King Charles’ six-day, $600,000 Australian tour during cost-of-living crisis   :(

December 29, 2024
The Age

King Charles’ first visit to Australia as monarch cost taxpayers more than $600,000, despite the head of state being on the ground fewer than six days.

The much-anticipated trip to Australia, which was Charles’ 16th visit to this country and his first since 2018, was significantly scaled back because of the King’s ongoing health problems, which have included  cancer.

The total cost of the royal visit was $640,060.47, excluding GST.


The 76-year-old Charles’ planned visit to New Zealand was axed from the program while his activities in Australia were curtailed.

While in Australia, Charles and Queen Camilla visited only Sydney and Canberra, and the visit did not include any state dinners or evening events, while one of the four whole days he was in the country was set aside as a rest day to help “preserve the King’s energies”, according to the BBC.

Charles was just the second reigning monarch of Australia to visit, the other having been his mother, Queen Elizabeth. The tour included a short visit to NSW parliament for a lunch in his honour, a trip to Parliament House in Canberra that was famously disrupted by Senator Lidia Thorpe’s protest, a Parramatta Park community barbecue and an event at the Sydney Opera House.


A spokesperson for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet said that as of November 30, 2024, the total cost of the royal visit was $640,060.47, excluding GST.   :(

That means Australians spent more than $100,000 a day to host Charles and Camilla.

The cost breakdown includes $437,468.82 on travel, accommodation and meals, $119,263.33 on event management and hospitality, $35,694.76 for ground transport, and $47,633.56 on other expenses, including the national contribution to Greening Australia and manufacturing the King’s flag for Australia.



Although the total cost of the six-day visit might seem high when Australians are grappling with a cost-of-living crisis, Charles’ trip was significantly cheaper – he even took a commercial flight to Singapore on his way to Australia – than the last two trips to Australia made by Queen Elizabeth.

In 2011, Elizabeth’s 11-day trip to Australia – which took her to Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth – cost taxpayers $2,687,854. A five-day trip to Australia in 2006, which took Elizabeth to Canberra, Sydney and then Melbourne to open the Commonwealth Games, cost taxpayers $1,450,239.

The monarchy’s popularity with Australians has slipped since the death of Queen Elizabeth.

In September 2024, the Resolve Political Monitor found support for a republic had risen 5 percentage points from 36 to 41 per cent, the number of people opposed to a republic had fallen by 9 percentage points from 37 per cent to 28 per cent, and the number of people who did not know or were unsure had risen 4 percentage points to 31 per cent.


Australians’ view of King Charles’ performance as head of state also dimmed, from 45 per cent of people in September 2022 saying he was doing the job well, to 31 per cent in June 2024. The percentage of people who said the King had performed badly rose by 4 percentage points to 18 per cent in the same time period, while the percentage of people who said they were unsure rose from 41 per cent to 50 per cent.

Awww... boo hoo...

Funny how the cost to host Narendra Modi in Australia in 2023 can't be publicly sourced... I'd bet it was more like upwards of $1 million.

What would it cost Australia to host a US president for even one day?

Albanese is still the PM which is a relief for him. Apparently Thorpe took all the flak from Charles' Reserve Powers.

Charles the Patient King is well known not to allow grandiose extravagant ceremony at high cost.
I think we were lucky to have him here.

Jasin wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 7:33am:

Charles the Patient King is well known not to allow grandiose extravagant ceremony at high cost. I think we were lucky to have him here.

If only they used that money to fund some drag queen story time for thr kiddies.

What crisis?

Australia is a Muslim Irish country near New Zealand and is in crisis.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-15/foodbank-hunger-report-reveals-millions-skipping-meals-australia/104470760

chimera wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 9:22am:

Australia is a Muslim Irish country near New Zealand and is in crisis. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-15/foodbank-hunger-report-reveals-millions-skipping-meals-australia/104470760

Some people have had to cancel their spotify accounts because its so tough out there.

