Australian taxpayers could be on the hook for a staggering $1 billion to host Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's climate summit, dubbed a 'vanity exercise' by the opposition. But here's where it gets controversial: While the government argues that hosting the 2026 United Nations COP31 summit in Adelaide will showcase Australia's commitment to net zero, critics like National Party leader David Littleproud argue that the funds could be better spent on domestic priorities. Littleproud claims that the $1 billion could be used to address more pressing issues, such as feeding Australians who struggle to afford dinner. He questions the government's priorities, noting that they are spending nine trillion dollars on their net zero policy and adding another billion for this summit is unnecessary. The government, however, has signaled a preference for a smaller event with around 30,000 participants, aiming for 'value for money'. Prime Minister Albanese has engaged in discussions with Turkey over hosting arrangements, as the country has also bid to host the event. The opposition has repeatedly pressed the government for transparency about the potential cost to taxpayers for hosting the event, and the government has stated it was unable to provide the total expected cost. While the government has not yet confirmed whether Prime Minister Albanese will attend the leaders' segment of the upcoming COP summit in Brazil, citing Parliamentary commitments, the taxpayer burden for this summit is already a hot topic of debate.
