Chris Bowen has built himself a climate empire.

More than 100 bureaucrats.

Business class flights.

Overseas trips to Turkey, Fiji, Germany and Korea.

And a bill to taxpayers that could hit $150 million.

Can you believe that?

While Australian families are doing it tough, Labor’s Climate Change Minister is flying officials around the world for his COP presidency mission.

According to reports in The Australian, at least $345,934 went on 25 return flights. Every one of them in business class. Another $13,883 went on accommodation. Thousands more went on unspecified “other” expenses.

This is your money.

It’s not going towards cheaper power.

It’s not fixing roads.

It’s for hospitals, housing, or cost-of-living relief.

It’s taxpayer money for Bowen’s global climate roadshow.

For this to come out after Labor’s attack on prosperity in the budget takes the cake.

This same Labor government keeps lecturing Australians about sacrifice. They tell families to cop higher bills in the name of Net Zero. They tell farmers to surrender land for transmission lines. They tell small businesses to absorb costs they cannot afford.

But when it comes to the green elite?

No expense spared.

Bowen has assembled an office of 30 staff for his COP role, with 105 full-time staff working across negotiations, Pacific partnerships and collaborations. The wage bill for the office alone runs into the millions.

That is ridiculous.

But Labor has chosen the global climate circuit over the Aussie battler.

Plain and simple.

Australia does not need another taxpayer-funded climate bureaucracy.

Australia needs cheaper energy.

Australia needs lower bills.

Australia needs a government that puts Australian families first.