Government defends $7m climate summit bid spending

The Australian government spent $7.3 million in taxpayer funds on a failed bid to host a climate summit, with 107 bureaucrats making 156 trips to 64 events across 31 countries over eight months. Health Minister Mark Butler defends the expenditure as necessary for strengthening relationships with Pacific neighbours who consider climate change their top security issue. Deputy Opposition Leader Jane Hume criticises the spending as a vanity project, arguing Climate Minister Chris Bowen should focus on domestic energy bill relief instead.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.