**WHAT AN UTTER DISGRACE AND WASTE OF OUR TAX DOLLARS** Charter Airbus cost $12m but not used THE Immigration Department is defending its decision to pay up to $12 million for a single charter jet to transfer asylum-seekers to Malaysia or Papua New Guinea, despite not a single asylum-seeker having yet left Australia. A spokesman for the department confirmed last night authorities had chartered an Airbus A319 from the Australian Antarctic Division at a cost of $12m for just three months. It came as the Australian Federal Police prepared to send some of its 117 staff on Christmas Island to the mainland, following the High Courts decision to reserve its Malaysia ruling until next Wednesday. Extra officers had arrived in anticipation of a decision in the case earlier this week. Despite the staggering size of the aircraft contract, the spokesman said the arrangement offered significant value for money for taxpayers. Its a prudent arrangement given the departments regular need of charters for transfers, the spokesman said. He said the contract was on a pay-as-you-go basis, although it was costing taxpayers a minimum of $120,000 per week, regardless of whether or not the plane was used. So far, the department had racked up a bill of $4.5m for the plane, the spokesman said. The spokesman said the plane had been used to transfer asylum-seekers from Christmas Island to the mainland and had flown a total of 76 flights, despite being leased specifically for the purpose of transferring people to Malaysia or PNG. Christmas Island businesses expressed concern about the islands economic prospects once the Immigration Department scales back its presence. Publican Col Dobson said that the exodus of detention centre workers would result in a major decline in business. He signed a five-year lease to run Tracks Tavern at the height of an asylum-seeker-fuelled boom on Christmas Island 12 months ago and has built it into a bustling business. Now he is increasingly concerned about his bottom line because of the decision to reopen the Manus Island detention centre.theaustralian.au/national-affairs/policy/charter-airbus-cost-12m-but-not-used/story-fn9hm1gu-1226120766998
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 09:45:51 +0000