Tasmania's Office of the Coordinator-General (OCG) has run up a $289,000 travel bill over the past three financial years including a string of five-star international hotels, right to information documents have revealed.
Itemised international travel expenses requested by the ABC show Coordinator-General John Perry spent 57 nights overseas on work trips from July 2021 to June 2024, with an average nightly rate of AUD$464, with another employee joining him on 41 of those nights.
John Perry. (Supplied: LinkedIn)
Among the most expensive of these was a six-night stay at London's five-star St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in September 2023 by Mr Perry and a senior staff member participating in a Trade and Investment mission with a room rate of £442 (AUD$839).
Later in the same trip, the pair returned to the hotel — which spruiks its "historic charm with modern comfort" — for two more nights, with a rate of £427 (AUD$810).
The Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is also on the list. (Supplied: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi)
On a trade mission in October 2022, Mr Perry and another employee stayed one night at the five-star Sofitel Metropole Hanoi in Vietnam, for 12,957,586 Vietnamese Dong per room (AUD$837) and in April this year, two people stayed two nights at the four star Washington Marriot General, with a room rate of US$557 (AUD$868).
The Coordinator-General was paid $446,000 in 2022-2023, according to State Growth's Annual Report.
The gardens of the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. (Supplied: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi)
Over $100 million in investment from 'international engagements', OCG says
A spokesperson for the Coordinator-General's office said many of the hotels were selected by the organisers of the Tasmanian Trade and Investment Missions, and "include access to additional hotel facilities business events and meetings".
They also said the hotels were "based on market comparison at the time and where other inclusions like breakfast, access to meeting rooms, transport, apply as well as proximity to the work being done so as to keep overall costs (including travel, etc) down".
Asked what benefits for the state of Tasmania arose from these overseas trips, the spokesperson said "at least $116 million in investment has originated following direct engagement from the OCG's international engagements and as part of the Tasmanian Trade and Investment Mission".
Guest facilities at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London. (Supplied: St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London)
The Tasmanian State Servants International Travel Policy outlines the approved classes of travel.
Heads of agencies can travel in business class; ministers can travel in economy, or business class "when it is justifiable", with accompanying employees to match their class.
All other employees are to travel economy but can seek approval from business class "in circumstances where an adequate break cannot be taken between travel and official business commencing".
The records do not indicate what class Mr Perry and his staff flew.
The policy does not provide guidance on expected costs, or star ratings for hotels.
A spokesperson for the Department of Premier and Cabinet said "travel undertaken on behalf of a government agency is to be appropriate, safe and affordable".
The exterior of the Conrad Singapore Hotel (centre left). (Supplied: Conrad Singapore Hotel)
Coordinator-General role 'hasn't delivered', Labor says
In budget Estimates last week, Greens MP Tabatha Badger said the office's travel expenses were "extraordinary".
Tasmanian Labor Leader Dean Winter said the state government "should be managing spending on travel carefully".
A government spokesperson said the OCG "attracts millions of dollars of investment for Tasmania, driving economic growth and job creation".
"Many of the hotels listed hosted the conference the mission attended, and included access to additional hotel facilities, business events and networking opportunities," they said.
It isn't the first time the role's effectiveness has been questioned.
The exterior of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London. (Supplied: St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London)
In 2016, former-Labor Leader Bryan Green called for the position to be abolished completely.
While Mr Winter made clear in his budget reply speech last week that Labor's calls to abolish the role were "long gone", he said the Office of the Coordinator-General "clearly hasn't delivered on its mandate" — and said it needed more powers to pursue its goals.
"Nothing is getting done under this minority government and there's $25 billion of stalled projects across Tasmania," he said, because "it is simply too hard to deal with this minority Liberal government".
"Clearly the Coordinator-General hasn't delivered what the Liberals promised 10 years ago."
Instead, during his budget reply, Mr Winter said the role needed "teeth".
These include giving the OCG powers to declare an investment to be a priority project, coordinate environmental assessments, undertake zoning changes and direct government businesses to provide support.
Guest facilities at the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel. (Supplied: Marriot/Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel)