Taxpayers shelled out thousands of dollars to fund a trip Peter Dutton took on a private jet to speak at an event addressing the cost of living crisis.
The federal opposition leader racked up a $23,000 bill when he flew from Canberra to Tamworth last August to attend the Bush Summit, an annual event held by NewsCorp to discuss issues affecting rural communities.
Dutton was a guest speaker at the event where he criticized Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s handling of the cost of living crisis.
He told attendees the Coalition’s goal was to “hold the government to account” on the issue.
Federal opposition leader Peter Dutton (pictured) racked up a $23,000 bill when he traveled by private jet from the country’s capital to New South Wales last August.
The expense was revealed by the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA), a government-run website that tracks MPs’ work expenses.
It was established in January 2017 by then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
The latest political spending figures published by the IPEA detail expenses for the July to September 2023 quarter.
The flight Mr Dutton took to Tamworth was listed as “unscheduled commercial transport”.
The expenditure was classified as “parliamentary duties” and the flight was classified as “non-commercial airline” and “non-airline sector”.
Dutton also claimed expenses for a commercial flight from Tamworth to Sydney, before flying home from Sydney to Brisbane the same day.
The total cost of these flights was $1,259.57.
Figures from the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority revealed the spending (pictured) incurred during the July-September 2023 quarter.
It is understood Dutton had a prior engagement in Canberra, which prevented him from taking a commercial flight to attend the event in time. The Guardian reported.
A spokesperson for Dutton’s office said in a statement that he made the trip in his capacity as federal opposition leader.
“Mr Dutton traveled on a chartered plane from Canberra to Tamworth only, in accordance with his rights as Opposition Leader,” the spokesperson said.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Dutton’s office for further comment.
According to figures published by IPEA, Dutton made six trips during the July-September 2023 quarter using “unscheduled commercial transportation” for a total cost of $199,694.
The transportation expense category covers travel expenses made on chartered planes and long taxi fares.
Travel expenses incurred by Mr Dutton in this category included a trip from Nhulunbuy in the Northern Territory to Archerfiled in Brisbane on May 18, at a cost of $45,970.
According to IPEA figures, Dutton (pictured with his wife Kirilly) made six trips during the July-September 2023 quarter using “unscheduled commercial transportation” with a total cost of $199,694.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spent the most of any MP during the same quarter, incurring expenses totaling $911,708.
This included $646,970 in employee travel and $161,259 in international travel.
Major airlines Qantas and Virgin operate flights weekly from Canberra to Tamworth with a connecting flight from Sydney.
Albanese also attended last year’s Bush Summit in Tamworth.
But the cost of their flights on government-funded VIP planes does not appear on the IPEA website for security reasons.
