The Tasmanian Liberals have released information obtained under Freedom of Information legislation which shows Health Secretary David Roberts claimed for 60 intra-state, interstate and international trips between December 2007 and May this year. The expenses included a $10,069 trip to Mr Robert’s native United Kingdom in August and September last year and a return tour of the UK and the US just a few months later at a total cost of $20,031.
The travel bill also included a swag of domestic travel to attend official meetings including the Council of Australian Governments Working Group, the Australian Health Minister’s Advisory Council and the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.
While most travellers can book flights to interstate destinations for a few hundred dollars, Mr Roberts claimed $1715.20 for a single day meeting in Canberra, $1182.20 for a two-day meeting in Melbourne and $3750, including accommodation, for a four-day trip to Sydney and Canberra.
Closer to home, the Secretary paid a premium $1689 for an overnight stay in Burnie and $1503.20 for a single night’s accommodation in Launceston.
A claim was also made for accommodation/transfer cost of $207.90 to get to Battery Point, just a few hundred metres from his office in Davey St.
Liberal Health spokesman Brett Whiteley questioned how the massive travel bill was consistent with the Department’s efforts to cut costs.
“Can you look Tasmanians in the eye and tell them this expenditure is appropriate?” Mr Whiteley asked.
“What do you say to hospital orderlies who are about to lose their jobs while bureaucrats rack up extraordinary claims at taxpayer expense?”
Health Minister Lara Giddings said she was disgusted at the Liberals’ personal attack on Mr Roberts.
She said the expenses were legitimately incurred by Mr Roberts properly carrying out his job.
Margaretta Pos and Tasmanian Times was first to reveal details of the British bureaucrats’ background and travel:
The curious case of Dr Raj Mattu and Tasmanian Health Department head David Roberts
DHSS staff’s international tour
The curious case of the health contracts
GP’s full-frontal assault on Tasmania’s ‘carrier pigeon’ health system
TT Question Time
The Health burnout
Mercury Thursday:
A $1600 overnight stay in Burnie was part of a travel bill of $110,000 for Tasmania’s top health bureaucrats.
Details obtained under Freedom of Information legislation show Health Secretary David Roberts took 60 intrastate, interstate and international trips between December 2007 and May this year.
Deputy Secretary Alice Burchill claimed $6500 for accommodation in Hobart for the first 16 nights in Hobart after arriving from Britain in January.
The Liberal Opposition attacked the travel bills at a time when the Department of Health is considering cutting jobs to make budget savings.
“What do you say to hospital orderlies who are about to lose their jobs while bureaucrats rack up extraordinary claims at taxpayer expense?” Liberal health spokesman Brett Whiteley said.
“While obviously it is necessary for top bureaucrats to travel to meetings and have their accommodation costs met, it looks like these costs go way beyond what is reasonable.”
Health Minister Lara Giddings labelled the attack on public servants for legitimate expenses as “disgusting”.
She said the state could have missed out on vital health funding if health officials had not attended national meetings.
