Taxpayers to Fly Activists to Climate Conference

Taxpayers to Fly Activists to Climate Conference

While Australian families are cutting back on groceries, the Albanese Government has opened a taxpayer-funded grants program to fly climate activists to the COP31 climate conference.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has this week opened a new grant program - the $650,000 'COP31 Climate Conference Travel Support Program'. This Program will use taxpayer money to pay for the travel, and associated expenses, of individuals from 'diverse and underrepresented groups to attend and contribute to Australia’s inclusive climate engagement at COP31’ an estimated grant value of between $15,000 and $20,000 per person.

"Every dollar spent flying hand-picked attendees to a climate conference is a dollar taken from Australian taxpayers in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. If people want to attend COP31, they're free to do so, on their own dime, not yours." Mr Pasin said.

"Australians are already being slugged almost $150 million in spending to support Labor’s part-time Minister, Chris Bowen’s, self-indulgence as Climate of the Parties President of Negotiations at COP31.”

“At such a difficult time, the last thing the Australian people need is their Government spending $650,000 on junkets for activists."

“What they need is a Government that treats their money with respect, not on ideological frolics for friends.”