Bureaucrats within Chris Bowen’s dedicated COP31 unit have been given the greenlight to spend almost half a million dollars of taxpayer money on overseas business class travel.

According to documents obtained by the Opposition under Freedom of Information laws, scores of senior officials from within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water have been approved to spend more than $485,000 on several trips to countries including Türkiye, Fiji, Germany and Korea in the first quarter of 2026.

Under questioning from the Opposition in Senate Estimates, it was revealed that the expansive itinerary has included a trip to the resort island of Denarau in Fiji, where officials visited the five-star Sheraton Hotel, likely to be the venue hosting the so-called pre-COP climate conference. All bureaucrats have been allowed to travel in business class.

The documents also reveal that within Minister Bowen’s Department, more than 100 bureaucrats have been pulled into the ‘International Climate Negotiations’ line area, which includes the Office of the Presidency.

Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Dan Tehan said the Albanese Labor Government was hiking taxes for Australians while allowing bureaucrats to fly around the world.

“No business class lounge is safe from Chris Bowen’s roving squad of climate conference bureaucrats,” Mr Tehan said.

“It’s extraordinary that during a cost of living crisis, Chris Bowen has allowed his own bureaucrats to rack up huge travel bill at taxpayers expense.

“These public servants are travelling across the globe to advance Chris Bowen’s pet project, his presidency of an international climate conference, while Australians are being hit by Labor’s higher taxes and soaring energy bills.”

ENDS

Media contact: Phil Connole M | 0417 063 605