It's a crisis because of the contrast:

'Revenue in the Luxury Cars market is projected to reach US$155m in 2024.
Revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2029) of 2.37%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$174m by 2029.
Luxury Cars market unit sales are expected to reach 1.7k vehicles in 2029.
The volume weighted average price of Luxury Cars market in 2024 is expected to amount to US$103k'.

whiteknight wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 5:05am:

King Charles’ six-day, $600,000 Australian tour during cost-of-living crisis   :( December 29, 2024 The Age King Charles’ first visit to Australia as monarch cost taxpayers more than $600,000, despite the head of state being on the ground fewer than six days. The much-anticipated trip to Australia, which was Charles’ 16th visit to this country and his first since 2018, was significantly scaled back because of the King’s ongoing health problems, which have included  cancer. The total cost of the royal visit was $640,060.47, excluding GST. The 76-year-old Charles’ planned visit to New Zealand was axed from the program while his activities in Australia were curtailed. While in Australia, Charles and Queen Camilla visited only Sydney and Canberra, and the visit did not include any state dinners or evening events, while one of the four whole days he was in the country was set aside as a rest day to help “preserve the King’s energies”, according to the BBC. Charles was just the second reigning monarch of Australia to visit, the other having been his mother, Queen Elizabeth. The tour included a short visit to NSW parliament for a lunch in his honour, a trip to Parliament House in Canberra that was famously disrupted by Senator Lidia Thorpe’s protest, a Parramatta Park community barbecue and an event at the Sydney Opera House. A spokesperson for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet said that as of November 30, 2024, the total cost of the royal visit was $640,060.47, excluding GST.   :( That means Australians spent more than $100,000 a day to host Charles and Camilla. The cost breakdown includes $437,468.82 on travel, accommodation and meals, $119,263.33 on event management and hospitality, $35,694.76 for ground transport, and $47,633.56 on other expenses, including the national contribution to Greening Australia and manufacturing the King’s flag for Australia. Although the total cost of the six-day visit might seem high when Australians are grappling with a cost-of-living crisis, Charles’ trip was significantly cheaper – he even took a commercial flight to Singapore on his way to Australia – than the last two trips to Australia made by Queen Elizabeth. In 2011, Elizabeth’s 11-day trip to Australia – which took her to Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth – cost taxpayers $2,687,854. A five-day trip to Australia in 2006, which took Elizabeth to Canberra, Sydney and then Melbourne to open the Commonwealth Games, cost taxpayers $1,450,239. The monarchy’s popularity with Australians has slipped since the death of Queen Elizabeth. In September 2024, the Resolve Political Monitor found support for a republic had risen 5 percentage points from 36 to 41 per cent, the number of people opposed to a republic had fallen by 9 percentage points from 37 per cent to 28 per cent, and the number of people who did not know or were unsure had risen 4 percentage points to 31 per cent. Australians’ view of King Charles’ performance as head of state also dimmed, from 45 per cent of people in September 2022 saying he was doing the job well, to 31 per cent in June 2024. The percentage of people who said the King had performed badly rose by 4 percentage points to 18 per cent in the same time period, while the percentage of people who said they were unsure rose from 41 per cent to 50 per cent.

What would be a fair price?

He is the head of state. Even if he were resident in Australia full time, the only cost difference would have been the airfares - hardly a big deal.

Look at all the money Labor is pissing up the wall and into the wind.



Budget spending spree that locks in a decade of deficits
Given all the good luck since coming to office, there are no excuses for Labor not running successive substantial surpluses to repair the budget buffers and start repaying the pandemic debt at this point in the cycle.

Over the next two financial years, real government spending is forecast to grow by 8 per cent – twice as fast as the expected 4 per cent growth in GDP.

Labor is now the party of the decade of deficits after embarking on what amounts to a pre-election spending spree that further ratchets up the size of government.

But there is nothing in this bigger spending budget about incentive-sharpening structural tax reform nor any genuine productivity-enhancing measures to speak of.



And The Pravda on the Yarra is kvetching about a 6 day visit by the king.

Cost is 2.5 cents each person. Thorpe got $100,000 free publicity.

King Charles wears a whole lot of fake medals to make himself look important.

Medals should be for war time and for bravery in the face of the enemy.  ::)

https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/677615/king-charles-medals-explained-military-past/

The King's medals

The King has 11 medals on his uniform and these are:
the Queen's Service Medal, the Coronation Medal, the Silver Jubilee Medal, the Golden Jubilee Medal, the Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Platinum Jubilee Medal, the Naval Long Service Good Conduct Medal, the Canadian Forces Decoration, the New Zealand Commemorative Medal, the New Zealand Armed Forces Award and the Garter Star.

https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/27d321a644fb-king-charles-medals-trooping-the-colour.jpg


https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/94bda41c9e85-king-charles-medals.jpg

Surely he gets a medal for Service to Trees.
https://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/SydneyLongMedal

Apparently White knight is upset King Charles the Patient didn't cost $25m for an Abo Flagpole on the harbour bridge, $20m to Hamas by Spend a Penny Wong, who also gave $2m to Indonesia for aid, even though there was no crises but a bribe for the Bali 9 release.

