Flower displays for almost $20,000 and a performance by singer Jessica Mauboy for $44,000 were just some of the items the Albanian government spent taxpayers’ money on this year.
Mauboy gave a closed-door performance for Albanese and other politicians at the Special ASEAN-Australia Summit at the National Gallery of Victoria in March, where Melbourne company Flowers Vasette provided the floral arrangements for $19,723.
A 40-foot-long floral centerpiece on the Great Hall dining room table cost $7,260, flowers for a ‘media wall’ in the entryway cost $2,750 and $1,100 was spent on ‘arrival flowers’ and gold pedestals, according to Freedom of Information documents obtained by the Herald. Sun.
Venue rental in Melbourne cost $41,649, catering for the three-day event exceeded $45,000, and another $23,000 was spent on hotels and meeting facilities for the summit-related discussions held in Canberra from 6-6. on March 10.
Liberal member for Sturt James Stevens told the publication: “Australians were struggling to put food on their table (while) Anthony Albanese is putting $20,000 worth of flowers on his.”
The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet defended the expenses associated with the meeting of world leaders from Southeast Asia as a “major event commemorating 50 years of our relations with ASEAN.”
“In 2023, Australia’s two-way trade with ASEAN nations amounted to $183.4 billion, and the summit highlighted the importance of our trading relationship and strategic ties with ASEAN,” a spokesperson said.
‘All procurement related to the summit was carried out in accordance with Commonwealth procurement regulations.
The Labor government spent $44,000 of taxpayers’ money for Australian singer Jessica Mauboy to perform for Southeast Asian leaders at a special ASEAN summit in Melbourne.
Nearly $20,000 of taxpayer funds were used for floral displays at the three-day meeting.
‘Spending on the Summit was in line with events of similar size, including the 2018 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Sydney.
“Costs included staff, venue hire, entertainment, IT, security, transport and accommodation to cater for over 1,000 delegates.”
Among the other elite attendees was billionaire and Fortescue chairman Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, who mingled with Mr Albanese and treasurer Jim Chalmers.
A crocodile and a koala were also transported and made a brief appearance at the event to thrill attendees.
Among the country leaders who attended the meeting were the then outgoing president of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, and the prime minister of Thailand, Srettha Thavisin.
The Prime Minister spoke with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to sign new agreements on border security, electricity and maritime corridors.
Maritime operations and security were a key theme of the summit, with China’s influence in the region and territorial disputes in the South China Sea a focus of the meeting.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was not present.
Albanese was keen to keep the focus on Australia’s $2 billion push to boost trade and investment in Southeast Asia, saying it would create new jobs at home.
“It is in our national interest that one in four jobs in Australia depend on trade,” Albanese told reporters in Melbourne at the time.
The $2 billion Southeast Asia Investment Financing Facility will provide loans and insurance to companies, focusing on clean energy and infrastructure development.
The Albanian government defended the spending, saying trade relations with Southeast Asian neighbors contributed billions of dollars to the Australian economy.
Other announcements included additional funding for an infrastructure development programme, better on-the-ground support for Australian businesses overseas and visa extensions.
Two-way trade between ASEAN countries and Australia exceeded $178 billion in 2022, larger than that of the United States or Japan.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Simon Birmingham at the time welcomed the announcement of a $2 billion trade boost.
“It makes enormous sense and (there are) great opportunities for Australia to grow and strengthen two-way investment links with Southeast Asia,” he told Sky News.
The Business Council of Australia also welcomed the plan, while the Australian Council for International Development was cautious and asked for more details on how the funding program would work.