South Australia's Social Inclusion Commissioner Monsignor David Cappo has spent more than $100,000 of taxpayers' money on international trips in four years, said a report on the AdelaideNow website.
Monsignor Cappo, 61, appointed by Premier Mike Rann to help the state's most disadvantaged people, has been on eight trips to the US, Europe and Singapore, in his role, between 2006 and 2010.
The itineraries for two other trips to the US - budgeted to cost taxpayers $40,000 - were approved by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet but the trips were not taken by Monsignor Cappo, the report said.
He always goes business class on international flights, irrespective of the distance travelled, with the cost of the flights accounting for the majority of the Social Inclusion Commissioner's travel expenses, the report said.
Monsignor Cappo defended his international travel, saying he had paid for the majority of his work-related expenses.
Monsignor Cappo - who is also paid $115,000 a year for his part-time role as commissioner - paid the cost of most of his accommodation and living expenses.
Opposition families and communities spokeswoman Vickie Chapman, who obtained the travel information via a FoI request, said the Government had lost its moral compass.
The Opposition criticised the cost of Monsignor Cappo's travel to taxpayers as extravagant, given the State Government had "increased utility prices, slashed jobs and delayed hospital upgrades".
No comments:
Post a Comment