Albanese defends decision to sign off on $100,000 US trip for Anika Wells and staff

<p>Communications minister also faces scrutiny over taxpayer-funded family trip to Thredbo</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/dec/07/australia-news-live-nsw-bushfire-central-coast-upper-hunter-chris-minns-anthony-albanese-anika-wells-social-media-ban-syria-refugees-tasmania-dolphin-sands-labor-coalition-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>Anthony Albanese has defended his decision to sign off on <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/03/future-fund-spent-20000-to-send-ceos-former-executive-assistant-on-business-class-trip-to-scope-hotels-in-us">a $100,000 trip to New York City</a> for Anika Wells and two others to spruik Australia’s social media ban to global leaders at the UN general assembly.</p><p>The minister’s travel entitlements have come under intense scrutiny in the past week with the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/anika-wells-charged-taxpayers-to-take-family-to-thredbo-ski-resort-20251206-p5nlep.html">Nine newspapers reporting </a>on Sunday that Wells’ family went on a skiing trip to Thredbo in June using taxpayer-funded family reunion entitlements while the minister was there for an official event.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/07/albanese-defends-decision-to-sign-off-on-100000-us-trip-for-anika-wells-and-staff">Continue reading...</a>

Read the full article at: The Guardian World →