Federal Education Department forced to apologise after splurging $290,000 of taxpayers’ money on fine dining and travel
Federal Department of Education officials have apologized to Australian taxpayers after spending thousands of dollars on work trips and gatherings at five-star restaurants.
Department secretary Tony Cook admitted his team had ‘let taxpayers down’ after it emerged education officials had received a $290,000 bill for hospitality and travel last year.
This included a $1,543 dinner bee Mezzaluna restaurant in Sydneya $1,209 bill at Zucchini Restaurant in Canberra and a $3,000 meeting at Mabu Mabu in Melbourne.
Education Minister Tony Cook admitted his team had ‘let taxpayers down’ after it emerged civil servants had received a $290,000 bill for hospitality and travel last year (pictured, Mabu Mabu in Melbourne, where civil servants held a meeting held that cost $3,000
This included a $1,543 dinner at Mezzaluna Restaurant in Sydney, a $1,209 bill at Courgette Restaurant (pictured) in Canberra and a $3,000 meeting at Mabu Mabu in Melbourne
Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson called the department’s use of taxpayer money “appalling.”
“How can you run a department that allows this kind of blatant waste of taxpayer dollars?” asked Senator Henderson.
“Senator, again, I think we’ve failed the taxpayers and when you look at the offerings of those restaurants and the numbers, I think some of those restaurants cost less than $40 per person,” Mr. Cook explained out.
Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson called the department’s use of taxpayer money “appalling.”
According to budget documents, the Ministry of Education spent a total of $172,691 on events and catering in the first six months of last year, and a further $118,404 on accommodation and travel costs.
After media reports emerged in January about the department’s excessive spending, Cook said Education Minister Jason Clare had “personally” engaged him to raise the issue.
He said the department revised its hospitality policy a week later and instituted a maximum limit of $77 per person for diners.
“This is just a complete breakdown of taxpayer dollars,” Senator Henderson exclaimed.
‘You should have meetings in a conference room with a cup of tea and a cookie, don’t you agree?
Mr Cook reiterated that his ministry had “let the taxpayer down” in what they would expect from civil servants.
“It shouldn’t have happened, we shouldn’t have used taxpayers’ money for this kind of expenditure,” he said.