Energy Minister Chris Bowen has come under fire after it was revealed taxpayers could be on the hook for up to $4.2 million to secure luxury accommodation in Fiji for foreign delegates attending a key climate meeting ahead of this year’s COP31 summit.
The spending, revealed by The Australian, has sparked outrage from critics, who argue the money is being spent on five-star resorts while Australians continue to grapple with high energy bills and cost-of-living pressures.
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The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has reserved accommodation and meeting facilities across three luxury resorts in Fiji for a pre-COP meeting scheduled for October.
The contracts have a combined maximum value of $4,217,040, although the government says the final cost to taxpayers will be significantly lower because some countries will reimburse their accommodation costs, and unused rooms can be cancelled for refunds.
The meeting, over which Bowen will preside in his role as co-president of COP, is expected to bring together international climate negotiators ahead of the main summit in Turkey later this year.
The largest contracts are understood to cover accommodation at the Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort and the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa, with a smaller booking also made at the Radisson Blu Resort Fiji.
The government says the three resorts were selected because they are among the only venues capable of hosting an event of that size.
The revelations prompted sharp criticism on Sunrise on Tuesday, with 2GB presenter James Willis questioning why Bowen was focusing on his international climate role while Australians struggled with soaring energy bills.
“When you are the energy minister, and Australians are struggling with their energy bills across the board, I would have thought that was a full-time 38-hour commitment at the very least,” Willis said.
Chris Bowen’s COP31 role has come under renewed scrutiny after he secured accommodation for climate talks in Fiji worth up to $4.2 million. Credit: Sunrise
He said he has assumed accommodation costs would be met by the United Nations or the conference organisers rather than Australian taxpayers.
“I was of the view and of the understanding that this was entirely separate and those costs would be picked up at all times by the UN or whatever the body is. In this case, it looks like Australia is paying to host other delegates in Fiji at the expensive part of Fiji,” Willis said.
“I think it’s outrageous. I think it’s a terrible waste of money, and if it costs Australians a dollar then it should be repaid. It’s ridiculous and I don’t think it’s in the national interest to be occurring.”
Western Sydney Women founding director Amanda Rose agreed, condemning the expenditure and linking it to the broader cost of Australia’s COP31 involvement.
“It actually costs us $150 million for him to have that title, which would pay, I think, rent for over 4000 people a year with that type of money,” she said.
“Right now it’s a bit of a disgrace that we take taxpayer money and just throw it around.”
Rose argued Australia had abandoned plans to host the full COP31 summit in Adelaide, despite the event being expected to inject hundreds of millions of dollars into the host’s local economy, while still committing significant public funds to Bowen’s leadership role.
“We’re paying $150 million for him to be the EA to book accommodation for other people that they might not pay back.”
She questioned why the gathering needed to be held in person at all.
“It’s a mockery of the people who can’t even afford their electricity; they can’t even afford food, and here they are spending millions of dollars to have titles and to show off in front of the world, and we’re getting nothing out of this,” Rose said.
The government has defended the arrangements, saying the $4.2 million figure represents the maximum value of the contracts rather than the final bill.
A Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water spokesperson said accommodation had been booked on a flexible basis, with countries including Turkey expected to cover their own costs, while unused rooms could be cancelled and refunded.
The spokesperson said securing accommodation on behalf of international delegates ahead of major summits was standard practice and had also occurred during previous events, including the G20 and ASEAN-Australia summits.
The department said Australia’s support for the pre-COP meeting formed part of its commitment to Pacific partners and would help strengthen regional resilience and security.
The accommodation contracts are the latest expenses to attract scrutiny over Australia’s COP31 involvement.
Bowen’s COP team spent almost $500,000 on international travel during the first four months of the year, while budget estimates revealed up to $150 million had been allocated towards Australia’s presidency and Pacific engagement associated with the negotiations.
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