Peter Dutton flew from Brisbane to attend fundraiser at Justin Hemmes’ Sydney mansion amid Cyclone Alfred

Peter Dutton has been accused of secretly jetting out of Queensland attend a fundraiser at billionaire hospitality mogul Justin Hemmes’ Sydney mansion.

Peter Dutton has been accused of secretly jetting out of Queensland this week to attend a Liberal Party fundraiser at billionaire Justin Hemmes’ harbourside mansion.

The Liberal leader was in Brisbane on Tuesday morning where he gave a press conference at Queensland’s emergency services HQ in Kedron about Cyclone Alfred.

But he then left to catch a flight to Sydney before giving interviews on Brisbane’s 4BC radio on Wednesday morning about how he was preparing the family farm.

It’s now emerged he flew to Sydney to attend a community event associated with the Greek Orthodox Church in Tuesday, followed by a fundraiser hosted by hospitality mogul Justin Hemmes at his $100 million waterfront Vaucluse mansion.

Peter Dutton reportedly flew from Brisbane to Sydney to attend a fundraiser at Justin Hemmes’ Sydney mansion (Hemmes pictured with partner Madeline Holtznagel). Picture: Instagram

Views from an unrelated party at Hemmes’ $100 million Vaucluse mansion. Picture: Instagram

A spokesman for Mr Dutton said all of the travel was within the rules. Picture: Newswire/ John Gass

Speaking on 4BC this morning, Treasurer Jim Chalmers - who was also at Kedron on Tuesday morning for a 9am briefing before Mr Dutton left - was asked about the story.

“What do you make of this? According to the AFR, Peter Dutton being briefed by the premier on Tuesday. He hops on an airplane. He heads to Justin Hemmes place for a party in Sydney?,’’ 4BC host Peter Fegan said.

“Look, that would be disappointing if it’s true. That’s for Peter Dutton to explain,’’ the Treasurer replied.

“I went to that briefing on Tuesday at Kedron, and he was leaving as I was arriving.

“I’m not sure if he was off to Sydney to do a fundraiser. That’s for him to explain.”

A spokesman for Mr Dutton said the fundraiser wasn’t the only event or meeting he attended and all travel was within the rules

News.com.au contacted Mr Dutton’s office on Tuesday night about whether he had jetted to Sydney to attend a fundraiser this week and his office indicated the earlier event in the day was not a fundraiser.

The earlier event Mr Dutton attended was at the home of His Eminence, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Basilios.

A spokesman did not elaborate that he did attend a fundraiser at Justin Hemmes historic mansion ‘The Hermitage’ a few hours later.

His spokesman said Mr Dutton did not need to attend the major 9am cyclone briefing because he had been briefed by the Queensland Premier and emergency services personnel earlier that morning.

Dutton attended a fundraiser hosted by the hospitality mogul (above) hours after a separate community event linked to the Greek Orthodox Church. Picture: Richard Dobson

Hemmes has been known to throw ritzy fundraiser events at his Vaucluse mansion before. In 2022, he held the Silver Party to raise money for the Sydney Children’s Hospital. Picture: Instagram

“But really, I assure all your listeners, and I assure you that our focus has been on the disaster,” the Treasurer said.

“I hope this has been as well, because we all need all shoulders at the wheel, every level of government, both sides of politics, need to be doing what we can.

“No doubt he will be asked to in the course of today, whether he skipped the briefing to go to the fundraiser.”

The morning after the Sydney fundraiser Mr Dutton appeared on radio via a phone interview where he was asked if he was taping his windows to prepare for the cyclone.

He had returned to Brisbane by that time.

Justin Hemmes’ home, The Hermitage, has unrivalled waterfront views at Vaucluse

“Will you be sticking around?. Sandbagging and everything is all well and truly underway in Dickson? ,” 4BC asked.

“Well and truly, and look, there have been a lot of frustrations with sandbagging and people turning up without shovels and elderly people who can’t fill the sandbags,” Mr Dutton said.

“I think we should do whatever we can to help family and neighbours. I just think everyone needs to make sure, you know, trampolines in backyards and all the objects that could fly – a loose bit of tin somewhere, just do whatever you can to make sure that that doesn’t become a projectile that is aimed at your neighbour or at your own place. “

“I haven’t taped up the windows, I haven’t been that organised, but it’s something we should consider, actually.”

Originally published as Peter Dutton flew from Brisbane to attend fundraiser at Justin Hemmes’ Sydney mansion amid Cyclone Alfred