Ministers on track for record overseas travel spend new figures reveal

Queensland’s jetsetting frontbench is on track to hit an overseas travel spending record, as the total cost of cabinet to taxpayers hits $30.1m in just six months.

Queensland’s jetsetting front bench is on track to hit an overseas travel spending record, as the total cost of cabinet to taxpayers hits $30.1m in just six months.

The latest ministerial expenditure report revealed taxpayers forked out $17.9m on salaries and “related payments” for ministerial office in the first half of 2023-24 — compared with $32.1m spent across all of 2022-23.

Total costs across all ministerial offices in the first half of the financial year reached $30.1m, which analysis shows equates to a full year spend potentially $3.6m higher than in 2022-23.

Frontbenchers have already racked up a $577,747 in overseas travel for them and their staff — just $13,000 short of the total international bill in 2022-23.

At the height of the pandemic in 2020-21 total overseas spending costs were $133.

So far in 2023-24 taxpayers have forked out $361,183 for motor vehicle running costs, and $1.47m in domestic travel.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s office expenses in her final six months in office reached $4.15m, driven largely by $3.63m in staff salaries.

The costs of running the Deputy Premier’s office and the Treasurer’s office during that time came to $1.55m and $1.24m respectively.

Ms Palaszczuk had the largest overseas travel bill at $130,372, with the reporting period coinciding with her landmark trade mission to China, which involved a 100-delegate strong Queensland contingent travelling to the nation in a bid to lure business back after years of tense relations.

Treasurer and Trade Minister Cameron Dick’s overseas travel bill was $97,854 in the same time frame.

Resources Minister Scott Stewart spent $86,206 on overseas travel, with the frontbencher in the United States on a critical minerals trade mission when Ms Palaszczuk announced her shock resignation on December 10.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch had the fourth largest international travel bill at $73,278 — near identical to her domestic travel bill.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli’s office cost $2.26m to run in the first half of 2023-24. No money was spent on overseas travel.

MINISTERIAL OFFICE EXPENSES

JULY 1, 2023 TO DECEMBER 31, 2023

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk – $5,349,761

Deputy Premier Steven Miles – $2,148,296

Treasurer and Trade Minister Cameron Dick – $1,768,874

Education Minister Grace Grace – $1,506,593

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman – $1,808,098

Transport Minister Mark Bailey – $1,479,051

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath – $1,321,779

Energy Minister Mick de Brenni – $1,517,532

Police Minister Mark Ryan – $1,400,106

Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe – $1,354,992

Treaty and Indigenous Affairs Minister Leeanne Enoch – $1,095,206

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon – $1,181,269

Youth Justice Di Farmer – $1,129,218

Agriculture Minister Mark Furner – $941,429

Regional Development and Water Minister Glenn Butcher – $1,153,329

Child Safety Minister Craig Crawford – $1,014,434

Resources Minister Scott Stewart – $1,161,909

Environment Minister Leanne Linard – $1,030,859

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli – $2,267,280

Originally published as Ministers on track for record overseas travel spend new figures reveal