The office of the First Nations—Indigenous—Ambassador, created just over a year ago, would be closed “on day one” of a Coalition government, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has said.
This was after it was revealed that the current ambassador, Justin Mohamed, had spent $145,000 on business class airfares in the 2023-24 financial year.
Sometimes, he was accompanied by a colleague or colleagues from the Department of Foreign Affairs, and this figure includes their travel costs.
All trips appear to have been under budget.
The Albanese Labor government, which created the post—the only one of its type in the world—approved spending of more than $350,000 last financial year to Mohamed on nine overseas trips, mainly to the United States and Europe.
At the time, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said that “elevating the perspectives of First Nations people—this land’s first diplomats—enables deeper engagement with many of our closest partners, including the Pacific family.
“This new position ensures, for the first time, that Australia will have dedicated Indigenous representation in our international engagement.”
Mohamed previous worked as Victoria’s Deputy Secretary of Aboriginal Justice.
He has worked for decades in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, social justice, and reconciliation in roles spanning the Indigenous community, government, and corporate sectors.
Total Budget of $13.6 Million Over Four Years
The government committed $13.6 million over the four years to “continue and expand efforts to boost First Nations trade and investment and enhance collaboration between First Nations communities and partners across the Indo-Pacific.”That included the establishment of a separate First Nations Trade and Investment Advisory Group and work done by DFAT and Austrade.
But Dutton has now vowed to axe the initiative if the Coalition wins the next election.
“That money will be spent to help Australians who are struggling at the moment to keep a roof over their head or to pay their electricity bill,” he told 2GB radio on Sept. 23. “We’ve got higher priorities at the moment ... a lot of families over this winter have gone without electricity to power their heating, and they just can’t afford to eat at the same time.
“I’m not going to tolerate a situation where we’re wasting taxpayers’ money ... And I think this is a waste of money. Nobody can point to what it’s achieved.”
Senator Asks What Does it Achieve for Indigenous People?
That position was echoed by Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who compared the ambassador’s lifestyle with that of “marginalised Indigenous Australians in remote communities.”“The Albanese government needs to explain how these frequent and expensive trips are advancing the interests of Australia and improving outcomes for First Nations people,” Senator Price said.
Figures released under Freedom of Information laws show the Ambassador made four trips to the United States, two to Switzerland, and one to each of Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.
He also visited the United Arab Emirates to “represent First Nations perspectives” at the U.N. climate change conference, COP28. His flights to and from that event cost more than $10,000, and his hotel room cost nearly $7,000 for a seven-night stay.
His total overseas hotel bill last financial year was more than $30,000.
The FOI request, made by an unknown party, only covered up until June 30. DFAT said that since then, the ambassador has also visited the Solomon Islands and Fiji.
DFAT responded to the criticism in a statement: “International engagement by the Ambassador for First Nations People supports DFAT’s strategic priorities to embed First Nations perspectives into Australia’s foreign policy.
“This has included elevating First Nations involvement in Australia’s trade and investment opportunities, strengthening human rights resolutions at high-level U.N. forums and securing the historic Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge.”
