Australia’s Climate Change Ambassador Will Nanjervis charged taxpayers $148,000 in international travel
Australia’s Climate Change Ambassador has splashed more than $148k in taxpayer cash, travelling around the world in his first year in the top job. See the trips.
Australia’s Climate Change Ambassador Will Nankervis has splashed more than $148,000 in taxpayer cash, travelling around the world in his first year in the top job.
Travel expenditure documents for the ambassador, released under freedom of information laws this month, revealed Mr Nankervis spent $148,260.79 on 75 days abroad — between September 7, 2025, and August 2 this year.
The ambassador travelled to the Solomon Islands, the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Türkiye as part of ten declared trips, with documents also revealing he spent more than $22,000 since July 1 this year.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Taxpayers were charged a massive $35,589 for the ambassador to travel to the United States to attend New York Climate Week in September 2025, with $20,000 spent on flights and $12,475 on accommodation in the Big Apple.
Just days later, the travel documents show taxpayers were slugged a further $37,273.15 for Mr Nankervis to travel to Brazil.
Meanwhile, he also spent $10,945 for Pre-COP discussions in Fiji and Tuvalu in June this year.
The ambassador’s travel documents also confirm he travelled business class in legs across every trip reported, while also charging the taxpayer form meals and beverages, as well as incidentals.
Shadow energy spokesman Dan Tehan told The Nightly that the Australian people want to know “how any of this expenditure on business class flights and five-star hotels is helping drive down their energy bills”.
“The fact that Chris Bowen can’t answer that question says it all,” Mr Tehan said. “The other questions is, how is this in any way helping reduce emissions.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong appointed Mr Nankervis to the job in August last year, alongside Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen and Pacific Island Affairs Minister Pat Conroy, claiming “Mr Nankervis will play a leading role in Australia’s international climate engagement, particularly in the Pacific and Southeast Asia, to drive action and support the global energy transition”.
“The Albanese Government is taking strong action on climate change at home, and we’re engaging with international partners to drive collective action abroad — because no one country can solve these problems alone,” Ms Wong said.
Before being appointed as Climate Change ambassador, Mr Nankervis was described as a “senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade”.
Revelations of the ambassador’s travel bill come as Senate Estimate were told on Monday that the bill to taxpayers for the Pre-COP event in Fiji this month actually cost more than $34 million, and leaders spent a massive $682,000 for an event hosted at the Sofitel Sydney before the proceedings.
It was previously revealed Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen estimated $20 million in taxpayer funds were being spent on the controversial Pre-COP event, with several bookings at five-star resorts in Fiji.
The Climate Change Minister has been criticised for the massive cost to the Australian public following a series of high-profile snubs.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water were contacted for comment.