Considering the Monarchy are Masters of Ceremony (music, entertainment,etc), not Politicians.
The Media should have paid for the Royal visit out of the $450m they siphoned and scammed out of tax payers through the ALP for the 'media' version of a Voice in Politics, although there already is one.

What say you White knight?
Speak up about your ALP's flippant and self indulgent spending of tax payers money... like giving the Media $450m for a failed 'media' voice?

Jasin wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 1:45pm:

Considering the Monarchy are Masters of Ceremony (music, entertainment,etc), not Politicians. The Media should have paid for the Royal visit out of the $450m they siphoned and scammed out of tax payers through the ALP for the 'media' version of a Voice in Politics, although there already is one.

Ahh but let’s also include the 20 million Lnp Covid-19’ giveaway to EVERY media outlet in Australia.
It’s all in the gazette.
Explains nicely why all the media totally supported the government actions without any scrutiny.
In the Australian media landscape the government gets the story they pay for.

Thus the slow push back on social media.

Jasin wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 1:48pm:

What say you White knight? Speak up about your ALP's flippant and self indulgent spending of tax payers money... like giving the Media $450m for a failed 'media' voice?

The election is not far away now -
we can say goodbye to Albo the lisping idiot who wastes our money.


https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2024/12/will-you-be-getting-a-20000-pay-increase-in-a-couple-of-days-therapeutic-albanese-will.html

Will you be getting a $20,000 pay increase in a couple of days? Therapeutic Albanese will.

Bobby. wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 1:16pm:

bravery in the face of the enemy.

Charles has six guided missile destroyers and eight frigates and one warship HMS Victory with 104 guns, some being 32 pounders which penetrate two feet of oak.

chimera wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 2:00pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 30th, 2024 at 1:16pm: bravery in the face of the enemy.  Charles has six guided missile destroyers and eight frigates and one warship HMS Victory with 104 guns, some being 32 pounders which penetrate two feet of oak.

The Yanks call it stolen valor.
It's a criminal offence.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolen_Valor_Act_of_2005

King Charles wears a whole lot of fake medals to make himself look important.

Medals should be for war time and for bravery in the face of the enemy.  ::)

https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/677615/king-charles-medals-explained-military-past/

The King's medals

The King has 11 medals on his uniform and these are:
the Queen's Service Medal, the Coronation Medal, the Silver Jubilee Medal, the Golden Jubilee Medal, the Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Platinum Jubilee Medal, the Naval Long Service Good Conduct Medal, the Canadian Forces Decoration, the New Zealand Commemorative Medal, the New Zealand Armed Forces Award and the Garter Star.

https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/27d321a644fb-king-charles-medals-trooping-the-colour.jpg


https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/94bda41c9e85-king-charles-medals.jpg

Bobby. wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 2:05pm:

The Yanks call it stolen valor. It's a criminal offence.

'In United States v. Alvarez (2012), the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 was an unconstitutional abridgment of the freedom of speech under the First Amendment–striking down the law in a 6 to 3 decision.'
Mr D Trump, deals-on-wheels, 78 orange colored, claimed to be a president-dictator and was pardoned on dementia senility. 

chimera wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 2:15pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 30th, 2024 at 2:05pm: The Yanks call it stolen valor. It's a criminal offence. 'In United States v. Alvarez (2012), the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 was an unconstitutional abridgment of the freedom of speech under the First Amendment–striking down the law in a 6 to 3 decision.' Mr D Trump, deals-on-wheels, 78 orange colored, claimed to be a president-dictator and was pardoned on dementia senility.

But check this out.
It's an award for nothing - you literally do nothing to obtain it.  WTF?
And that is one of Charles's medals.    ::)


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Elizabeth_II_Silver_Jubilee_Medal

The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal
created in 1977 to mark the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952.

