Energy Minister Chris Bowen defends use of two jets taken to the Hunter

Anthony Albanese and two cabinet ministers needed to take two separate jets to the Hunter last week because a runway wasn’t big enough for the PM’s large jet, the Energy Minister says.

Anthony Albanese and Chris Bowen took two separate jets to fly to the Hunter Valley last week. Picture: 2GB

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has defended the use of two private jets to fly the Prime Minister, Industry Minister and himself from Canberra to the Hunter, claiming the decision was made on advice from the air force.

Anthony Albanese, Mr Bowen and Industry Minister, Ed Husic, travelled to the Hunter last Thursday to announce a $1bn project that would finance ­Australian-made solar panels.

However, it was revealed on Monday that the MPs and their staff chartered two Royal Australian Air Force jets rather than travelling from Canberra to the Hunter in the one aircraft.

Jacqui Lambie said the move and the absence of a reasonable explanation demonstrated a lack of transparency from the government, which she said would be “a problem”.

“If there’s a simple explanation then he should just come out and explain it mate,” she told Sky News.

The decision to take two jets also raised questions around whether the politicians travelled separately because of potential tension after the Prime Minister stepped in on the National ­Vehicle Efficiency Standard that Mr Bowen had taken the lead on.

Mr Bowen said the use of separate private jets was a decision made by the air force rather than the politicians.

“The air force advised that the most efficient way to get the Prime Minister and two cabinet ministers to the Liddell Power Station was to go to Scone ­Airport, where the runway was not rated for the Prime Minister’s normal large jet,” Mr Bowen said.

“The Prime Minister has a large jet available to him and that would normally be what we take.

“The runway at Scone wasn’t strong enough to take a large jet so the air force … took a decision for two jets.”

Anthony Albanese, centre left, and Chris Bowen, third from right, at the Liddell Power station where Sundrive announced it would begin producing Australian-made solar panels.

Mr Bowen said it wouldn’t have been possible for politicians to be on one jet.

“Even the small jets weren’t fully laden because of the weight restrictions.

“The Prime Minister’s security detail and so on … we limited the number of staff and even then that was the air force advice, the most efficient way of getting us there.”

He said while normally the government didn’t comment on matters relating to RAAF planes, the questions over why two jets were needed was “fair”.

Coalition frontbencher Hollie Hughes said the electorates in the Hunter could “see through this kind of hypocrisy”.

“This government … does not tell the truth. Mr Albanese promised that this would be a government that was transparent’ we know the opacity they show is just breathtaking,” she told Sky News.

The government has been under pressure for months over disclosures regarding RAAF flights, with less information on where politicians are flying and with whom than ever before.

Labor has defended the more limited information, which it says is due to security concerns.

However, RAAF records did show Defence Minister Richard Marles clocked more than 700 hours of flights – at a cost to the taxpayer of $3.6m – over about 12 months.