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December 9, 2025
Top public servants spent more than $2 million on taxpayer-funded flights, accommodation and rideshares last year, despite the Albanese government's mandate on departments to crack down on travel and hospitality costs.
An analysis of dozens of answers to questions on notice revealed the country's high-ranking bureaucrats racked up millions on domestic and international travel in 2024-25.
Labor has vowed to save $6.4 billion in the public service across four years by slashing spending on consultants, travel, and hospitality, with departments asked to achieve a savings goal of up to 5 per cent next year.
The data does not specify if flights were booked in either economy or business class and does not include spending by all department and agency heads. The fares included $143,068 on flight and accommodation for Australian Submarine Agency boss Jonathan Mead, who has plans to retire next year.
Australian Signals Directorate director-general, Abigail Bradshaw, spent $140,467 on publicly funded trips.
Figures show National Emergency Management Agency coordinator-general Brendan Moon spent $120,374 on overseas and domestic travel. Continued Page 4
Top tier spends more than $2m on travel, hospitality
From Page 1 Mr Moon billed taxpayers $16,115 to fly to Geneva in early June to attend the eighth Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction Summit.
The government's travel policy states that public servants must book the lowest-cost "practical" airfare, meaning the cheapest fare available at the time. There's no suggestion public servants breached official rules when conducting travel directly related to their core responsibilities.
The eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant spent $102,769 on overseas trips last year, including $36,689 last September to fly to the US to attend the Responsible Tech Summit.
Former Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison and acting managing director Robin Mack together accrued a flight bill worth $116,300.
Ahead of her departure in August, Ms Harrison spent $20,600 for flights and accommodation during a 10-day visit to the UK, Germany and Italy.
Meanwhile, Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation chief executive Joe Morrison billed taxpayers $105,510. His flight bill included more than $75,000 on airfares and $22,977 on meals and other travel-related expenses.
Attorney-General's department secretary Katherine Jones spent $79,350 on flights last year, including a $24,547 visit to Israel in January.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade department secretary, Jan Adams, spent $116,308 on international trips and domestic travel.
Former Agriculture secretary Adam Fennessy spent nearly $40,000 on airfares, accommodation and ride shares, ahead of his sudden termination in November.
Australian Human Rights Commissioner Hugh de Kretser spent $49,069 on flights and National Anti-Corruption Commissioner Paul Brereton spent $38,784.
Wine Australia chief executive Martin Cole spent $48,118 on travel, including $10,000 on accommodation and $2535 on meals.
Services Australia chief executive David Hazlehurst spent $47,074 on domestic and international travel last year.
Opposition finance and public service spokesperson James Paterson said every government minister "must satisfy themselves" that departments and agencies travel expenditure is "strictly necessary and in line with community expectations".
A decision to remove access to business-class travel for "tier-two" public office holders came into effect on September 7.
It came after the Albanese government quietly rejected a recommendation to have all public servants be required to use economy rather than business class on flights of less than three hours.
An updated travel policy is expected to be in place by early 2026.
In May, this masthead revealed travel bookings by public servants surged by 20 per cent during Qantas' double status credits promotions.