It's all 'ceremonial' Bobby. A King is a Master of Ceremony, though many kings in history thought they were more than just that. Their over-achieving, usually was their undoing.
Emperors are the prime ruler of Military and all things Empire, not Kingdom of Pageantry.
You could even say Gods rule Religion and Pharaoh's rule Art... and so on.

The British Monarchy in the past did take liberty with Military, but eventually Politics put them in their place like a Court Jester.

Great Britain & United Kingdom are a Binary system.
Most people can't comprehend this, like in America. Hence why Bipolarism developed in America as it struggles to draw the line between Politics and Media Entertainment.


Whaddaya reckon FD? Would Kanye like that one?🤪

Well, the King’s visit at $600K seems high - but look at the possible gain for Australian Business and Entrepreneurs for the visit.   Hats, Trinkets, Souvenirs, Flags and a ton of other things will be manufactured for a gullible public to purchase.   Employer Taxes and GST will flow back from this so in a strange way, the visit may even self fund or even put more back in the coffers than expended

What of course probably won’t make a profit is the $600m we will give to PNG over 10 years to get their NRL team up and running.  Now THAT IS a waste of money in a cost of living crisis.

Very much so VIC. The influence of Rugby Union would stimulate a higher cultural pride towards education. Rather than the 'working class pleb' attitude of N.Redneck.League's social redundancy of violence and biffo.
Sounds more like $600m to sabotage PNG society into drug/alcohol prone players, like League.
Al'baloney wants PNG as our Mexico of Rascal cartels selling Chinese drugs.

Bobby. wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 2:06pm:

King Charles wears a whole lot of fake medals to make himself look important. Medals should be for war time and for bravery in the face of the enemy.  ::) https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/677615/king-charles-medals-explained-military-past/ The King's medals The King has 11 medals on his uniform and these are: the Queen's Service Medal, the Coronation Medal, the Silver Jubilee Medal, the Golden Jubilee Medal, the Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Platinum Jubilee Medal, the Naval Long Service Good Conduct Medal, the Canadian Forces Decoration, the New Zealand Commemorative Medal, the New Zealand Armed Forces Award and the Garter Star. https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/27d321a644fb-king-charles-medals-trooping-the-colour.jpg https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/94bda41c9e85-king-charles-medals.jpg

What medals have you received?

Bobby. wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 2:24pm:

It's an award for nothing - you literally do nothing to obtain it.

'The 30,000 medals awarded within the United Kingdom included 9,000 to armed forces personnel, with others given to members of the Royal Household'.
This is because William the Frenchman conquered the Anglo Saxons in 1066 and any excuse is good enough to be one-up on the English.

Frank wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 3:21pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 30th, 2024 at 2:06pm: King Charles wears a whole lot of fake medals to make himself look important. Medals should be for war time and for bravery in the face of the enemy.  ::) https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/677615/king-charles-medals-explained-military-past/ The King's medals The King has 11 medals on his uniform and these are: the Queen's Service Medal, the Coronation Medal, the Silver Jubilee Medal, the Golden Jubilee Medal, the Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Platinum Jubilee Medal, the Naval Long Service Good Conduct Medal, the Canadian Forces Decoration, the New Zealand Commemorative Medal, the New Zealand Armed Forces Award and the Garter Star. https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/landscape/27d321a644fb-king-charles-medals-trooping-the-colour.jpg https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/94bda41c9e85-king-charles-medals.jpg What medals have you received?

I am sir brave Bobby - Knight of the round table.     :)

Gaddafi fell over once, when he leaned forward for another medal, by the weight of all the medals he already had pinned to his uniform. 14 POWs were executed for this indiscretion.

What was once a Sword, is now a Scalpel
(Medieval to Medical)
...the projectile weapon, like an arrow, a gun, belongs to another.

In 1760, king George III was declared 'George the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and so forth:' Declaration of Accession.

He sent Governor Phillip who met captain La Perouse sent by the other King of France, in 1788. Phillip politely told him to get franced and that Canberra was a French kingdom already.  Charles went to parle le ment for vive la pommies and la gloire of all ze loovely medals. Up the republic!

une salade de mots, s'il vous plaît.

Chimera's posts do need a dressing down sometimes😆

MeisterEckhart wrote on Dec 30^th, 2024 at 4:30pm:

une salade de mots, s'il vous plaît.

avec un plat ou une entrée ?