K Rudd's $500,000 + Bali long weekend bill ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Rudd's Bali blowout slammed

22 May 2008

Kevin Rudd and his team cost taxpayers almost $500,000 in business-class airfares, lavish hotels and bizarre expenses at the UN climate summit in Bali.

Millionaire Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was only in Bali for two nights in December but his tab included $39,051 in hospitality costs, $5255 in ground transport, $1081 in accommodation and $1125 for an accompanying doctor.

The Opposition said most working families would be disgusted by Mr Rudd's extravagance.

The signing of the Kyoto Protocol ahead of the summit was Mr Rudd's first major symbolic act but the full cost for the five ministers, 12 ministerial staff and 35 bureaucrats will not be known until Environment Minister Peter Garrett provides his total bill and the Defence Department reveals how much it cost to operate a jet for Mr Rudd.

The price tag to date of almost $500,000 was revealed in a question on notice by Liberal frontbencher Nick Minchin, whose staff said they were "shocked" by the cost.

"Why did the Prime Minister need five ministers, 12 ministerial staff and 35 bureaucrats to go to Bali?" a spokesman said yesterday.

"If Senator Wong did all the negotiating, why did the others go?

"Why was Mr Garrett there when he has has no responsibility for Kyoto? Why did the Treasurer have to go? Why did the Trade Minister go?

Ordinary Australian families who would have saved to go on a $1000 package holiday to Bali would be disgusted (and) especially when they see that Mr Rudd spent $39,000 just on hospitality."

But the biggest spender was the Climate Change Department – 18 climate change bureaucrats were sent to the conference for up to 17 days and ran up a bill of $73,325 in travel, $69,644 in accommodation and $61,934 in other expenses.

Trade Minister Simon Crean lodged an expense of $10.01 for laundry and taxpayers also paid $458.14 to hire a car for his wife, Carole. Mrs Crean also received $131.66 under the spouse hospitality program.

Two unnamed ministerial staff for Treasurer Wayne Swan were in Bali for four days and spent almost $10,000 in travel, $2640 in accommodation and almost $1000 in "other expenses".
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See - Courier Mail - Rudd's Bali blowout slammed.

See - K Rudd in Bali.

See - K Rudd's party in Bali for 75.

See - K Rudd takes his Cabinet on Bali surfing safari.

K Rudd's department says that last minute travel costs more ...