Lord Mayor Nick Reece accused of excessive travel spending as ratepayer costs soar beyond $114,000
An investigation by The Herald Sun into publicly released financial records shows the Lord Mayor's travel costs, including local, interstate, and international trips, which have steadily accumulated over his time in office.
Of the overall figure, more than $80,000 has reportedly been classified as 'local travel'.
That category includes repeated use of a chauffeur-driven car for trips across Melbourne, a practice critics argue is out of touch in the current economic climate.
When pressed to justify the expense or confirm how much was spent specifically on chauffeured services, Mr Reece declined to respond directly.
'The expenses reflect the significant demands on the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor to attend a range of engagements, where they represent and advocate for the city,' a City of Melbourne spokesperson said, defending the spending.
International travel was also added to the bill. In 2023, Mr Reece took part in a business delegation to China, visiting Hong Kong, Tianjin, and Beijing.
That trip cost ratepayers $16,263.38.
The travel tab may not stop there.
On Tuesday, Melbourne City Council is expected to vote on another international mission, to cities in China and Japan, that could see another $20,470 added to the ledger.
The itinerary includes stops in Chengdu, Nanjing, Tianjin, Osaka, as well as transit through Hong Kong and Tokyo.
Ratepayer advocacy group Council Watch has blasted the spending as out of step with public expectations.
'We acknowledge that Mr Reece is an ambassador for the City of Melbourne and this may increase expense more than an ordinary council mayor, however, given the tight economic times, we would urge City of Melbourne to reduce and limit all interstate and overseas travel, and where possible reduce any private car usage,' Council Watch President Dean Hurlston told the Herald Sun.
'The level of spending (on travel) seems excessive. Mr Reece needs to show prudent financial leadership as Lord Mayor.'
This is not the first time the Melbourne mayoralty has come under fire for transport spending.
In December, former Lord mayor Sally Capp's own hefty use of taxpayer-funded chauffeur services was exposed, with more than $31,000 spent in just one year.
Those rides included trips to the 2023 AFL Grand Final, the Melbourne Cup and the Matildas' FIFA World Cup semi-final.
In one case, Ms Capp charged ratepayers $93 for a limo ride covering just 650 metres, from Town Hall to the Yarra boatsheds, to announce the Moomba Festival Monarchs.
Ms Capp's travel habits stood in stark contrast to a 2018 campaign pledge she made to ditch the Lord Mayor's official vehicle.
'That's why I'll be walking, cycling, using public transport and driving my own car to and from work and official events,' she said at the time.
'I'll still on occasion use a car service, on an as-needs basis, when that is the most appropriate and efficient transport option.'
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