FORMER Prime Minister Kevin ‘747’ Rudd lived up to his nickname in his final weeks in office, splurging $500,000 on taxpayer-funded VIP plane flights in just five weeks. 
 
New documents tabled in Parliament reveal after Mr Rudd was reinstalled by the ALP caucus in June, 2013, his VIP travel bill was running at $100,000 a week. That was the average weekly cost of his VIP flights until he called the federal election on August 4.

By comparison, Prime Minister Tony Abbott spent $543,939 on VIP flights over his first three months in office. The VIP planes are operated by the Royal Australian Air Force to transport the Prime Minister, senior ministers, the Governor-General and members of the royal family when they are in Australia.

According to documents tabled in Parliament, the extraordinary catalogue of Mr Rudd’s trips included spending $287,760 in 24 hours to visit the troops in Afghanistan with his wife Therese Rein on July 26.

The flight took the first couple, their staff and travelling journalists from Canberra to Perth, Perth to Al Minhad and Al Minhad to Abu Dhabi before being flown into Afghanistan by the Defence Force. The media are asked to pay the Defence Department a fee for travelling on the VIP plane.

The Rudd party then returned to Sydney. In Bruce Hawker’s campaign diary of days as a Rudd strategist, The Rudd Rebellion, he wrote of the Afghanistan trip: “The plane is big and comfortable — the crew laid our mattresses on the seats and we were able to lie down and sleep for several hours.”

However, Mr Hawker noted the connecting C-130 flight to Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan was “not built for comfort.’’ Mr Abbott also visited the troops in one of his first overseas trips as Prime Minister. His own VIP travel via Sydney, Singapore and Abu Dhabi cost $102,630.

Mr Rudd famously once lost his temper on a VIP flight over a hot meal during his first term as PM. He reportedly left a flight attendant in tears after his “special dinner” of light fish or a chicken meal was not available.

Mr Rudd’s VIP adventures in his final weeks as PM also included spending $51,810 on a two-day trip to Indonesia to try to find a solution to Labor’s “boats problem’’.

The figure is for the VIP flight costs alone and do not include hotel accommodation. His trip to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, cost $20,790. A return trip from Canberra to Brisbane and back again on July 11 cost $9900.

The hectic pace of his plane travel is a frequent backdrop to Mr Hawker’s diary.

“Having visited three states and five cities in one day, I’m starting to feel like I’m part of one of those old Peter Stuyvesant cigarette ads — touch down New York, London, Stockholm, (Devonport?),’’ he writes. According to the VIP records, the July 24 trip he mentions cost $34,320 for a day of flights for Mr Rudd and staff.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/kevin-747-rudd-blew-100000aweek-on-vip-plane-travel/story-fni0cx12-1227002509209

Rudd was easily the most wasteful, pompous, self-obsessed and extravagant PM we've ever had, bar none. No one even comes close to Rudd - he gets first, second and third places for waste.

I've said before and will again.

The cost of T&E on public servants in Australia is utterly disgusting and would never pass any multinational corp policy I have ever worked in.

Hasn't Tony gone the full hog on new luxury Jets ? No not the those dud grounded F35s, no not the BMW com cars , new luxury jets, more befitting a PM of his "high calibre".

Something about bribing the media with luxury plane seats to try and write nice things about him, I mean to take the media entourage with him, or something along those lines....... Planes must not be ready as yet :)

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jul 26^th, 2014 at 11:27pm:

I've said before and will again. The cost of T&E on public servants in Australia is utterly disgusting and would never pass any multinational corp policy I have ever worked in.

We haven’t seen you spruiking the benefits of first class travel for a while, son.

Company on a cost-cutting drive, eh?

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jul 26^th, 2014 at 11:24pm:

[highlight][highlight][highlight][highlight][highlight]Rudd was easily the most wasteful[/highlight][/highlight][/highlight][/[/highlight]highlight], pompous, self-obsessed and extravagant PM we've ever had, bar none. No one even comes close to Rudd - he gets first, second and third places for waste.

The International Monetary Fund examined 200 years of government financial records across 55 leading economies.

It identifies only two periods of Australian "fiscal profligacy" in recent years, both during John Howard's term in office - in 2003 at the start of the mining boom and during his final years in office between 2005 and 2007.


Wrong again it seems, never let the facts get in the way of a good yarn though :D

Yeah - always plenty more where that came from for politicians - whatever their stamp.

As before - these people are  wonderful - they run the show like a day at the races - they placed huge bets with our money and even if their pick loses, they win anyway.

Good work if you can get it.  You never see one leaving politics broke from investing badly in Australia's future, do you?  No care and no responsibility is the mantra - as long as it's Other People's Money.

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jul 26^th, 2014 at 11:27pm:

I've said before and will again. The cost of T&E on public servants in Australia is utterly disgusting and would never pass any multinational corp policy I have ever worked in.

