The CHOGM-related trip to Australia last March cost the Office of the Prime Minister a total of €142,645, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat divulged today during parliament.
Muscat was replying to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Byron Camilleri, asking for an account of the trip to Australia.
"This trip took place after an invitation to the Maltese Government as chair in office of the Commonwealth from the Prime Minister of Queensland," Muscat said.
Accompanying the prime minister in the OPM delegation for this trip was his wife, three private secretariat members, security officials and the former head of the Malta CHOGM 2015 Task Force, Muscat stated, adding "accompanying my wife and myself there were also our two children."
"As has always happened with similar trips throughout the years under different administrations, the expenses of the delegation members of OPM were paid for by the government," he said. "The expenses of the children were paid for privately."
He said that the €142,645 included five flight tickets per person, accommodation, logistics in relation to meetings, gifts for dignitaries, transport and hospitality. He said that the latter on some occasions, also covered the costs of local media and Australian security official.
Muscat also noted that such a trip to Australia was not the first for a Maltese prime minister. He said that a similar trip in 2007 cost a total of €159,853. He said that parliament "was never given an account of the expenses on this trip."
"Before 2013 there was more than one occasion where the information of a trip by the government was not given in parliament," he said, as it was seen to be 'pointless' or 'unjustified'.