Documents obtained by the Opposition through Freedom of Information applications have revealed that one single division of the Department of Climate Change, Energy,the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) spent over one million dollars on overseas travel in just six months from 1/07/2023 – 31/12/2023.
The International Climate and Energy Division of DCCEEW clocked up $1,006,389 in travel costs alone. Another two divisions of DCCEEW accumulated a further $358,311 in travel expenses, bringing the 6-month total for the three divisions to $1,364,700 over154 trips – 95% of which were international.
There are12 divisions within the Department, with these three divisions being the only FOI records obtained thus far.
Opposition waste spokesman, James Stevens, said “tackling climate change seems to require emitting a lot of carbon dioxide flying around the world to attend meetings about not emitting carbon dioxide.
“It would be interesting to understand why all of this international business class travel is necessary with modern technology making remote meetings and collaboration a practical and reasonable alternative in many circumstances.
“There is something truly perverse about this casual and relentless overseas travel undertaken by bureaucrats who could be setting an example on how to reduce our carbon footprint, instead of billowing carbon into the atmosphere on their countless international jaunts,” Mr Stevens said.
