Opposition leader Peter Dutton charted a private jet costing taxpayers $23,000 to travel to an event where he spoke about the cost of living crisis. You cannot make this shit up.
According to The Guardian, Dutton travelled to Tamworth from Canberra to attend News Corp’s annual Bush Summit on August 11, 2023. There, he addressed the room, criticising the way the current Albanese government was handling the cost of living crisis in Australia. He also commented that the rising cost of living is one of his biggest priorities. The irony is so blatant that I don’t even have to make a joke about it.
The cost of the flight was included in reports by the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA), an independent statutory authority launched in 2017. IPEA’s role is to advise, report and audit the spending of politicians and their staff. Each year, IPEA releases reports outlining where politicians have been spending taxpayer money.
It’s not the first time the human big toe has found himself in the shit after being exposed by the IPEA. Back in April, he was busted for claiming almost $6,000 for his staff and security to come along with him to attend Gina Reinhart‘s birthday party. Although his camp claimed he paid for his own way, the cost of his entourage was on the taxpayer’s dime.
So, just like influencers and hot girls, Dutton’s people were paid to party. Manifesting this reality for me, honestly.
The latest batch of reports revealed that Dutton had claimed $23,000 for a flight from Canberra to Tamworth to attend the bush summit. From a quick search on Webjet, I reckon he could have saved taxpayers a nifty $21,680 — $22,655, depending on whether he flew economy or business.
However, according to a spokesperson, a prior commitment in his busy schedule made it too hard to work around multiple commercial airline schedules — despite there being several flights from Canberra to Tamworth each day.
“Mr Dutton did travel on a chartered aircraft from Canberra to Tamworth only, under his entitlement as leader of the opposition,” a spokesperson stated, as per The Guardian.
However, Dutton reportedly took commercial flights from Tamworth to Sydney, then another flight to Brisbane.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was also in attendance at the summit, which was sponsored by Gina Reinhart’s company Hancock Prospecting. According to IPEA numbers, he spent the most cashola with $911,708 in the June to September 2023 quarter. Dutton totalled $809,587, with $199,694 of this from privately chartered flights. These figures also include employee travel, office expenses and international travel.
