As MPs flew out of Canberra for their almost three-month summer break from parliament yesterday, the

As MPs flew out of Canberra for their almost three-month summer break from parliament yesterday, the cost of scheduled special purpose flights was tabled in parliament. It revealed almost enterprise car rental in toronto 20 RAAF VIP flights in the first six months of this year where there was only one person on board.
Two solo flights enterprise car rental in toronto by Defence enterprise car rental in toronto Minister Stephen Smith cost almost $30,000. On one occasion, his spokeswoman said, Mr Smith had to leave Perth at 3am when there were no commercial services and on the second occasion, on April 19, he had to fly from Perth to Townsville to meet the PM's jet so that they could travel to the Chicago Summit.
Former Human Services Minister Kim Carr's then media adviser Fiona Bastian took two solo flights, at a cost of more than $5000, between Melbourne and Canberra on April 23 this year. It is understood the aircraft had to travel between those airports to pick up the then minister and other staffers.
Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce said he had taken solo flights on the VIP after getting special permission to return to his St George home during a flood. At other times he had approval to take a VIP flight enterprise car rental in toronto because commercial services limited his ability to get to his remote home near the Queensland/NSW border with one flight costing $5175.
Solo passengers included The Australian's defence editor Brendan Nicholson who flew alone from Rangoon to Canberra after reporting on a visit by Foreign Minister Bob Carr. The aircraft was returning to Canberra and The Australian reimbursed the government the cost of a commercial flight seat.