TasTAFE’s frequent flyer
A TASTAFE senior executive spent $37,634 on overseas travel in the past year, including visits to South Korea, Japan, Sri Lanka, India and Taiwan.
Right to Information documents obtained by the Mercury show former deputy chief executive, education services, Lori Hocking took four overseas trips between September last year and March this year.
The Mercury requested details of overseas travel taken by TasTAFE senior executives in the past year.
According to the documents, Ms Hocking travelled to India and Sri Lanka in early September 2016 as part of a State Government trade mission, at a cost to TasTAFE of $11,027. Later that month she visited Kuwait to attend a graduation ceremony for students with TasTAFE qualifications. The trip’s cost was covered by the Australian College of Kuwait.
In February this year, Ms Hocking visited Sri Lanka a second time to meet government and training organisation representatives about partnering opportunities. The trip cost $11,352 and was partly funded by a Department of State Growth program.
Ms Hocking also took part in a 16-day, $15,255 visit to Asia as part of the Tasmanian East Asia Trade and Investment Mission with Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff from late February.
Australian Education Union Tasmania TAFE division president Damian von Samorzewski said questions had to be asked about outcomes TasTAFE received from the travel.
A government spokeswoman said it was important for relevant officials to accompany government ministers on trade missions.
“It is equally important that these trips are followed up to maximise the benefits for Tasmania.”
It was reported this month seven TasTAFE ex- ecutives tallied more than $230,000 in bills through State Government credit cards and expense claims in less than two years, including $70,135 by Ms Hocking.
A tender for an audit of TasTAFE has been awarded to accounting firm WLF after an Integrity Commission report released in May detailed nepotism allegations within TasTAFE.
Ms Hocking did not comment.