Media Insider: Australian public agencies face media heat over A$80,000 taxpayer spending on Jacinda Ardern
Australian public agencies are facing criticism for spending approximately A$80,000 on tickets for leadership summits featuring former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Critics argue the expenditure is excessive given current government directives to reduce costs.
Why it matters
The story highlights public scrutiny over government spending and the optics of high-cost professional development events during periods of fiscal restraint.
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Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern now lives in Sydney. Photo / Mark Mitchell, Supplied
Several top Australian public agencies are in the media spotlight for spending about $A80,000 ($96,000) on an upcoming women’s leadership summit headlined by Dame Jacinda Ardern .
On its front page today and under the headline ‘Ardern unlimited: taxpayers’ $80k hit’, The Australian reported that five public agencies had paid between A$10,000 and A$28,000 each for tickets for the series of leadership summits in August.
Ardern, who now lives in Sydney, is the headline act for the Women Unlimited Leadership Summit: she will be appearing in person at summits in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra and via video livestream in Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane.
Her speaking fee was not reported, but The Australian compared ticket prices with Taylor Swift concert prices.
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