UN climate conference costs taxpayers $600,000

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Taxpayers have spent more than $600,000 on the 12-day United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, official figures reveal.

Figures released to The Press under the Official Information Act show the 32-strong delegation, which included Prime Minister John Key and Climate Change Ministers Nick Smith and Tim Groser, spent more than $200,000 on travel to the Danish capital and at least $250,000 on accommodation.

Smith said yesterday while the cost might seem high, it was necessary for New Zealand to "properly engage" at the talks.

At meetings like Copenhagen there might be 20 meetings happening simultaneously, he said, and New Zealand had to be represented.

"The costs [of the conference] are pretty similar for the Government participating in previous climate change conferences, like Kyoto and subsequent meetings," he said.

"It's disappointing for the taxpayer to have expenditure of $600,000 and we didn't make much progress."

Kyoto Protocol rules for forestry alone can potentially make billions of dollars of difference to New Zealand.

WWF executive director Chris Howe said his organisation was pleased the Government was represented at the meeting but it should have had a stronger commitment to take action on climate change.

"We can't comment on how they accumulated those kinds of costs in attending because we haven't seen that information but it's important New Zealand is part of the talks," he said.

Key's chief of staff, Wayne Eagleson, said the costs were not final because invoices were often received after the date of travel.

Airfares for Key, Smith, Groser and their staff were $80,661, accommodation cost $70,790, with $12,443 in "other costs".

Key's policy adviser's trip cost $15,788.

Police estimated four diplomatic protection squad members' expenses, including airfares, was between $60,000 and $80,000.

Eagleson said a reception for New Zealanders at the country's Consulate-General office in Copenhagen, which cost $2197, was yet to be charged to the "relevant agencies".

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT) spent $166,000 sending eight officials to the conference.

New Zealand's climate change ambassador, Adrian Macey, said the eight MFAT officials included staff from the New Zealand Agency for International Development and the New Zealand Embassy in the Hague.

Airfares cost $54,554, accommodation $74,679 and meals, incidentals and non-travel expenses totalled $36,776.

Figures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry showed it spent more than $90,000 on three staff and iwi representative Roger Pikia.

Travel costs were $28,081, accommodation $46,215, delegation room fees $8757 and $8110 was spent on meals and incidentals.

MAF's director of international policy, Chris Carson, said meals and a daily snack allowance were paid on a "true, fair and reasonable" basis rather than a flat allowance.

- © Fairfax NZ News