Six-figure spending of Sunshine Coast Council for travel expenses

Sunshine Coast Council’s six-figure spend on travel expenses during the last financial year has been revealed. Find out how much their trips are costing the ratepayer.

The six figure travel costs for Sunshine Coast Council over the past financial year have been revealed.

Sunshine Coast Council staff spent nearly $250,000 on travel expenses during the 2022/23 financial year, with general staff spending more than half of that.

The councillors spent $18,041 on domestic travel, with no international trips.

Executives spent $10,941 on international travel and $54,202 on domestic.

The remainder was spent by other staff with $12,629 paid on international travel and the bulk of the budget, $153,364, on domestic travel.

A Sunshine Coast Council spokesman said these travel figures included international and domestic airfares, accommodation, taxis, rideshare and parking.

“Council reports on its international travel within the annual report,” he said.

“The annual report will be published later this year following the external audit review from Queensland Audit Office.”

In the 2021/22 annual report it showed there had been two overseas trips to New Zealand for a cost of $4909 each.

The annual report does not breakdown the domestic travel figures.

The Brisbane City Council, according to it’s travel expenses web page spent $282,527 for the 2022/23 financial year for international travel.

It comes after deputy mayor Rick Baberowski’s request for business class travel to Europe for a $21,000 study trip was slapped down by his fellow councillors in March this year.

The majority of councillors opted against backing Mr Baberowski’s request.