CHOPPER AT YOUR SERVICE WARREN
It was a promise MP Warren Entsch wanted to keep — officially open the Wallaby Creek Festival near Cooktown. So instead of driving he hired a helicopter
TAXPAYERS have footed the bill for a one-day helicopter trip to a Cape York music festival for Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch and his wife.
The latest figures on parliamentarians’ entitlements published by the Finance Department show the Member for Leichhardt claimed $2640 on a return charter flight to the Wallaby Creek Festival near Cooktown, departing from the Tablelands on October 1.
The Coalition MP owns a cattle property at Malanda.
Mr Entsch said he was invited to officially open the popular folk fest, which is held at Rossville, a four-hour drive north of Cairns.
“I have attempted to attend on a couple of occasions and unfortunately it’s a little out of the way,” he said.
“If you’re going to go, you’ve got to spend some time there, and I didn’t have the time. But I had donated a shipping container to them and I’ve been promising them for a couple of years that I’d get there.”
The veteran politician said he obtained four quotes for a return charter flight to the festival and found the helicopter was the most cost-effective mode of transport to allow him to spend enough time there, while still meeting other commitments back in Cairns.
He said it was not unusual for him to bring his wife, Yolande, along for the trip.
“She’s entitled to spend some time with her husband, and she plays a very significant role in my life, and contributes very well to my public life as well,” he said.
“She’s part of my team: why wouldn’t she go?
“We didn’t go up there for a bloody party, we went up there for the official opening.”
Cape York Folk Club vicepresident and Wallaby Creek Festival entertainment director Sandra Lloyd said they were honoured to have Mr Entsch officially open the festival.
She confirmed Mr and Mrs Entsch arrived and departed the festival via helicopter.
“He’s always supported Cape York Folk Club over the years,” she said. “It was very important to us. “He wasn’t coming just for the jaunt, or for fun – we had invited him to talk.”