The federal government's digital agency spent more than $14,000 on a single dinner at a Sydney high-end restaurant for overseas delegates, more than $240 a head.
Liberal senator Claire Chandler questioned Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) chief executive Chris Fechner over a formal welcome dinner for delegates to an e-Leaders conference, held at Quay Restaurant in The Rocks in November last year.
Mr Fechner told the finance and public administration legislation committee the official hospitality associated with the conference totalled $18,317, covering the dinner and other smaller activities for delegates from 22 countries.
He said the price included a set menu and select beverages - soft drinks, wine and beer - with an agreed upper limit on the drinks spend, later revealed to be just over $2000.
When pressed on alcohol spending, Mr Fechner said it was "not within our domestic policy" to pay for drinks, but for international events it was discretionary and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) expected "hospitality associated with hosting the event".
Asked why the agency chose the waterfront venue rather than the conference hotel or a cheaper option nearby, Mr Fechner said his team had reviewed multiple locations and Quay provided the "best balance" of cost and location.
"We did extensive research on the locations and the costs," he said, arguing Quay offered "a very good balance" between cost and a location that was "very important to showcase Australia" to its international counterparts.
The $240-a-head figure, he said, was "a suitable amount representing Australia for an international delegation".
Senator Chandler said the $240 per head dinner meant it must have been "a pretty nice night out".
The dinner was part of a three-day conference that cost about $156,000 in total, including a voluntary contribution to the OECD to bring staff to Australia.
Senator Chandler then extended her scrutiny to the DTA's domestic spending and, in particular, its twice-yearly "DTA Day". She said spending on the event was about $110,000 once venue hire, travel, accommodation and paid speakers were included.
Mr Fechner said the true costs were "generally south of $100,000". There was a $41,650 venue bill at Canberra's Hotel Realm and a $50,000 annual budget to fly in remote staff, and he acknowledged speaker fees had run to more than $16,000 on at least one occasion.
Despite the scrutiny, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher defended the agency's approach. She said it was appropriate for agencies to host international delegates with some hospitality and to bring staff together in person.
"I don't think bringing your staff together once or twice a year in the location where most of your staff are is concerning to me," Senator Gallagher said, as long as it was done "within budget" and "mindful of taxpayers' expenditure".
