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Senator Colbeck spends on forestry promotions

Senator Richard Colbeck

Senator Richard Colbeck

Financial records of MPs for the six-month period between January and June this year show Senator Colbeck racked up about $157,000 in total travel allowances, the most of any Tasmanian federal politician. Source: The Examiner

Almost $90,000 was on international travel.

Department of Finance documents show Senator Colbeck visited Japan and China in April to “undertake a forest and forest industry market development mission” for seven days at a cost of $38,024.

Senator Colbeck, who was at the time the forestry parliamentary secretary, took Australian Forest Products Association chief executive Ross Hampton with him on the trip.

Mr Hampton said the trip had been a “longstanding request” of the industry.

“Our industry counterparts, especially in China, find these meetings extremely reassuring and I am sure this was a good part of the reason we had such productive lines of dialogue,” Mr Hampton said.

“Senator Colbeck also auspiced very important dinners in Japan and China which, whilst costly, brought together very senior industry leaders who are responsible for very large imports of Australian timber and fibre product,” he said.

Only $2000 of the cost was attributed to accommodation and meals, with $32,500 listed as “fares”. Senator Colbeck also visited India for Australia Business Week at a cost of $18,437.

Senate President Stephen Parry was the next big travel spender, with a total bill of about $153,000, with more than $100,000 on international travel.

Senator Parry visited Germany and the United Kingdom on official business for 10 days to the tune of $43,400.

He also enjoyed a trip to Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia in March and April for a total of $55,000.

The only other Tasmanian MP to claim travel during the billing period was former Australian Greens leader Christine Milne, who visited Peru for “official business” in December last year at a cost of $17,550.

Braddon Liberal MHR Brett Whiteley spent the most on office printing and consumables, claiming $71,000, including almost $6000 on personalised letterheads.

Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson took a $5500 charter flight from Latrobe to Waratah to examine 4WD tracks in the Arthur-Pieman area and any damage that was being caused to Aboriginal cultural sites.