You'd think that someone who is up for re-election next year would be hyper-mindful of being seen to be conscious of the cost of living crisis (must be nice for him to be paid more than $500k a year to ruin the country) currently affecting everyone in this country, other than politicians like Airbus Albo. But no, one slap in the face after another and now this latest slap to taxpayers. Airbus Albo has decided it is not a colossal waste of taxpayer funds to have us pay for $18,000 worth of flowers, $7,000 on a 12m dining table centrepiece (really?) plus $44,000 for a musical performance by Jessica Mauboy in order to entertain 11 prime ministers, presidents and sultans during March this year in Melbourne for ASEAN summit dinner. Even if Australians weren't dealing with a cost of living crisis (still waiting on those cheaper electricity bills, Albo!), spending $80,000 on some flowers is just obscene. Not sure that we got our moneys' worth either with $44k on Mauboy to sing a few songs.

Am I the only person who thinks Airbus Albo has completely lost the plot? Am I the only one who thinks this spending wasn't an utter, colossal waste of taxpayer funds? If his plan is to win re-election next year, then in my opinion, he's going about it in a truly bizarre way!

https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/anthony-albanese-treats-world-leaders-to-60k-worth-of-flowers-and-entertainment/news-story/ec514a94e46ce6e2e3af8501b11dabd3

You are correct of course, except:

Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey declared the 'age of entitlement is over' while slashing family payments and medical benefits in the Federal Budget on Tuesday.

But less than a week later it has been revealed he submitted an expenses claim for $50,000 after hiring a celebrity chef to cater an event in Washington D.C. where he wined and dined G20 executives.

Chef Shane Delia's services were paid for with Australian taxpayer dollars at the April 10 event, where up to 60 finance ministers and central bank governors from G20 nations sat down to a top-shelf menu of barramundi, Victorian Wagyu beef and WA truffles, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

The Treasury department even paid for Mr Delia to fly business class and covered the cost of transporting truffles from Australia to Washington D.C. A 'eucalyptus ice' dessert was also served at the event.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2631397/Is-age-entitlement-ALREADY-Joe-Hockeys-50-000-dinner-bill-paid-taxpayers-revealed-days-tough-budget.html

No matter who is in, they all treat the Australian Taxpayer as an unlimited bucket of money.