Melbourne Lord Mayor's International Travel Bill Hits $155,669 in Four Months

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece, alongside accompanying councillors and staff, spent $155,669 on international travel between September and December 2025. The trips included destinations in China, Japan, Brazil, and India, drawing scrutiny from critics who have raised concerns regarding transparency and the costs incurred by ratepayers. Lord Mayor Reece has defended the travel, asserting its necessity to secure investment for Melbourne.

Critics have raised concerns regarding the transparency of these trips and the costs incurred by ratepayers. Lord Mayor Reece has defended the travel, stating it is necessary to secure investment for Melbourne.

Travel Breakdown

The international itinerary spanned three key missions, each with varying costs and stated objectives.

China and Japan Mission (September 2025)

Lord Mayor Reece embarked on a business mission to China and Japan, personally costing ratepayers $14,210, which included $11,572 for business-class flights. His itinerary included visits to Nanjing, Tianjin, and Tokyo.

Attendees: Lord Mayor Reece, Councillors Gladys Liu, Philip Le Liu, and Kevin Louey, plus one staff member.
Combined Costs: Councillors and the staff member incurred combined travel costs of $56,139.
Total Mission Cost: The total expenditure for this mission reached $70,349.
Stated Outcomes: The post-trip report claimed 14 commercial arrangements were facilitated, projected to generate $28.4 million in trade benefits.

Brazil Mission (November 2025)

Lord Mayor Reece's trip to Brazil involved attending the C40 World Mayor's Summit and COP30 climate conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Funding: This trip was primarily funded by C40 Cities.
Additional Costs: Lord Mayor Reece billed $1915 for additional costs.
Attendees: Two staff members accompanied the Lord Mayor on this trip.
Stated Purpose: Reece reported engaging in numerous one-on-one meetings and speaking engagements, and helping to lead a push for international guidelines on data centers.

India Trade Mission (December 2025)

A trade mission to India saw Lord Mayor Reece attending the Waves Film Bazaar and International Film Festival of India.

Lord Mayor's Cost: Reece's individual travel for this mission cost $12,933.66, including $9302.38 for business-class flights.
Attendees: Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell, Councillor Andrew Rowse, and three council staff members also participated.
Combined Costs: Deputy Lord Mayor Campbell and Councillor Rowse incurred combined travel costs of $34,757.92. The three council staff had combined costs of $35,711.44.
Total Mission Cost: The total expenditure for the India mission amounted to $83,403.02.
Stated Outcomes: The post-trip report indicated that the mission facilitated 520 new jobs, projected to generate $95 million in economic uplift.

Official Statements and Criticisms

Councillor Owen Guest voiced significant concern over what he described as a lack of transparency and questioned the overall value for money of the international travel.

Councillor Owen Guest expressed concern about the lack of transparency and questioned the value for money of the international travel. He stated that travel discussions should occur in open sessions and costs should be declared upfront.

Guest further questioned the necessity of council delegations traveling to countries that had recently been visited by state and federal leaders. Lord Mayor Reece, however, maintained that his trips were necessary.