Overview
- Departmental figures confirm $94,828.75 in return airfares for Anika Wells and two staff for September’s UN week, plus about $15,000 for accommodation and more than $7,000 for ground transport and meals.
- Per‑person flight costs were $34,426.58 for Wells, $38,165.86 for her deputy chief of staff, and $22,236.31 for the assistant secretary for online safety.
- Wells says the trip built “global momentum” after meetings with Meta, Amazon and Microsoft, alongside engagements with international counterparts.
- Opposition figures and the Greens question the timing and value given the Optus Triple Zero outage, while the government says the travel complied with ministerial guidelines.
- Australia’s minimum‑age rule for social media is set to commence on December 10, with no change to the rollout announced.