Premier Steven Miles delivered three birthday cakes to local member Tom Smith during his visit to Bundaberg on Monday. Photo: Steven Miles’ Facebook.
Just weeks out from what is shaping to be a close-fought Queensland state election, Premier Steven Miles has been called out for using the government’s leased business jet for a 12-minute flight.
The flight on Monday afternoon from Hervey Bay to Bundaberg – a distance of 121 km by road or about 74 km as the crow flies – was taken in the Queensland Government’s leased Embraer Phenom 300 jet. According to flight tracking data, the jet departed Hervey Bay at 4:21 pm local time and arrived at Bundaberg just 12 minutes later.
Some commentators have criticised the Premier over the flight, describing it as a waste of taxpayers’ funds and inferring it was an attempt by the Premier to avoid the Bruce Highway which has seen several deadly accidents in recent weeks.
Others have suggested the primary reason for the flight was for the Premier to deliver three birthday cakes to Labor’s Member for Bundaberg, Tom Smith for his 34th birthday.
But Mr Miles and his team which included State Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman stayed overnight in Bundaberg.
The next morning, Mr Miles did a local radio interview, visited the site of the new Bundaberg Hospital with Ms Fentiman, and announced a new security fence for a Bundaberg school.
The eight-seat Phenom 300 aircraft is leased to the Queensland Government on a fulltime basis, so its leasing costs and the salaries of the aircrew are incurred whether or not the aircraft is flying. The only additional costs for the flight would have been fuel, any airways or air traffic control fees enroute, and for landing and fixed base operation fees at Bundaberg.
Sky News Australia host James Macpherson said the reason Mr Miles didn’t drive “is because that road is crap”.
“Because his government has done nothing to improve the Bruce Highway,” he said on Tuesday (3 September). “So, every mug in Queensland has to drive it, but not the Premier.”
But the Premier’s office defended the use of the jet for the Bundaberg trip, saying Mr Miles was visiting regional areas all week.
“These regions have unique opportunities and challenges that the Miles Labor Government is working hard to address, including a shortfall in access to primary healthcare,” a spokeswoman said.
“While in the regions, the Premier met with education leaders, community organisations, healthcare workers and local business owners.”
The controversy comes after Mr Miles was criticised for using the Phenom and another private jet in April and again in June to travel to various state centres including Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay for a number of law enforcement and health-related announcements.
At the time, Deputy Premier Cameron Dick defended the Premier’s use of the jets, saying it was necessary for him to travel around the state as quickly and as efficiently as possible.
“We have a dedicated team that works out the most appropriate aircraft for the number of people that are travelling and the available aircraft available for use,” he said.
“So, we rely on that advice to make decisions about how ministers and other staff, including the Police Commissioner, how they should travel around the state.”
Queenslanders go to the polls on 26 October, with many pollsters saying the election – especially in light of the drubbing Labor received in last week’s Northern Territory elections – is too close to call.