I think its ok for the PM...we are not a poor country..ok some might take liberties I would like to see Bob Carrs travel costs..he also took wifie along to everything...which would have cost us a fortune...not only in travel but in the carry on the wives get from the Embassies..they behave like spoilt brats... some of them actually think they are as important as their husbands

Its time wrote on Jul 27^th, 2014 at 12:43am:

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jul 26th, 2014 at 11:24pm: [highlight][highlight][highlight][highlight][highlight]Rudd was easily the most wasteful[/highlight][/highlight][/highlight][/[/highlight]highlight], pompous, self-obsessed and extravagant PM we've ever had, bar none. No one even comes close to Rudd - he gets first, second and third places for waste. The International Monetary Fund examined 200 years of government financial records across 55 leading economies. It identifies only two periods of Australian "fiscal profligacy" in recent years, both during John Howard's term in office - in 2003 at the start of the mining boom and during his final years in office between 2005 and 2007. Wrong again it seems, never let the facts get in the way of a good yarn though :D

Yeah, the difference is - and this is very important, so read v... e... r... y... slowly - Howard spent money he actually had. He didn't borrow money! Rudd spent money he didn't have - even the $900 handout cheques to dead people were with borrowed money!!!

Its time wrote on Jul 27^th, 2014 at 12:36am:

Hasn't Tony gone the full hog on new luxury Jets ? No not the those dud grounded F35s, no not the BMW com cars , new luxury jets, more befitting a PM of his "high calibre". Something about bribing the media with luxury plane seats to try and write nice things about him, I mean to take the media entourage with him, or something along those lines....... Planes must not be ready as yet :)

No... no decision has been made yet on replacing the ageing fleet of RAAF VIP 737's, nor has any money changed hands.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jul 27^th, 2014 at 7:18am:

Yeah, the difference is - and this is very important, so read v... e... r... y... slowly - Howard spent money he actually had.

no he didn't ... he spent our money, you dill.

The Coalition sent an empty VIP jet to Perth to collect Liberal MP's, their staff and families for the opening of Parliament in Canberra when commercial flights where available and far cheaper.....You people condemning the PM for the cost of travel during an election campaign must be outraged by this revelation???

:-? :-? :-?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-20/is-it-cheaper-for-mps-to-fly-vip-jets/5086058

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jul 27^th, 2014 at 7:18am:

Its time wrote on Jul 27th, 2014 at 12:43am: Armchair_Politician wrote on Jul 26th, 2014 at 11:24pm: [highlight][highlight][highlight][highlight][highlight]Rudd was easily the most wasteful[/highlight][/highlight][/highlight][/[/highlight]highlight], pompous, self-obsessed and extravagant PM we've ever had, bar none. No one even comes close to Rudd - he gets first, second and third places for waste. The International Monetary Fund examined 200 years of government financial records across 55 leading economies. It identifies only two periods of Australian "fiscal profligacy" in recent years, both during John Howard's term in office - in 2003 at the start of the mining boom and during his final years in office between 2005 and 2007. Wrong again it seems, never let the facts get in the way of a good yarn though :D Yeah, the difference is - and this is very important, so read v... e... r... y... slowly - Howard spent money he actually had. He didn't borrow money! Rudd spent money he didn't have - even the $900 handout cheques to dead people were with borrowed money!!!

Rudd couldn't sell the little gold and assets we had left after the LNP fire sale.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jul 26^th, 2014 at 11:23pm:

FORMER Prime Minister Kevin ‘747’ Rudd lived up to his nickname in his final weeks in office, splurging $500,000 on taxpayer-funded VIP plane flights in just five weeks. ...

>:(

And this from a bloke whose wife made the 2012 BRW rich list with a personal fortune of $210 million.

Maybe it's the style in which he's become accustomed to being treated - the tantrums, the abuse of staff, the smirk?

Talk about spending Tax payer's money in the time of Budget emergency for Australia, there is an article this morning on the age.

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/politicians-age-of-entitlement-20140726-3cma8.html

Oh I love the last part:


Quote:

Senator Brandis was outdone by Queensland Liberal National MP Bert van Manen, who claimed $5220 in publications entitlements last year - mostly on children's, craft, sporting and cooking books. Mr van Manen's purchases included 101 Great Rugby League Players, The Encyclopaedia of Woodworking Techniques, The Complete Book of Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit and children's books such as Lola the Lollipop Fairy, Edwina the Emu and 38 copies of Incy Wincy Spider. A spokeswoman for Mr van Manen said: ''The books in question are entirely within the publications entitlements.'' Under broad guidelines, politicians are allowed to bill the taxpayer for publications related to ''parliamentary, electorate or official business''.

I mean, come on.  Since Mr Van Manen is looking at income of $250k + per year, surely he can afford his own children's books right? 

