Third SEQ mayor stayed at plush Paris Games hotel, more costs and flights revealed
Sunshine Coast mayor Rosanna Natoli also stayed at the same luxury hotel during the Paris Olympics as two other southeast mayors, it has been revealed.
QLD Politics
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Politics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli stayed at the same luxury $1100-plus per night hotel during the Paris Olympics as two other southeast mayors, it has been revealed.
But a Brisbane councillor and Deputy Mayor Krista Adams both spent less than their budget, new figures show, with Ms Adams agreeing to give a detailed report at the next Council session following heated exchanges in Question Time on September 10.
It has also emerged Brisbane-based federal Sport Minister Anika Wells flew to France twice, once for the Olympics and again to observe the Paralympics.
Her office confirmed she stayed at the Le Meridien Etoile Paris, where all overseas sports ministers were required to stay.
A spokesman said her “indicative’’ total travel bill for both the Olympics and Paralympics was $35,000.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate also twice flew to France, but his deputy defended Mr Tate’s room bill rung up at the luxury Hotel du Collectionneur — where Ms Adams and Ms Natoli also stayed.
Acting Mayor Donna Gates said Mr Tate had been invited to Paris by the 2032 organising committee “with accommodation costs to be covered”.
“That didn’t eventuate, but the trip was (already) booked,” she told reporters on Wednesday.
“The mayor was there for 13 days, he held 24 meetings … and we’ve seen great outcomes previously from the mayor’s advocacy.
“It’s really important to have the mayor on the ground. You can’t do that advocacy by Skype - it’s not possible.”
Ms Gates said Mr Tate was required to stay in “a specific Games precinct” in Paris “for security protocols and access to all of the relevant sporting body heads and Games family … and that’s what happened”.
“He had those 24 meetings with officials, CEOs, major sporting bodies and we’ll see what comes from that in the years ahead,” she said.
“He was required, in fact directed, to stay in accommodation specifically for the Games family.”
Ms Gates defended the $40,000 cost of sending Mr Tate and two council staffers, including CEO Tim Baker, to Paris for the Olympics.
She said Mr Tate’s advocacy had helped the Gold Coast secure events such as last month’s successful Pacific Airshow at Surfers Paradise, attended by hundreds of thousands of spectators.
“You can’t really measure the value (of the Olympics trip) against a $40,000 cost,” she said.
“I know it’s a huge amount of money in many people’s view at the moment, specially with cost of living pressures as they are.
“But we have to keep our city moving forward and the mayor has been best placed to do that.”
Her comments came as a travel cost breakdown, released for the first time by Brisbane City Council, showed Ms Adams and Lifestyle Committee chair Vicki Howard spent substantially less than budgeted amounts that were published this week.
Ms Adams stayed for 11 nights at the Hotel du Collectionneur, while Councillor Vicki Howard was allocated to the Hyatt for five nights.
The total cost of Ms Adams’ Paris travel bill was $12,557, less than the budgeted $16,300.
That included $11,489 for her accommodation and $1068 for a return Eurostar trip between London and Paris.
She paid for her flights as she was holidaying in England with her children before her official trip to Paris.
Ms Howard, the Community, Arts and Lifestyle Committee chair, spent a total of $14,129, less than her budgeted total of $26,300 for her Paralympics visit.
That included $2364 for her accommodation and $11,765 for flights.
Ms Adams spoke briefly at Council’s August 13, 20 and 27 meetings about her trip but has now promised a more comprehensive report at Council’s next session.
Ms Howard spoke about her Paralympics trip at this Tuesday’s meeting, for five minutes — the new maximum time allowed for councillors to address their colleagues in Chambers.
She said, among other points, that she had learned first-hand about the challenges of providing accessibility to athletes and spectators.
A spokesman for Ms Wells said she “engaged in high level diplomatic meetings ... including with WADA, Commonwealth sports ministers, the Paris Organising Committee, the International Paralympic Committee President, other national sport ministers including the French Minister for Sport, and supported the Australian team at formal events and in competition’’.
“While costs are yet to be finalised, it is estimated indicatively that the minister’s costs were $16,000 for the Olympic Games and $19,000 for the Paralympic Games.’’
“The Minister also delivered two presentations to UNESCO; on Australia’s commitment to investing in women’s sport at the Change the Game conference and the importance of backing our Paralympians at the International Disability Inclusion Conference.’’
A Sunshine Coast Council spokeswoman said the council had previously voted to cap Ms Natoli’s expenses at $1000 and her hotel bill at $7500. She paid for her flights.
Ms Adams also said she was given no choice in her accommodation by the Organising Committees for the Olympic Games, which made “Olympic family’’ guests stay at three inner-city hotels for security and logistics reasons.
The Hotel du Collectionneur is currently listed by Booking.com with upcoming vacancies for one-bed rooms starting from $1156 per night.
It is a short stroll from the world-famous Champs-Elysees and other tourist attractions, with guests at the art deco hotel enjoying city views from some rooms with private terraces, a spa and fitness centre.
The other two assigned hotels were the Hyatt Regency Etoile, which currently was listed on booking.com at prices starting from $334 per night, and the Hotel Meridien Etoile, where prices started from $299 per night.
The State Government sent just five officials to Paris and no ministers, while a total of 15 councillors and their staff attended.
Scrapped ‘CFMEU’ tax’s $17bn saving a state secret
Treasurer David Janetzki has refused to reveal why documents detailing how the government will save $17bn by abolishing Labor’s controversial “CFMEU tax” have been kept secret.
Transport minister admits long-debated Sunshine Coast rail cost unknown
The state government does not know how much it will need to spend to fulfil its major election pledge to build the Sunshine Coast Rail to Maroochydore by 2032.