Taxpayers pick up $70,000 bill for Joe Hockey’s swanky US party

Joe Hockey spent more than $70,000 of taxpayer money on a party to wine and dine US state governors, government documents released under freedom of information laws reveal.

TAXPAYERS were slugged more than $70,000 for our ambassador Joe Hockey to wine and dine American state governors.

Government documents, released under freedom of information laws, reveal the former treasurer, who took up his $360,000-a-year job in 2016, hosted the swanky event in February during the National Governors’ Association winter meeting.

More than half of the bill — $42,445 — was spent on entertainers to keep the high-profile guests amused during the evening.

Joe Hockey documents his dinner suit attire. Picture: @joehockeyusa Instagram

Coogee country and western performer Amber Lawrence, and Nick Hardcastle — who appeared in Home And Away in the 1980s — were both paid to sing for the crowd of 250.

Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright also brought an Aussie flavour to the evening bringing a range of reptiles to the event.

The majority of governors from across the US, state premiers and Mr Turnbull ­attended the gala reception at the Australian Embassy.

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Australian taxpayers footed the $24,000 finger food bill, which included Kangaroo Island abalone with lime butter, King Island blue cheese and Yarra Valley caviar.

Guest consumed more than $3000 of beer and wine, but taxpayers were spared the cost of gin cocktails, which were donated by Victorian gin maker Four Pillars.

A spokesman for the Foreign Affairs and Trade Department said the party was one of several events in Washington in February which were part of “the most significant and largest high-level bipartisan Australian delegation ever to visit the United States”.

Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright brought a range of reptiles to the event.

“Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, premiers and chief ministers, and approximately 50 Australian and US CEOs, including from major media organisations, participated in a series of meetings in Washington DC over four days,” the spokesman said.

“The interest generated by the visit … and an MOU (memorandum of understanding) signed (with) the NGA has paved the way for continued and expanded engagement at state-to-state level between Australia and the US, including in relation to infrastructure and energy policy,” the spokesman said.

The latest revelation comes just months after it was revealed Mr Hockey billed taxpayers almost $70,000 on alcohol, breakfasts and babysitters from July to December 2017.

Originally published as Taxpayers pick up $70,000 bill for Joe Hockey’s swanky US party