During her tenure as federal aged care minister from June 2022 to May of this year, Anika Wells was often nowhere to be found, leaving members of the aged care sector frustrated and bemused at her consistent unavailability. However, revelations over the last few days of her lavish taxpayer-funded travel expenses over the last three years may offer some explanation for her chronic absence.
Wells’ time in office coincided with reports of multiple, expensive trips that appear to prioritise personal convenience over public service. Flights to New York alone cost taxpayers close to $100,000, while domestic trips for sports events, AFL Grand Finals, Formula 1, and ski holidays racked up tens of thousands more. Her husband and children frequently accompanied her, all paid for under the guise of “family reunion” entitlements.
Weekend jaunts to Thredbo, extravagant Paris dinners, and high-end sporting events were routinely claimed as official duties. Even attending friends’ birthday parties was somehow considered part of her ministerial responsibilities. While Wells defended these trips as being within guidelines, the optics are damning. Australians struggling to pay bills and care for elderly relatives saw a minister seemingly using her position as a personal travel pass.
Wells’ lavish lifestyle was matched by her inaccessibility. Members of the aged care sector frequently reported that she was nearly impossible to reach for consultations, urgent issues, or basic questions. In an environment where timely communication can literally affect the lives of vulnerable Australians, her absence and inattention speak volumes about her priorities.
Even if her flights and family excursions were technically within the rules, the question of judgement cannot be ignored. Sending family on ski trips, flying across continents for short appearances, and attending sports events while the aged care sector awaited guidance is a stunning display of misplaced priorities.
