Australia's Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has been caught on camera appearing to fall asleep at his taxpayer-funded climate event in Fiji.
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Bowen → catch → Fiji
The event, which had an estimated cost of $20million, was set up as a prelude to the United Nations' annual COP climate summit being held in November.
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which → have → November
While the main UN climate conference will be held in Antalya, Turkey, in November, the Albanese government is spending millions on accommodation, event management and logistics for the Fiji pre-gathering.
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government → hold → gathering
At the Fiji event, Bowen was expected to talk about the need for more electrification in the region, and set to appear alongside speakers such as Julia Gillard and Jacinda Ardern at the event.
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Bowen → expect → event
Cameras appeared to catch Bowen closing his eyes multiple times while sitting in the audience at the event held at a fancy resort.
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Bowen → appear → resort
Despite the price tag for the event, just two non-Pacific leaders, from Mauritius and Timor-Leste, had confirmed they would attend the key meeting for the event in Tuvalu.
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they → confirm → Tuvalu
Around 4000 climate advocates and bureaucrats, and 14 government leaders or heads of state were also expected to attend, along with journalists and officials of international bodies.
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advocates → expect → bodies
Speaking to News24, shadow energy minister Dan Tehan said, 'He was dreaming of what the meeting might be like if some leaders had turned up.
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leaders → speak → what
'He's obviously had a big day.
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He → have → day
No leaders have turned up so he's been by the pool on the banana lounge sipping a few cocktails,' he said.
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he → turn → cocktails
Australia's Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has been caught on camera appearing to fall asleep at his taxpayer-funded climate event in Fiji
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Climate Change Chris Bowen
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Minister → catch → Change
You seriously can't make this stuff up, can you?
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you → make → stuff
The Fiji talks were agreed as part of a compromise after Turkey beat a joint Australia-Pacific bid for the main COP31 summit.
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Turkey → agree → summit
Australian taxpayers are underwriting an offshore warm-up meeting, the economic benefits of which flow to Fiji and the actual conference will be held in Turkey.'
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conference → underwrite → Turkey
Government procurement records reveal the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water booked rooms across a string of high-end Fiji resort for the conference.
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Department → reveal → conference
The department signed a $2,113,467 contract with Barton Pte Limited, operator of the five-star Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort on Denarau Island.
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department → sign → Island
'A pre-COP is therefore the conference before the conference, because apparently one enormous international climate talkfest is no longer enough,' explains Daily Mail political editor Peter van Onselen.
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Onselen → explain → conference
'Australian taxpayers are underwriting an offshore warm-up meeting, the economic benefits of which flow to Fiji and the actual conference will be held in Turkey.
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conference → underwrite → Turkey
Government procurement records reveal the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has booked rooms across a string of high-end Fiji resorts ahead of the summit.
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Department → reveal → summit
A total of $5.6million is set to be spent on accommodation - as part of $19.8million event cost
The department signed a $2,113,467 contract with Barton Pte Limited, operator of the five-star Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort on Denarau Island.
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department → set → Island
The venue boasts an 18-hole championship golf course, tennis courts and 'lagoon-style' pools.
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venue → boast → course
Another $2,083,706 contract went to Richmond Pte Limited, which operates the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa and the luxury Vatu Tale.
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which → go → Resort
The Sofitel Fiji has five restaurants with flavours 'inspired by local and seasonal ingredients from France, Fiji and the Far East'.
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Fiji → have → France
The department also entered into contracts worth $995,650 with the four-star Crowne Plaza Fiji and Nadi Bay Resort.
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department → enter → Fiji
Other records show an additional $172,890 was spent at the Wyndham Garden Wailoaloa Beach, $102,749 at Warwick Hotels and Resorts, $94,157 at Tanoa International Hotel, $90,850 at Novotel Nadi and $19,866 at the Radisson Blu Resort Fiji.
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172,890 → show → Fiji
Accommodation contracts alone total more than $5.6million.
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contracts → total → 5.6million
Van Onselen said the spending is a disgrace.
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spending → say → ?
Peter van Onselen said it was a disgrace Aussie taxpayers were funding the conference
'
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taxpayers → say → conference
While Australians battle mortgage stress, soaring grocery bills and crippling energy prices, international bureaucrats will be enjoying five-star beachfront resorts, an 18-hole golf course, wellness facilities, lagoon pools and even an in-house nightclub.
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bureaucrats → battle → house
'Adding insult to injury, the accommodation and venue expenditure won’t do anything for Australian hotels, conference operators or tourism workers.
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expenditure → add → hotels
Had the event been held here, the government could at least argue that the money would circulate through the domestic economy.
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money → hold → economy
Instead, Australian taxpayers are underwriting an offshore warm-up meeting, the economic benefits of which flow to Fiji and the actual conference will be held in Turkey.'
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conference → underwrite → Turkey
The Aporia
