EXCLUSIVEPeter Dutton's staggering taxpayer bill for three private jet flights on a single trip where he blasted the 'cost of living' ... and YOU paid for it all
- Peter Dutton took three private flights for $63,000
- Flights were available on commercial carriers for about $500
- READ MORE: Peter Dutton took $23k private jet to Tamworth
EXCLUSIVE
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton billed taxpayers $63,015 for three private jet flights during a two-day cost of living trip to regional towns 'doing it tough', Daily Mail Australia can reveal.
Documents published by the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA) this week revealed Mr Dutton billed taxpayers $21,005 on September 25 for a flight from Brisbane to Moree, in northern NSW.
The Liberal leader then charged taxpayers the same amount twice more as he flew on from Moree to Dubbo and Dubbo to Newcastle on September 26.
Taking the same regional trip, via a commercial carrier such as Regional Express or QantasLink, would cost roughly about $460 per flight.
During one photo opportunity in Moree with Mark Coulton, the member for Parkes, Mr Dutton described how the regions were 'doing it tough through Labor's cost of living crisis' and blasted the Albanese government's agricultural policies.
'In a cost-of-living crisis, taking water out of agricultural production will only further increase the grocery bills of Australian families.'
The revelation comes just weeks after Mr Dutton was called out for claiming $23,000 in travel expenses after booking a private jet from Canberra to Tamworth to speak at a News Corp event - and again, to criticise the cost of living crisis under Labor.
Peter Dutton is pictured with Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price in Dubbo in September - after catching two of his three private jet flights
Mr Dutton is pictured with locals in Moree in September, after spending $21,005 on a private jet flight
In Dubbo, Mr Dutton met with Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price - then the face of the No campaign to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament - and Nationals leader David Littleproud.
Later that day, he flew from Dubbo to Newcastle and spent two days speaking with locals before he caught a commercial flight back to Brisbane for $362 on September 27.
During the same quarter, Mr Dutton charged taxpayers $32,740 for a five-day trip to New Delhi for the India Australia Strategic Alliance summit - on the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He dined with billionaire steel magnate Naveen Jindal and wore traditional clothes on visits to temples and while cooking naan with locals.
Other expenses included $36,977 for scheduled transport between major cities, $10,389 in travel allowance for 28 nights, $3848 for car-related expenses, and an eye-watering $116,911 on printing and communication.
Travel expenses for 34 of his employees cost taxpayers $448,999.
During the same quarter, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese - slammed by critics with the nickname 'Airbus Albo' - spent $298,899 on international flights to Fiji, Thailand, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, UK, Japan, Qatar, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and the USA, among others.
Peter Dutton is pictured with Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Nationals leader David Littleproud during his $63,000 trip in September
Daily Mail Australia understands Mr Dutton’s office could not find any commercial flights available for the time of his trip. He is entitled to charter flights as Opposition Leader.
He went to the regional areas to meet with small business owners and indigenous groups regarding the Voice referendum, which failed in October.
Labor MP Julian Hill said: 'Peter Dutton’s hypocrisy is unbelievable.
'He’s the first to jump on the TV and criticise the Prime Minister’s official travel. Yet when he’s not on TV he’s the first to jump on a private jet for media stunt FIFO visits.'
A recent Newspoll shows Liberal-National Coalition has overtaken Labor in NSW, where their primary vote lifted two points to 40 per cent for the first time.
Labor has moved forward one point to 33 per cent, which means the government could lose two seats in the state at the next election.
The Coalition has also increased its lead in Queensland and is gaining on Labor in Victoria and South Australia, where Labor still remains in front.
