Australia’s Energy Minister Chris Bowen is facing renewed scrutiny after reports that taxpayers could be liable for accommodation contracts worth up to AU$4.2 million for a major climate meeting to be held in Fiji ahead of this year’s COP31 summit.
According to The Australian, Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has reserved accommodation and meeting facilities across three luxury resorts for a pre-COP meeting scheduled for October.
The report says the combined maximum value of the contracts is AU$4.217 million, prompting criticism from opponents who argue the spending comes as Australians continue to face rising energy bills and cost-of-living pressures.
The meeting, which Bowen will chair in his capacity as co-president of COP31, is expected to bring together international climate negotiators ahead of the main United Nations climate summit in Türkiye later this year.
The largest accommodation bookings are reportedly at the Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort and the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa, with additional rooms reserved at the Radisson Blu Resort Fiji.
However, the Australian Government says the final cost to taxpayers is expected to be significantly lower than the maximum contract value.
A spokesperson for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water told The Australian that several participating countries, including Türkiye, are expected to reimburse their own accommodation costs, while unused rooms can be cancelled for refunds.
The department also said the three resorts were selected because they are among the few venues in Fiji capable of hosting an event of that scale.
It added that booking accommodation on behalf of international delegates is standard practice for major international meetings, including previous G20 and ASEAN-Australia summits.
According to the department, Australia’s support for the pre-COP meeting is part of its broader commitment to Pacific partners and efforts to strengthen regional resilience and security.
The accommodation contracts are the latest aspect of Australia’s COP31 preparations to come under political scrutiny.
