The Department of Defence is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on events to celebrate the centenary of the air force – including an invitation-only dinner for 900 guests.
Labor has raised questions about the price tag for the centenary dinner, calling on the government to “justify the cost and ensure it represents value for money”.
The government has published details of several contracts related to the 100th anniversary of the air force, including $160,991 for events management for a dinner to be held on 31 March. The Department of Defence has also signed a $190,000 contract with the National Convention Centre in Canberra for events management, labelled as “air force centenary event”.
A third contract posted on the AusTender website shows an additional $103,016 earmarked for equipment hire – although the department said this contract was not related to the main centenary dinner, but was connected to other centenary-related events.
Public events are expected to include a mass flypast over Canberra’s Lake Burley Griffin from 10.30am on 31 March, culminating in a display by the Roulettes aerobatic team.
In response to questions from Guardian Australia, the Department of Defence said it was organising a program of events “to appropriately acknowledge past service and sacrifice — including the 11,100 air force members that have died while serving Australia — as well as demonstrate today’s highly capable force that provides air and space power as part of a joint force, and inspire the next generation’s interest in air force and aviation more broadly”.
“The centenary dinner is the final event of centenary day and will be held at the National Convention Centre on the evening of 31 March, with 900 guests anticipated to attend,” a spokesperson for the department said.
“The dinner is not listed in the schedule of public events on the air force 2021 website as it is invitation only and not open to the public.”
The spokesperson said the dinner would incorporate “the annual air force awards ceremony, participation of air force members from the Middle East via videolink, and an opportunity for government and defence officials to address members of the air force and air force veterans on behalf of the Australian community on the occasion of the centenary”.
Meanwhile, the $160,991.15 contract with events management business Staging Connections Pty Ltd “covers staging, sound and lighting required to ensure audience reach given the large venue size necessary to accommodate social distancing requirements”.
The Department of Defence said it had invited industry to participate in the centenary through sponsorship. While negotiations with sponsors remained in progress, “it is anticipated that the cost of the centenary dinner will be significantly offset by sponsorships”.
“In planning for their centenary, air force has assessed the need for activities to represent value for money and to achieve maximum effects, and where possible involving potential partnerships with defence industry for some projects,” the spokesperson said.
The third contract, of $103,016 for events management equipment hire, was “not related to the centenary dinner” but “pertains to infrastructure including items such as marquees, tables, chairs and bollards required for conduct of up to eight other centenary-related events to provide controlled and Covid-safe environments”.
The Labor senator Kristina Keneally, who is the opposition’s spokesperson on government accountability, said the exclusive dinner was shaping up to cost $177 per person even before any money had been spent on food or drinks.
“While this is an important occasion to celebrate, the government needs to justify the cost and ensure it represents value for money,” Keneally said.
“Even if Covid might be driving up the costs, this is shaping up to be an incredibly expensive dinner and I wonder if there would be a better way to honour the RAAF service than spending this amount of taxpayer money on an exclusive dinner.”
The Department of Defence said that because of “a number of variables involved with the event” the air force would not be able to provide final costings until a later date.
The centenary events mark the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Australian Air Force, which replaced a temporary army unit that had been known as the Australian Air Corps.
The change was announced in the government gazette on 31 March 1921, five months before the governor general signed an order authorising the use of the term ‘royal’ in the name.
