EXCLUSIVE Simon Benson
National Political Editor
The Daily Telegraph
February 15 2016
TAXPAYERS were charged $2000 an hour for “Celebrity Minister” Julie Bishop to take 70 foreign diplomats on a two-day sightseeing tour of her home state of Western Australia.
Ms Bishop, who is also Foreign Minister, took an entourage of 12 staff with her on the 2014 trip, which cost taxpayers almost $150,000.
The opposition has labelled the trip an “appalling waste of money”, claiming it was an indulgence that included a $10,000 dinner, a tour of the Sandalford Estate winery in the Swan Valley and a breakfast by the beach for the Canberra diplomatic corps, which included representatives of some of the wealthiest countries in the world.
There was also a charter flight for almost 100 people to the Pilbara at a cost of $57,000. There they toured the iron ore operations of BHP and Rio Tinto — the two richest mining companies in the world.
The bill would have been significantly higher had the diplomats not paid for their own airfares to Perth and their accommodation while there.
Ms Bishop, who is becoming increasingly known for her red carpet appearances and glamorous lifestyle, compared the cost of the trip to one Kevin Rudd made in 2011 to Queensland.
“Diplomatic corps visits are a longstanding practice supported by both sides of government dating back to 2000,” Ms Bishop told a Senate estimates hearing last week.
“The total cost incurred by the Australian government for the diplomatic corps visit to Western Australia was $145,200, or $2016.67 including GST per head of mission.
“This is comparable to the 2011 diplomatic corps visit to Queensland hosted by former foreign minister Kevin Rudd which cost $1978.77 including GST per head of mission when adjusted for inflation.”
The opposition has described Ms Bishop’s response as offensive because Mr Rudd’s trip — on which he took 100 foreign ambassadors and high commissioners — was part of the crisis recovery expedition in the wake of Cyclone Yasi.
“It is incredibly offensive for Ms Bishop to compare her sightseeing tour of WA to Mr Rudd escorting diplomats to Queensland in 2011 to demonstrate the state’s recovery after Cyclone Yasi,” Labor’s Wastewatch committee spokesman Pat Conroy said.
“This is a pathetic attempt to excuse the waste and misuse of taxpayers’ money. Last year Julie Bishop spent $125,000 on a tour of South Australia, and on that occasion she took nine staff and a few state Liberal MPs along with her.
“We also caught her taking three staffers along to a $350-a-head dinner, clearly more than are necessary.
“When the taxpayer is footing the bill for these functions, you’ve got to consider whether every expense is necessary.”
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