Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, and Rockhampton during that time, while the other jet carrying police officials followed closely behind for nearly the entire trip.

Flight manifestos confirmed Mr Miles and four others were on board the Embraer Phenom 300 when it left Brisbane for Townsville at the start of the trip – leaving three spots free on the eight-seater plane.

The other jet, a Cessna Citation CJ2+, transported Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski, Inspector Scott Calcutt, Resources Minister Scott Stewart and one other – leaving two spots free.

Information from trip planning site Skyscanner shows there were several direct ­commercial flights for all routes between Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Hervey Bay and Mackay within 10 minutes of recorded takeoff times for both planes.

And if just one of the nine in the initial flight party had taken a commercial flight, the travel party could have used a single jet.

Police Minister Mark Ryan (blue shirt) and Premier Steven Miles (white shirt) arrive in Cairns on one of the private jets.

Analysis of the flight manifests also shows that on the Townsville-to-Cairns leg on Monday, April 22, there were only seven people across both jets, despite a combined capacity of 14 seats.

On the other jet convoy legs, there were between one and three people more than what a single Embraer Phenom 300 could carry.

Mr Miles made three stops in Townsville over four days during the trip, spending a combined five hours and 17 minutes on ground – less than half of the nearly 13 hours he spent in the air zipping between regional towns.

Mr Miles defended the double-jet tour at the time and said the itinerary 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 possibly can be”.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said there were serious questions for Mr Miles to answer about the double-jet tour, “starting with why he was prepared to waste so much taxpayer money on two planes when his entourage could have fit on one plane”.

Opposition cost-of-living spokeswoman Deb Frecklington said the use of two jets at the same time was an extraordinary waste of taxpayers’ money.