Assistant Treasurer Stuart Robert charged taxpayers $2,300 so he could attend a Hillsong mega church

A minister charged taxpayers more than $2,300 so he could attend a Hillsong mega church conference with his wife, who has since became a pastor at the church.

Assistant Treasurer Stuart Robert was a guest speaker at the Pentecostal church’s Hillsong Conference Nights event in Sydney, in July 2015. 

The Liberal minister delivered a ‘Pillars of Influence Masterclass’ lecture on how ‘innovative individuals’ are ‘influencing their pillar with the message of Jesus’.

The then assistant defence minister claimed the travel entitlements for the event even though it had nothing to do with his portfolio.

The global Hillsong church, which started in Sydney during the early 1980s, has a big following among celebrities including Justin Bieber, his former girlfriend Selena Gomez, model Kendall Jenner, singer Nick Jonas and former Australian rugby league star Justin Hayne.

Assistant Treasurer Stuart Robert (left) charged taxpayers more than $2,300 so he could attend a Hillsong mega church conference with his wife Chantelle (left), who went on to become a Pentecostal pastor

Taxpayers stumped up $2,326 for Mr Robert’s travel and accommodation, including $672 for his wife Chantelle, who has since become a Pentecostal pastor on the Gold Coast, Department of Finance records showed.

Mr Robert claimed the travel as ‘official business’.

Ministers usually meet bureaucrats or stakeholder groups related to their portfolio during such visits. 

In this case, however, he was asked to represent the government at the five-day Hillsong conference.

The minister was a guest speaker at the Pentecostal church’s Hillsong Conference Nights event in June and July 2015 (pictured)

‘The Hillsong conference is the largest of its kind in Australia,’ Mr Robert told Daily Mail Australia.

‘The theme ‘Pillars of Influence Masterclass’ was addressed by speakers from both the government and non-government perspectives.

‘I was invited to speak in my capacity as a minister to represent the “government” perspective.’

On July, 1 2015, Mr Robert delivered a lunchtime lecture during a segment billed as the ‘Pillars of Influence Masterclasses’ on a panel with Mission Australia chief executive Catherine Yeomens.

‘These masterclasses are discussions on how to reach and influence the world through the pillars of society,’ a Hillsong flyer from 2015 said.

On the Wednesday, July 1, he delivered lecture during a segment billed as the ‘Pillars of Influence Masterclasses’

‘Join the conversation on these topics and hear from innovative individuals who are influencing their pillar with the message of Jesus.’ 

How Stuart Robert’s Hillsong speech cost you $2,326

Canberra to Sydney flight for minister – $158.34 on June 30, 2015

Same flight for his wife Chantelle – $158.34

Sydney travel allowance accommodation on June 30, July 1 – $870

Commonwealth car  transport Sydney, June 30 – $480.90

Driver in Sydney July 1, 2015 – $145.50

Flight for his wife from Sydney to the Gold Coast – $513.56

TOTAL: $2,326

Source: Department of Finance  

The minister claimed travel allowance on June 30 and July 1 2015, with his accommodation adding up to $870, describing this as ‘official business’.

He flew into Sydney from Canberra on June 30 with his wife Chantelle, who is now a Pentecostal pastor at the Metro Church on the Gold Coast, with their airfares costing the public purse $317.

Chantelle Robert returned to the Gold Coast on July 2, at a cost of $514 under a system where the wives of federal MPs are allowed to accompany them on three official duties a year.

Mr Robert’s wife had accompanied him to the U.S. Embassy in Canberra on June 30, 2015 and the Hillsong conference in Sydney on the following day.

Taxpayers also $481 paid for Mr Robert to be transferred from Sydney airport by Commonwealth car.

The family travel ‘Comcar’ use reflected his wife’s return travel home from Sydney.

The minister then flew back to Canberra for further events.

Stuart Robert confirmed to Daily Mail Australia he had claimed ‘official business’ duties to attend the Hillsong conference (pictured) on behalf of the government

These included ones at the Israeli Embassy and the Australian National University’s National Security College where Mr Robert delivered a speech on the government’s national security priorities.

Mr Robert was sacked as a minister in 2016 before being reinstated last year after he lobbied fellow Liberal MPs to back Scott Morrison, who is also a Pentescostal, instead of Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to replace Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister.

After promoting him, Mr Turnbull sacked him as veteran affairs and human services minister in February 2016.

This was after it was revealed he had a financial interest in Nimrod Resources, a company he had promoted for a friend and major Liberal Party donor while travelling with him on a ‘private’ trip to China in August 2014.

Last year, Mr Robert was caught charging taxpayers $2,832 a month to connect to the internet his luxury, four-bedroom home with a pool on the Gold Coast.

That is 31 times the cost of a fast, National Broadband Network connection available in his home suburb of Nerang for $90 a month.

In May 2018, he also called for the billionaire owners of super yachts to be given a GST exemption. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk