Taxpayers cough up $129,000 for ex-finance minister to travel 20,000km around the world in a private jet as he campaigns to lead the OECD
- Former finance minister Mathias Cormann has been flying around the world in a taxpayer-funded private jet
- Ex-senator is visiting other countries as he campaigns to become the secretary-general of the OECD in June
- The 50-year-old has been given RAAF Dassault 7X for his campaign and has already clocked up 21,360km
- The plane costs $4,300 to fly for an hour, meaning 30-hour trip has cost taxpayers at least $129,000 so far
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Former finance minister Mathias Cormann has been flying around the world in a taxpayer-funded private jet to convince global leaders he should be the boss of the OECD.
The 50-year-old former senator for Western Australia left the country on 7 November and has visited 11 cities including Muscat, Berlin and Madrid, according to the ABC.
Mr Cormann, who wants to become secretary-general of the organisation in June, has been given RAAF jet Dassault Falcon 7X for his campaign and has already clocked up 21,360km.
Former finance minister Mathias Cormann has been flying around the world in a taxpayer-funded private jet to convince global leaders he should be the boss of the OECD. Pictured is his route which included a fuel stop in Malé in the Maldives
Mr Cormann, who was brought up in the German-speaking Belgian town of Eupen and also speaks French, enjoyed a barbeque (pictured) with Australia’s Ambassador to Germany in Berlin on 12 November
The plane, which carries three crew and up to 14 passengers, costs around $4,300 per hour to fly, according to defence records of previous flights.
Based on that figure, Mr Cormann’s approximately 30 hours of flight time have cost the taxpayer a total of $129,000 so far.
During his campaign, Mr Cormann – who was brought up in the German-speaking Belgian town of Eupen and also speaks French – enjoyed a barbeque with Australia’s ambassador to Germany in Berlin on 12 November.
Ambassador Philip Green tweeted a picture of Mr Cormann flipping sausages with the caption: ‘A bit of downtime over the weekend amid Mathias Cormann’s busy visit to Berlin.
‘Time for a BBQ, including Thuringia sausages. Mr Cormann at the tongs, straddling Australian and German culture.’
The OECD, founded in 1961, is an organisation of 37 wealthy member nations to advance free trade and economic progress.
Mexican diplomat Ángel Gurría has served as general-secretary since 2006 and will be replaced in June.
Mr Cormann’s leading competitors are US businessman Christopher Liddell, who is Donald Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Estonia President Kersti Kaljulaid and OECD deputy secretary-general Ulrik Knudsen, from Denmark.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.
Mr Cormann, who wants to become secretary-general of the OECD in June, has been given the RAAF Dassault 7X (pictured) for his campaign and has already clocked up 21,360km