A jet-setting Labor MP flew abroad on five occasions in just seven months on trips that cost the taxpayer thousands of dollars – but curiously posted photos on social media taken in his constituency while overseas.
Julian Hill, the MP for Bruce in Melbourne‘s south east, took five trips to nine countries between October 2023 and April last year, according to his Register of Interests and Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA) records.
Mr Hill billed taxpayers $33,000 to visit Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen in September 2023.
But he is yet to publicly disclose on his IPEA records how much he charged taxpayers to attend Inter-Parliamentary Union events in Angola in October 2023 and Switzerland in March 2024.
While the costs for trips to Taiwan and Singapore were covered by their respective governments, it is Mr Hill’s social media use while away that is most eyebrow raising.
On 25th October 2023, while he was in Angola with Milton Dick MP, Senator Deborah O’Neill, Warren Entsch MP, and Senator Linda Reynolds, Mr Hill posted a photo of himself at Nossal High School in his electorate.
Then, on 2nd November 2023, while he was in Singapore, Mr Hill posted a photo of himself at Doveton Tennis Club.
On 25th March 2024, while he was in Switzerland, Mr Hill posted a photo of himself at a Holi celebration.
Julian Hill (pictured with the Prime Minister), the MP for Bruce in Melbourne ‘s south east, took five trips to nine countries between October 2023 and April last year, according to his Register of Interests and Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA) records
Mr Hill travelled to Angola in October 2023 with Milton Dick MP, Senator Deborah O’Neill, Warren Entsch MP, and Senator Linda Reynolds (pictured). But you wouldn’t have been able to tell that from Mr Hill’s social media posts
While in Angola Mr Hill posted a photo of himself at Nossal High School in his electorate (pictured)
And then, on April 9, while he was in Taiwan, Mr Hill posted a picture with staff at Mission Australia in Dandenong.
A government spokesperson did not comment on Mr Hill’s social media posts.
‘All costings of Mr Hill’s trip as a delegate of the Inter Parliamentary Union have been recorded appropriately in Parliamentarian expense reports, as has other members of the cross-parliamentary delegation,’ the spokesperson said.
Mr Hill took all these trips as a backbencher, before his appointment as Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs in July 2024.
In June last year, he criticised Opposition Leader Peter Dutton for charging taxpayers $23,000 to fly from Canberra to Tamworth via private jet to attend a bush summit.
‘Lucky Tamworth, they got $23,000 worth of Peter Dutton’s anger and negativity,’ he said.
For the trip to Taipei, which was paid for by the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Hill declared various small gifts he had received.
‘Teacup, glass, tea, coffee, sweets, key ring, pen and legislative yuan badge,’ his statement of registrable interests notes.
On 2nd November 2023, while he was in Singapore, Mr Hill posted a photo of himself at Doveton Tennis Club (Pictured)
On 25th March 2024, while he was in Switzerland, Mr Hill posted a photo of himself at a Holi celebration (pictured)
And then, on April 9, while he was in Taiwan, Mr Hill posted a picture with staff at Mission Australia in Dandenong (pictured)
Meanwhile, his entire week-long trip to Singapore to participate in the S R Nathan Fellowship was covered by the republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It is understood that Mr Hill attends sometimes upwards of 15 events in the community each week.
The Labor frontbencher was the target of a homophobic campaign two weeks ago when a couple of offensive banners were hung from an overpass bridge in Dandenong.
One said: ‘LGBTQ+ means more to Julian Hill than you the people’, while the other falsely stated: ‘Julian Hill MP – more worried about his husband than his constituents’.
Mr Hill is gay and in a relationship but he is not married.
The banners triggered a police investigation and criticism from all sides of politics.
Mr Hill told the Guardian that the culprits resort to ‘these sorts of smears as they’ve got nothing positive to say’.
‘I always have and always will stand up for everyone in the Bruce electorate, no matter their faith, ethnicity or who they are,’ Mr Hill added.