Taxpayers cough up for empty VIP flights
TAXPAYERS picked up a $350,000 bill to send empty VIP jets to collect government ministers in one six-month period last year.
The Sunday Territorian can reveal the RAAF 30-seat VIP planes flew without passengers on more than 50 occasions in a six-month period to collect members of Malcolm Turnbull’s frontbench instead of them taking commercial flights.
Among the culprits was Territory Senator Nigel Scullion, whose used a VIP plane to fly from Sydney to Alice Springs with an entourage of staffers in May last year.
The plane flew the return leg as an empty “ghost flight” to Canberra at a cost of $10,044.
Documents reveal the longest domestic “ghost flight’’ trip cost $18,833, when a plane was flown across the Nullarbor, from Canberra to Perth to collect West Australian-based ministers including Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and Defence Minister Marise Payne.
The most expensive empty charter flight cost taxpayers $43,106, when the empty VIP plane flew from Canberra to Shanghai ferrying staff and journalists back to Australia following Mr Turnbull’s first official visit to China in April 2016.
The VIP service is meant to be available to ministers when a commercial airline seat is not a viable option.
Mr Scullion’s spokesman said yesterday his VIP aircraft use “was in accordance with all travel guidelines”.
“The special purpose aircraft was required in this instance in order for the Minister to attend important events at Yulara and Mutitjulu.”
He said Mr Scullion had parliamentary and ministerial commitments the day before
February2016—February 2016 — Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce — Mackay/Canberra $8,789
February 2016 — Finance Minister Mathias Cormann — Canberra/Perth $18,833
March 2016 — Prime MinisterMalcolmTurnbullMinister Malcolm Turnbull — Canberra/Melbourne$2,930Canberra/Melbourne $2,930 his meetings in Central Australia.
“As is standard practice, all commercial options to get the Minister to Alice Springs were explored before making use of the VIP aircraft,” the spokesman said. Mr Scullion and his
March2016—March2016 — Educa Education Minister Simon Birmingham — Canberra/Adelaide $6,278
March 2016 — Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg — Canberra/ Barrow Island $20,925
April 2016—2016 — Defence Minister Marise Payne — Canberra/PerthCanberra/ Perth$ $18,41418,414 entourage drove from Alice Springs to Yulara and back, he said. A standard domestic fare between Canberra and Alice Springs costs between $300 and $600. The RAAF operates five “special purpose aircraft” from the Fairbairn air base in
April 2016 — Prime Ministerial staff — Canberra/ Shanghai $43,106
May 2016 — Education Minister Simon Birmingham — Canberra/Adelaide $7,115
May 2016 — Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion — Alice Springs/ Canberra $10,044 Canberra. Once on-board, Ministers, staff and family are treated to hot meals, wine, cocktails and Wi-Fi.
The total cost of empty VIP flights from January to June 2016 was significantly less than the $600,000 taxpayers forked out for empty VIP plane trips in the previous six-months.
But the government document does not include the cost of VIP planes used to ferry the PM and Opposition Leader around Australia during the 2016 election campaign.