Australia’s First Nations People’s Ambassador has racked up a travel bill of almost $250,000 in the two years since he was elected to the role.
Justin Mohamed, the world’s only First Nations People ambassador, spent an average of $12,800 per month in the opening half of this financial year.
His spending was detailed in documents from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) obtained under freedom of information laws.
Last financial year alone, the total amount approved for trips led by Mr Mohamed was more than $350,000.
He travelled to New York, Hawaii, San Francisco, Dubai, Paris, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. A two-week trip to Kansas City and Washington DC cost taxpayers $75,022 alone.
Mr Mohamed’s $759,000 two-year contract is due to expire in April.
His job was originally to ‘engage regional partners on the Voice, Treaty, Truth process’, but that part of the position became irrelevant when Australia voted No to the Voice referendum in October.
His position has since expanded to assist in curbing China‘s growing power in the Pacific by building relationships with countries in the region.
The ambassador is also responsible for providing ‘strategic guidance on the development and implementation of a First Nations approach to foreign policy.’
Opposition Indigenous Australians spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price previously told Daily Mail Australia there was a stark contrast between Mr Mohamed’s travel budget and the experiences of everyday Indigenous people.
‘There is a seismic gap between the kinds of money being spent on travel by the First Nations Ambassador and the lives of our most marginalised Australians,’ she said.
‘If these taxpayer funded trips are truly warranted, then Anthony Albanese needs to be clear about the outcomes being achieved and how the lives of our marginalised are being improved.
‘As a result of questioning the government in the course of Estimates earlier this year, I continue to have doubts as to the practical benefit made by the Ambassador to the lives of Indigenous Australians.’
Warren Mundine, the former National President of the Australian Labor Party, told Daily Mail Australia the function of Mr Mohamed’s role was unclear and called for more ‘practical’ roles to help local Indigenous businesses.
‘I’m a bit confused about what the position is, what does it do?’ he said.
‘Originally he was supposed to be going around about the Voice, but that would have sent a clear message that the Australian people don’t need such a position.
‘We need practical things happening in Australia, and to deal with business development that could help Indigenous businesses get support to go international, not someone who travels around going to meetings.’
Peter Dutton has pledged to axe the role if his party wins the upcoming election.
He said in September that Australians ‘haven’t got enough money in their own budget, but they’ve got the prime minister flying this guy around the world business class doing I don’t know what’.
Mr Dutton further claimed ‘nobody could point to what was achieved’.
‘If it is the case that we win the next election, that position will be abolished on day one, and that money will be spent to help Australians who are struggling at the moment to keep a roof over their head, or to pay their electricity bill,’ he said.
‘It’ll be a very different way of governing if we win the next election. But at the moment, the waste, I think, is just frustrating and annoying people.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted DFAT and Mr Mohamed for comment.
