The Labor party has called on the state to justify a government minister spending taxpayer funds on a trip to watch his football team Richmond play in the 2019 AFL grand final.
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A right to information document revealed Government Minister Guy Barnett spent $1155.29 on flights and $396.82 on accommodation and meals to travel to Melbourne for two days to host an AFL function on behalf of the government on the weekend of the grand final.
In 2018, the then-Minister for Sport Jacquie Petrusma hosted the event, flying over and back on the same day spending only $375.27 on flights.
Labor leader Rebecca White said she was sure most Tasmanians would be appalled to learn Guy Barnett spent more than $1550 of taxpayers money on flights, accommodation and meals so he could watch his footy team play in the grand final.
"While Guy Barnett cheered on Richmond, presumably in the VIP area, at the expense of taxpayers, he spared little thought for those Tasmanians struggling as a result of the government's savage $450 million budget cuts," Ms White said.
"Will Hodgman needs to explain to Tasmanians how he can justify this absurd expense when his government is shredding frontline jobs and services and is failing to appropriately fund the health system and address the chronic shortage of affordable housing.
"Guy Barnett must come clean and reveal whether he has charged taxpayers to attend other football matches in the past as we suspect this isn't an isolated incident."
A government spokesperson said Mr Barnett was chosen to attend the event because the Minister for Sport Jeremy Rockliff and Premier Will Hodgman were unable to attend.
"As part of the Hawthorn Football Club deal to play games in Tasmania, the state government hosts a table at the AFL grand final each year," the spokesperson said.
"The former Labor/Green government attended grand finals as part of previous agreements with the Hawthorn Football Club.
"The Tassie Hawks deal has been a major economic and social benefit for our state, contributing $28.5 million to the Tasmania economy during the 2017 footy season, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers report.
"The economic impact amounts to a return on investment of about $7.50 for every $1 put into the deal."
The spokesperson said this event was the first time Mr Barnett had attended an AFL event at a cost to taxpayers.
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Emily Jarvie
Emily Jarvie is a political journalist at The Advocate and The Examiner newspapers based in Hobart, Tasmania. Contact: emily.jarvie@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Emily Jarvie is a political journalist at The Advocate and The Examiner newspapers based in Hobart, Tasmania. Contact: emily.jarvie@austcommunitymedia.com.au
