The energy minister, Chris Bowen, has defended the government’s decision to charter two jets from Canberra for a clean energy announcement in the Hunter region of New South Wales, blaming local airport limitations and a lack of commercial flights.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, Bowen and the industry minister, Ed Husic, travelled to Muswellbrook for the announcement of $1bn for the Sunshot program to support Australian-made solar panels last Thursday. Albanese called it “one of the most significant that will be made during our term”.
Bowen called scrutiny on the travel a “fair question”, after receiving criticism from two Liberal shadow ministers, but said the decision had been taken by the Royal Australian Air Force, which operates the planes.
He said the air force recommended that the most efficient way of getting the prime minister and the two cabinet ministers to the Liddell power station was to fly to Scone airport.
“The runway at Scone wasn’t strong enough to take the large jet, so the air force recommended and took the decision for two small jets,” Bowen told a press conference.
“The prime minister always travels with the Royal Australian Air Force. All prime ministers have for living memory, certainly as long as I’ve been involved. That’s for security reasons and quite appropriate.”
The radio station 2GB first reported on Monday that a resident in Muswellbrook had posted a photo on a local community Facebook page of two Dassault 7X jets on the runway at the Scone aerodrome on Thursday morning. The Royal Australian Air Force maintains a small group of such planes for government and VIP travel, including for transporting ministers on some official business.
The small airport is a short drive north of Muswellbrook, where Albanese and his ministers on Thursday made the solar announcement at the site of the former Liddell coal power station. The prime minister said the government wanted to “seize the opportunities that are there from the transition to net zero”.
Flight tracking websites showed two Dassault jets operated by the RAAF flew from Canberra to Scone on Thursday morning. Both returned to Canberra that afternoon, with one making a brief stop in Sydney.
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A Department of Defence spokesperson confirmed the advice in a statement to Guardian Australia.
“Due to weight restrictions at Scone Airport, the Dassault Falcon 7X was identified as the most suitable special purpose aircraft for the task,” the spokesperson said. “Due to the number of passengers, two aircraft were required to complete the task. This was the advice provided by [the] Air Force.”
Bowen told the press conference “we don’t usually comment on the RAAF jets but in this case it’s a fair question so we will”.
Government sources claimed there were no viable commercial options from Canberra to the Hunter that would have got the ministers there in time, and that only a smaller number of staff accompanied the ministers. The prime minister alone usually travels with a security detail and several staff, while ministers are also accompanied by staff.
After the solar announcement, Albanese stayed in the area for a further media event in anticipation of the dropping of Chinese tariffs on Australian wine, which was confirmed hours later.
The opposition housing spokesperson, Michael Sukkar, told 2GB the use of both planes was a “scandal”, alleging “the prime minister and his minister are using taxpayer dollars to live the high life flying around on private jets”.
“The prime minister is entitled to the use of a private jet. What would typically occur is a minister, if they’re travelling with the prime minister and making the same announcement or visiting the same place, would hitch a ride with the prime minister. But to take a second plane for himself is something that I think is remarkable,” Sukkar said.
On Sky News, Hollie Hughes, a Liberal senator and shadow minister described the situation as “hypocrisy”.
Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie also told Sky: “If there’s a simple explanation, then I suggest they come out and explain it.”