And this is the very thing that gets the Australian public angry.   

tickleandrose wrote on Jul 27^th, 2014 at 10:47am:

Talk about spending Tax payer's money in the time of Budget emergency for Australia, there is an article this morning on the age. http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/politicians-age-of-entitlement-20140726-3cma8.html Oh I love the last part: Quote: Senator Brandis was outdone by Queensland Liberal National MP Bert van Manen, who claimed $5220 in publications entitlements last year - mostly on children's, craft, sporting and cooking books. Mr van Manen's purchases included 101 Great Rugby League Players, The Encyclopaedia of Woodworking Techniques, The Complete Book of Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit and children's books such as Lola the Lollipop Fairy, Edwina the Emu and 38 copies of Incy Wincy Spider. A spokeswoman for Mr van Manen said: ''The books in question are entirely within the publications entitlements.'' Under broad guidelines, politicians are allowed to bill the taxpayer for publications related to ''parliamentary, electorate or official business''. I mean, come on.  Since Mr Van Manen is looking at income of $250k + per year, surely he can afford his own children's books right?  And this is the very thing that gets the Australian public angry.

how are childrens books 'parliamentary business'?  Or for that matter gardening and woodworking .. unless he wants a job maintaining parliaments gardens.  :D :D

Quote:

how are childrens books 'parliamentary business'?  Or for that matter gardening and woodworking .. unless he wants a job maintaining parliaments gardens.

My thoughts exactly.  Okay, may be the 38 copies of Incy Wincy Spider is gift for children when he is on an official visit.  But even then, if he compelled to give these as gifts or donation, surely, it should be out of his salary +/- tax deduction than getting the tax payer to fund his philanthropy.

tickleandrose wrote on Jul 27^th, 2014 at 11:26am:

Quote: how are childrens books 'parliamentary business'?  Or for that matter gardening and woodworking .. unless he wants a job maintaining parliaments gardens. My thoughts exactly.  Okay, may be the 38 copies of Incy Wincy Spider is gift for children when he is on an official visit.  But even then, if he compelled to give these as gifts or donation, surely, it should be out of his salary +/- tax deduction than getting the tax payer to fund his philanthropy.

shouldn't it come out o four foreign aid budget?  ;D ;D ;D

Lionel Edriess wrote on Jul 27^th, 2014 at 10:34am:

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jul 26th, 2014 at 11:23pm: FORMER Prime Minister Kevin ‘747’ Rudd lived up to his nickname in his final weeks in office, splurging $500,000 on taxpayer-funded VIP plane flights in just five weeks. ... >:( And this from a bloke whose wife made the 2012 BRW rich list with a personal fortune of $210 million. Maybe it's the style in which he's become accustomed to being treated - the tantrums, the abuse of staff, the smirk?

Malcolm Turnbull is a millionaire in his own right yet I doubt he pays for any travel expenses whilst he destroys the NBN......I fail to see what point you are trying to make???

:-? :-? :-?

tickleandrose wrote on Jul 27^th, 2014 at 11:26am:

tax payer to fund his philanthropy

Paying tax is forced philanthropy anyway....

John Smith wrote on Jul 27^th, 2014 at 11:36am:

tickleandrose wrote on Jul 27th, 2014 at 11:26am: Quote: how are childrens books 'parliamentary business'?  Or for that matter gardening and woodworking .. unless he wants a job maintaining parliaments gardens. My thoughts exactly.  Okay, may be the 38 copies of Incy Wincy Spider is gift for children when he is on an official visit.  But even then, if he compelled to give these as gifts or donation, surely, it should be out of his salary +/- tax deduction than getting the tax payer to fund his philanthropy. shouldn't it come out of our foreign aid budget?  ;D ;D ;D

C'mon John.....The foreign aid budget would not have enough money left to pay for incy wincy spider books.....This Government is not interested in helping anyone who will not vote for their them!!!

::) ::) ::)

Enquiring mind wrote on Jul 27^th, 2014 at 12:38am:

Company on a cost-cutting drive, eh?

We are actually. We had a soft Q2 and I'm one of those leading the cost efficiency drives in the non-Domestic markets.

First class travel? Spouse travel?
Business class travel for less than six hours and below Director Grade?

All absolute no no's.

Still disgusts me politicians fly business class domestically on tax payer money.

philperth2010 wrote on Jul 27^th, 2014 at 11:45am:

John Smith wrote on Jul 27th, 2014 at 11:36am: tickleandrose wrote on Jul 27th, 2014 at 11:26am: Quote: how are childrens books 'parliamentary business'?  Or for that matter gardening and woodworking .. unless he wants a job maintaining parliaments gardens. My thoughts exactly.  Okay, may be the 38 copies of Incy Wincy Spider is gift for children when he is on an official visit.  But even then, if he compelled to give these as gifts or donation, surely, it should be out of his salary +/- tax deduction than getting the tax payer to fund his philanthropy. shouldn't it come out of our foreign aid budget?  ;D ;D ;D C'mon John.....The foreign aid budget would not have enough money left to pay for incy wincy spider books.....This Government is not interested in helping anyone who will not vote for their them!!! ::) ::) ::)

you mean we still have a Foreign aid budget  :o ....I'm surprised