The Federal Court of Australia has spent over $424,000 on events in the past three years, according to recent parliamentary disclosures. 

However, responses from the Attorney-General's Department previously suggested that no such expenses existed, sparking questions about government transparency.

In 2023 and early 2024, Liberal Senator Jane Hume inquired about spending on official functions within the Attorney-General’s portfolio.

The department reported “nil” expenditure, stating that the Federal Court of Australia Entity had not hosted any such events.

This explanation aligned with its definition of the ‘entity’, which excludes judges and registrars.

However, Greens Senator David Shoebridge's 2023 inquiry, directed specifically at the Federal Court, revealed a detailed breakdown.

The Court was shown to have spent $106,236 in 2021/22, $173,114 in 2022/23, and $145,148 in 2023/24 on events such as judicial ceremonies, seminars, and international judicial delegations.

Senator Shoebridge has criticised the responses given to Senator Hume, accusing the Court of exploiting bureaucratic nuances to “hide the truth”.

“When a senator asks a department a question, it is their job to answer it and inform the public with a genuine answer, not to dance around trying as hard as possible not to respond,” he told reporters.

Still, the Federal Court defends its actions, explaining the difference between its broader role and the Federal Court Entity, as defined within the Attorney-General’s portfolio.

Senator Shoebridge has vowed to continue investigating, alleging deliberate obfuscation of public expenditure.

CareerSpot This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.