A Sunshine Coast councillor who tried to bill ratepayers $21,000 for business class flights to attend an overseas conference says he wants to "move on" from the saga.

Sunshine Coast Council deputy mayor Rick Baberowski hoped to attend a six-day public transport study tour in the Netherlands in June. 

He said he could not fly in economy because he would suffer jet lag and be unable to function at full capacity during the tour. 

"Like a good many, I don't sleep sitting up … I expect to crash out when I arrive," he said. 

"But this isn't a holiday, it's a business trip where full capacity matters to extracting the full value of this very targeted study tour." 

Cr Baberowski's council responsibilities include the transport portfolio and he said the program would help him gain insights from "world leaders" in active transport.   

The council's policy allows for economy class travel, but Cr Baberowski requested business class because a budget meeting three days before the study tour meant he couldn't arrive in the Netherlands with enough time to acclimatise his body clock.

Proposal sparks debate

During a discussion that lasted almost an hour, councillors debated whether the trip was appropriate. 

Councillor Christian Dixon said he supported learning from the world's best, but was concerned about the "perception" of spending money on lavish flights.

"I keep getting told by Sunshine Coast Council staff we've got no money for bus shelters for kids sitting in the rain. And yet there might be money to send a [councillor] on first-class travel," he said.

Councillor Maria Suarez suggested getting a transport expert to address council in person, so all members could benefit from the information. 

"You'll still be subject to jet lag, whether you're up front or back in the sardine class," she said. 

Councillor Joe Natoli said public transport was predominantly a state government responsibility and spending $21,000 in a cost of living crisis would be "abhorrent" to many ratepayers.

Councillor Winston Johnston agreed the idea "won't go down well".

Mayor Mark Jamieson said the trip was not relevant to the Sunshine Coast. 

"I just didn't approve of the need to attend that particular event. I just didn't think it was going to add the value we necessarily need here on the Sunshine Coast," he said. 

Cr Jamieson said Cr Baberowski has done "a lot of good things" for the future of transportation on the Sunshine Coast.

"But I just didn't think this particular program was going to be of value," he said. 

Melva Hobson from OSCAR, the peak body of residents' associations, said the business class flights "did not pass the pub test" given council's other priorities. 

"I think the community would ask, 'Is business [class] travel … achieving the best outcome?' And I think the answer is no," she said. 

Councillors voted to reject the trip, eight votes to two. 

Cr Baberowski declined an interview and said "it's best to move on".