Julie Bishop’s $30k flight from Perth to Canberra
October 2015
The then Foreign Minister had an empty government VIP jet fly from Canberra to Perth to pick up her and her partner from a charity dinner at a cost to taxpayers of at least $30,000, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Ms Bishop and David Panton were the only passengers on the taxpayer-funded RAAF Challenger Jet on the overnight flight from Perth to Canberra on October 18.
The deputy Liberal leader had completed her official public commitments a day earlier but stayed on in Perth for a private dinner for WA Telethon donors.
The Daily Telegraph reported that MPs from both sides of politics suggested Ms Bishop should have cancelled her dinner instead of charging taxpayers for the flight.
A 30-year veteran of the mainstream media, Liz was the editor of MWMuntil June 2021. Liz began her career in journalism in 1990 and worked at The Age newspaper for two 10-year stints. She also worked at The Guardian newspaper in London for more than seven years. A former professional tennis player who represented Australia in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Liz has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Letters (Hons).