Nick Reece charged ratepayers more than $20,000 to travel around Melbourne – but won’t say if it was in a limo or taxi

Nick Reece billed ratepayers more than $20,000 to travel around Melbourne last financial year — thousands more than then lord mayor Sally Capp — but he won’t say if he took a limousine.

Nick Reece billed ratepayers more than $20,000 to travel around Melbourne last financial year – but he has refused to say if he was chauffeured around in a limo while being taken to appointments.

The City of Melbourne’s annual report for 2023-24 shows that Mr Reece racked up $20,410.86 in local travel – around Melbourne – while Deputy Mayor.

During the same period, then Lord Mayor Sally Capp billed ratepayers for $17,935.80 – almost $2500 less than her deputy.

Ms Capp retired from the role of lord mayor in late June 2024, and Mr Reece was promoted to the city’s top job. He then went on to win the council election in October.

Nick Reece refused to answer a serious of questions about his local travel, and whether he had also used a chauffer-driven limo service to be taken around town. Picture: Jason Edwards

Ms Capp was pilloried when the Herald Sun revealed she had spent more than $30,000 in a year to be chauffeured around in luxury limos, despite her pledge before being elected to use trams, cycle and walk to most of her appointments.

Mr Reece refused to answer a serious of questions about his local travel, and whether he had also used a chauffer-driven limo service to be taken around town or if he had taken a more common approach by using taxis or rideshare companies.

Instead, a City of Melbourne spokeswoman said his level of spending on local travel was justified due to the nature of his role.

“The expenses reflect the significant demands on the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor to attend a range of engagements, where they represent and advocate for the city,” she said.

Sally Capp was pilloried when the Herald Sun revealed she had spent more than $30,000 in a year to be chauffeured around in luxury limos.

Council Watch president Dean Hurlston said the level of spending was excessive and should not be billed to ratepayers “without a plausible explanation”.

“No Councillor should be using luxury services, they should be (where possible) using the most cost-effective method of transport,” he said.

“Within the City of Melbourne, they should be using public transport.”

Mr Hurlston said councillors needed to be more prudent when spending ratepayer funds.

He also said the level of spending on local travel showed there was a particular “culture” around spending last term and he hoped that it had changed for the better.

Ms Capp’s limousine travel for the 12 months between July 2022 and June 30, 2023 cost ratepayers $31,636.

During the 2023 financial year, Ms Capp billed ratepayers to organise a chauffer for her to drive her to the MCG to watch her beloved Collingwood Magpies win the 2023 AFL premiership, to watch the Matildas’ World Cup semi-final in August, visit Flemington racecourse for the Melbourne Cup and to be driven 650m from Town Hall to the Yarra boatsheds to crown the Moomba Monarchs.

Ms Capp’s limousine travel for the 12 months between July 2022 and June 30, 2023 cost ratepayers $31,636.

She was regularly chauffeured in BMW, Mercedes and Lexus luxury vehicles as part of the ratepayer-funded service.

These vehicles were often spotted parking illegally on the footpath at Town Hall – a practice which is believed to have been stopped after the Herald Sun’s revelations in late 2023.

Originally published as Nick Reece charged ratepayers more than $20,000 to travel around Melbourne – but won’t say if it was in a limo or taxi