Empty VIP jets cost Australian taxpayers $600k
EXCLUSIVE: TAXPAYERS have picked up a bill of more than $600,000 for empty VIP jets to crisscross the nation in just one six-month period.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News . Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Politician travel expenses list reveals thousands of dollars racked up on domestic flights
- Bob Katter biggest buyer of Aussie flags of all federal politicians
TAXPAYERS picked up a bill of more than $600,000 for empty VIP jets to crisscross the nation in just one six-month period.
The Herald Sun can reveal RAAF jets chartered to pick up and drop off federal politicians flew without passengers on 107 occasions at a cost of $610,571 from July to December last year.
The publicly funded RAAF nine-seater Challenger Jet racked up the bulk of the bill when Perth-based ministers and MPs chose to fly from Perth to Canberra instead of taking commercial flights.
The “ghost flight’’ trips cost up to $18,000 just to fly to Perth without passengers. But wage costs for the RAAF crew push the total cost higher.
The latest figures include two passengerless flights made to pick up and drop off Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and her partner, David Panton, in October last year.
An empty plane flew from Canberra to Perth on September 20 at a cost of $17,996, to bring back Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, Employment Minister Michaelia Cash, Justice Minister Michael Keenan and Social Service Minister Porter to be sworn into Malcolm Turnbull’s first Cabinet.
In November last year a jet again flew empty across the Nullarbor — costing $16,740 — to collect Senator Cormann and other MPs including Andrew Hastie, Senator Chris Back, Steve Irons and Senator Linda Reynolds for a sitting week when commercial flights were available.
On flights, MPs and staffers are offered wine, craft beers, gourmet hot meals and heated hand towels by crew.
Former treasurer Joe Hockey — who infamously declared the age of entitlement as over — flew to Melbourne with advisers for a PricewaterhouseCoopers forum in July 2015, sending the plane back empty to Canberra at a cost of $2,930.
The RAAF operates five “special purpose aircraft” from the Fairbairn air base in Canberra. The taxpayer-funded jet service is usually only used when a commercial airline seat is not a viable option, but the Defence Minister can authorise travel.
COSTLY TRAVEL
October 17, 2015
Canberra to Perth ($18,414) to collect Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop and partner David Panton (below)
October 24, 2015
Perth to Canberra ($15,066) after dropping Ms Bishop home
July 9, 2015
Mackay to Canberra ($9626) after taking Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce, wife Natalie and media adviser to a portfolio announcement
July 14, 2015
Melbourne to Canberra ($2930) returning after flying Treasurer Joe Hockey and to a PwC forum on 15 July
August 23, 2015
Horn Island to Canberra ($15,903) returning to base after dropping then PM Tony Abbott for a week-long visit to the Torres Strait
September 20, 2015
Canberra to Perth ($17,996) to collect government frontbenchers to be sworn in the following day
September 25, 2015
Canberra to Longreach ($8789) after dropping then deputy PM Warren Truss so he could charter a flight to Karratha
November 6, 2015
Gold Coast to Canberra ($5859) dropping Steve Ciobo off in Canberra
Brewery puts name on global sporting stage
It’s the little brewery that could. A South Gippsland craft brewer is putting its name on a motorsport event with a global audience of more than 100 million people.
West Gate Tunnel build set to close key Docklands route
Brace for more traffic pain linked to the West Gate Tunnel project with a key route in the Docklands set to close.