Australia's inaugural Ambassador for First Nations People is facing intense political and public scrutiny after revelations that his taxpayer-funded travel expenditure is approaching a staggering £275,000 (AUD $350,000).
High-Cost Travel Under the Microscope
Justin Mohamed, appointed by Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong in March 2023, commands an annual salary of approximately £210,000 (AUD $400,000) for a role described as unique to Australian diplomacy. Backed by a team of ten staff and a four-year budget totalling £7.2 million (AUD $13.6 million), the position has attracted criticism since its inception.
Freedom of Information documents have now brought his international travel costs into sharp focus. The data shows that between February and October this year alone, Mohamed's trips abroad cost almost £53,000 (AUD $100,000). This sum included more than £21,000 (AUD $40,000) spent on business-class airfares to destinations including Japan, Switzerland, and the United States.
Breakdown of Controversial Journeys
His most expensive single trip was to Japan in August, with total costs reaching £11,800 (AUD $22,341). Flights to Osaka and Sapporo accounted for £9,300 (AUD $17,566) of that amount. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) defended the high airfare, explaining the journey began in a remote part of the Northern Territory.
Other notable trips included a July visit to Geneva costing £10,000 (AUD $19,002), with flights at £7,300 (AUD $13,810), and an April trip to New York totalling £8,000 (AUD $15,234), where airfares were £5,300 (AUD $10,031). In Geneva, Mohamed attended the 18th session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), culminating in a gala for the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples' 40th anniversary.
Mohamed has also visited Vanuatu five times to support a bilateral agreement. One of these trips lasted just a single night but required airfares of nearly £1,950 (AUD $3,674).
Political Reaction and Defence of the Role
The travel revelations have been compounded by the resurfacing of a mid-year interview in which Mohamed discussed his motivation, stating a desire to "prove white Australia wrong." This comment has added fuel to the political fire.
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash was scathing in her criticism. "Our focus is on policies that deliver real improvements on the ground, not symbolic roles with high travel costs," she stated.
However, DFAT has firmly defended the ambassador's work and the associated costs. A department spokesperson argued that "First Nations international engagement is a unique element of Australia's national power that cannot be replicated by other countries." They emphasised that Australia's contributions to funds like the UN Voluntary Fund help ensure Indigenous voices are heard at the highest global levels.
Altogether, Mohamed's travel expenses over 20 months in the role total approximately £132,000 (AUD $250,000), with his overall expenditure from the post now nearing the £275,000 (AUD $350,000) mark, placing his diplomatic activities under continued examination.
